Retro-fitting a dynamo is straightforward, but it does require rebuilding the front wheel and the hub and light are reasonably pricey, so it’s quite an initial outlay, but it will pay for itself over the years in reduced battery consumption and the ease and convenience of generating your own light.  What follows is a brief discussion of some of the dynamos, some of the lights and what is involved in a conversion.

Hubs.

Dynamo hubs in general have improved out of sight in the last 5 years.  The good ones generate enough power to run a very bright light with very little resistance. The charge is generated by running a series of magnets past each other.  If you have a hub on it’s own and turn the axle it feels notchy.  The notches you can feel are the magnets lining up and resisting being turned away from each other.  When the wheel is actually spinning though, this notchiness disappears.  This is because at speed, as one pair of magnets is trying to stop the wheel from turning past a spot, the next set of magnets is ready to pull the wheel towards the next spot and the two forces effectively cancel one-another out.  As a result, when the hub is not connected to a light which is turned on, it has negligible drag.  It might be too much drag for someone attempting a time trial, but not enough drag for the rest of us to even notice.  Even when the lights are on, the drag is very small, and close to unnoticeable.  They are  certainly a different beast to the old bottle dynamos which make it feel like you are riding up a hill the second they are engaged.

There are a few different options for dynamo hubs.  The two brands we carry are Shimano and Schmidt.  Both brands offer a range of models, but the variations between models within a brand are much smaller than the differences between the two brands.

Shimano dyno hubs are great value, very efficient, have high quality bearings and good seals.  The three hubs we most commonly sell are the 3n80, the Alfine and the LX.  They are pretty much identical to each other, but have different spoke counts, different provisions for disc brakes and come in either black or silver.

Schmidt hubs are similar to Shimano hubs, but are basically better in every respect and more expensive.  They have cartridge bearings, amazing seals, slightly better efficiency, weigh slightly less, and are as nicely made and finished as any hub on the market.  There are a few different models, again offering different combinations of colour, spoke count and disc compatibility.  There is also a distinction between SONdelux hubs which are lighter, lower-drag hubs with narrower flange spacing and SON hubs which are heavier, more robust hubs that generate enough power to run a halogen light at any speed.   When deciding which hub to use, the halogen issue is a bit of a non-starter, since LED lights have too many advantages over halogen to consider using a halogen light.  Furthermore, if you already own a halogen light the lower-drag hub will still run a halogen light, though it won’t output at full brightness until you are at a slightly higher speed.  The real advantages of the SON hubs are the wider flanges (which make the wheel a little stronger) and the fact that the higher energy output can help if you want to use the hub to charge devices other than lights, such as phones, GPS systems and computers.

Here is a great article on the efficiency of different hubs.  It’s a bit old now, and the Shimano hubs talked about are outdated and less efficient than the ones we sell, but if you’re interested in hubs it’s worth a read.

Lights.

Bike lights have also improved out of sight in recent years, thanks mainly to recent developments in LED technology.  For dyno-powered lights this means that less power is required to produce light and so lights can be bright enough to illuminate the road without making a significant difference to how hard the bike is to pedal.  LED lights are also immune to a problem which some halogen lights suffered from years ago, where the globe could overheat and pop if the speed of the bike was too high and the dynamo overpowered the light.  Modern lights also have built-in stand lights so that once the light has been run for a while there is a built up charge that keeps the light on when the bike is stopped.

There are a huge range of LED lights and we get many different ones in to order, but here are a couple we keep in stock most of the time.

The front light we keep in stock is the Busch and Muller IQ Cyo.  It is very bright and has an intelligently shaped beam of light.  The LED casts its light back onto a reflector which sends out light which illuminates the ground in front of the wheel and ahead of the rider.  The beam is cut squarely off at the top so that the light is less likely to dazzle oncoming cars/cyclists/pedestrians and so that the light is all going somewhere useful rather than just shooting off into the sky.

The rear light we stock is the Busch and Muller Toplight.  It is designed to mount nicely on a rack or fender, but we can rig it up to mount without either if needed.  It has built-in reflectors, is nice and bright, seals well and is very reliable.  It is connected to the front light and uses its stand-light so that when you are stopped at the lights people can see you.

Indicative price.

Dyno systems are great value, but they aren’t cheap.  Building a replacement wheel with a dynohub, the original rim and good spokes comes in at around $300 and a pair of lights costs about the same.  But then battery lights with equivalent power are also expensive and they chew through batteries.

In the end the biggest practical advantage of dyno lights is their convenience – you don’t need to remeber to replace or recharge batteries.  There’s also a lot of satisfaction to be gained not just getting to your destination under your own power, but also illuminating the way there using your own legs.

For more, check out our webshop - Constructeur.com.au.

The issue is that some bikes were shipped from the Australian distributor without a straddle cable catcher.  This is a little hook that sits under the straddle cable.  It is there so that in the unlikely event that the main brake cable snaps, it can catch the straddle so that it cannot fall onto the tyre.  In the worst case scenario without the catcher, the tyre (if it had nobs on it) can grab the straddle and apply the brakes, which could cause an accident.

This is a far cry from BV’s coverage, which, from the way it was phrased, claimed that the brakes supplied with the bikes were faulty.  Firstly, the problem applies to only some of the bikes, not all of the bikes.  Secondly, the brakes are not faulty, but rather a secondary safety device was not supplied with all bikes – a safety device that does its job if another part of the braking system has already failed.

The majority of the Surlies we have sold cannot be affected by this problem, because mud guards, reflector mounts and fork crown mounted lights all do the job of a straddle catcher.  Both stand between the tyre and the straddle and make it impossible for a broken brake cable to cause any harm.

The Australian distributor has announced a voluntary recall (see image).  If you have bought a Surly (either from us, or from somewhere else) and you are not sure whether the missing part applies to you, then please drop in.  We’ll take a look and if there is a problem we will remedy it.

Dynamos use the turning of your wheels to generate electricity, which can be then used to power your lights (or mobile phone, if you wish to get ambitious). Using the same system employed in windfarms, the dynamos now available have very little rolling resistance compared to those of yesteryear.

We stock both the excellent value Shimano hubs (the new 3N80 is brilliant), and the top shelf Schmidts (the SON 20R is THE dynamo hub). All will give you many years service, and mean less acid batteries end up in landfill.

The virtues of these dynamos are too numerous to mention, so drop in for a chat on how you can go battery free.

for more  information on these Dynamos

Shimano Nexus

Schmidt Dynohub

• Schmidt’s Webpage (mostly in German – not a lot of info)
• Peter White -The world’s #1 Schmidt advocate

One more thing – Because these dynamos are part of the hub, this nifty device will require you to replace your whole front wheel. A complete wheelbuild will cost around $300 with the Shimano hub dynamo.

Unlike a lot of cheaper L.E.D. lights available, these aren’t just to give you visibility on the road, they’ll illuminate the road ahead of you. Perfect for late night rides down the Merri Creek bike path.

Once you’ve seen these in action you won’t be able to go back.

Headlights typically in stock:

We also stock the E-Werk power supply, which allows you to charge and power any device you can think of using your dyno-hub.

As always we’re happy to get in other models to order.

Plenty of information and images are available at the Busch and Müller website.

We also love Schmitd  and Supernova lights.  The Schmidt Edeluxe is a deluxe version of the IQ Cyo and the Supernova E3 is the brightest thing going.

Gloves

It’s easy to overlook your hands when rigging up for a frosty morning’s ride. Considering you need your fingers to control your brakes, it’s best to keep them warm and working. We’ve now got an excellent range of gloves -10 different styles, and in a range of sizes – for you to try on and take home.

The added bonus is that we’ve put the TUFF brand front and centre. An Australian Company, TUFF (by name AND nature) have been designing and selling gloves and cycling socks since 1990.

So if you’ve got frosty phalanges, pop in and have a look.

Prices range from $30 to $45.

More about TUFF, over on their website

Jackets.

We’re always banging on about bicycle safety, so we should give a plug for some of the high visibility jackets and jerseys we’ve got in store. Netti, an Australian company have been producing bicycling clothing and helmets for over 60 years, make up our current range.

On our rack, and in various sizes we have a selection of tops suitable for a variety of conditions. All with night riding in mind, they’re perfect as the days shorten in ‘Old Melbourne Town’. All garments have long torso size, and over-length arms, perfect for the reach to your handle bars.

Netti Sunshield

A lightweight Jersey that can be worn on it’s own or snugly over your daily garb, is made from breathable micromesh fabric. It has a Sun Protection Factor of 50 plus, so is ideal all year round.

Deep rear pockets are perfect for your phone and wallet, and a 30cm chest zipper, means added value for this simple and elegant jersey.

More information at the Netti Site

Sunshield: S-XL – $60

Netti Shift Jacket

The Netti shift jacket is the sort of thing you’d like to have in your pannier for those unexpected moments: you’re caught out after dark, Melbourne’s weather lives up to it’s reputation or you need a second jacket. Showerproof, windproof, and underarm ventilation, it’s quite roomy and is ideal as a shell.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti Shift Jacket – S -XL – $60

D3 Jacket

If Tenzing Norgay were riding round Brunswick, in the cold and wet, we reckon this would be the jacket he’d wear. This jacket with it’s heat sealed seams and front zipper guard, has all the marks of quality and is built for all conditions. The Netti D3 jacket with its breathable and waterproof fabric, is ideal for those who don’t use rain as an excuse not to ride to work. It even has a hood (that is detachable) for those really heavy downpours.

Double Plusses:

• Detachable arms – this jacket doubles as a high visibility vest.
• Elastic waist and cuffs
• Front and rear reflective strips
• Rear pocket for your phone, wallet, scroggin.

This jacket has just about everything built in, and only weighs 370 grams, so would be ideal for touring cyclists too. This is about as heavy duty as they come, so if the weather’s too heavy for this jacket, you probably shouldn’t be riding.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti D3 Jacket S -XL $230

Planet Bike lights represent excellent value, with a variety of lights for different uses and budgets. Tail lights, headlights and helmet mount lights are all discounted, including our favourite, the ‘Blinky Superflash ‘.

There’s also a $100 service voucher up for grabs. This Monday’s Moreland Leader newspaper (13/04/2009) has all the competition details. You can also download a voucher from the City of Moreland website. Roll into the our Prentice Street Workshop, pickup a ‘Blinky’ or one of his friends, and you’ll be in the running. $100 dollars gets you a fair bit of bike love at Commuter Cycles, so it’s well worth the effort!

UPDATE!

Simon Stainsby, Sustainable Transport Officer at Moreland City Council popped into the workshop on 6th of May 2009 to pick a winner for the competition. In great impartiality, blindfolded (almost), he announced Michael of Fitzroy to be our winner!

Congratulations Michael, we look forward to seeing you and your bike soon!

Introducing ‘Blinky Superflash!‘. Sounds like a 1970′s cartoon character we hear you say.  But there’s nothing retro about these beauties, they’re state of the art, and they are BRIGHT!

The weather proof design also clips off easliy from the enclosed mount, which includes two ring sizes so you can fix them anywhere. We have extra mounts ($5) so you can securely attach them to packracks and baskets.

Each light set comes with AAA batteries included. The supplier, Planet Bike, donates 25% of their profits to Bicycle Advocacy, which is good for everyone.  We’re right behind folks that go the extra mile and do things like that.

Blinky also has siblings in the range. Little sister Blaze includes a 1/2 watt led that comes with a helmet mount, perfect for the Yarra or Merri creek bike trail, where a moment in the darkness can mean the difference between a ride and a swim.

Blinky Superflash: $35
More Info: Planet Bikes