Generator Hubs

[PscyclePath]

Sheldon Brown's page on generator hubs, as well as Peter White's web site, both cited above, are excellent references.

I've got a Shimano 3N71 hub on my Globe commuter bike, and am really happy with it. One project for over the winter is to get a similar wheel built up for my Surly fast(er) commuter/fun bike.

I get good light to see by even at slow speeds... even in the pitch black corners of local trails and streets. And the nice thing is, that when your wheels are turnin', your lights are burnin'... you don't need to worry whether you remembered to plug into the charger last night, or especially this time of year, when you often need to run your lights both to and from work, if you've got enough left in the old batteries to make it home, much less run by the grocery store or wherever on the way back. Likewise for the randonneurs and long-distance riders, you don't have to worry about charging up, or finding a convenience store along the road somewhere with a sale on AAs or AAAs.

With either the Shimano or the SON hubs, you can't feel the resistance from driving the generator. Some of the older types where you have a rotor that runbs along the tire rim, yeah... that creates a lot of palpable drag, but the newer hub models you almost don't realize they're there.

I do carry a long a set of battery-powered lights for backuip, but in the year I've been running this thing, I haven't had to use them.

The one mechanical thing to look out for is the little blade plugs that connect the generator to the wiring system on the bike. These tend to be very lightweight -- Specialized uses 22-gauge wire on the Globes -- so you need to be very attentive when you remove the front wheel. I've had to re-wire mine twice now (Sheldon Brown's web page is the place to go if this happens to you) so that front wheel only comes off any more if the tire is flat...

Tom

[Blueberry]

From what I hear, the new LED lights for generators are awesome! Haven't had a chance to try them yet (not in the budget just yet), but supposedly they're as bright as a car headlight.

My Fly halogen lights are enough to light up just about anything - except maybe a really fast downhill.

I feel like I do notice a little bit of drag with the Shimano - none with the Schmidt. Of course, it could all be in my head And it's not enough to bother me in any case.

CA

[jobob]

I'm thinking about a generator hub. Maybe.

When Lee & I were in MA and made our pilgrimage to Harris Cyclery (past home base of Sheldon Brown) we saw the new Supernova E3 LED headlight.

The first thing that struck me about it is that it's much smaller than I expected it to be from the few photos I've seen of it.

It's been getting rave reviews so if I do ever take the plunge and get a generator hub, this light will be on the top of my list.

[jobob]

Likewise for the randonneurs and long-distance riders, you don't have to worry about charging up, or finding a convenience store along the road somewhere with a sale on AAs or AAAs.

That's an excellent argument for generator hubs, but the thing that always concerns me is that I'm such a slow climber. Don't some systems require a certain minimal speed to keep the light powered? I'd hate to be slogging up a long steep uphill pass and have my lights cut out on me.

I haven't really been doing my homework on this so maybe it's not much of an issue anymore. Or is it?

At any rate, I'd probably still carry along a battery-powered light as a backup just in case.

[Veronica]

My light comes on when I wheel my bike into the garage. Totally unscientific testing just conducted in my garage, says the light is just as bright at 4 miles an hour as it is at 8. Ours stay on for five minutes after you stop moving. They do noticably dim then and I don't think they are bright enough to change a flat. So I carry a small extra light if I know I'll be riding after dark.

We have the Lumotec IQ Fly N-Plus W/Standlight.

Veronica

[jobob]

Yeah, but sometimes I climb at a whopping 3 mph. Or less. I kids you not (I wish I were!)

(Of course, the simple solution is, if I'm riding a route with those kinds of climbs at night I'd simply have the battery light along. Just being ornery.)

[Biciclista]

i have the schmidt hub, and I don't find it slowing me down.
the good part about it is once i get going for a few minutes, the light stays on, even after stopping for 5-10 minutes, there's apparently a bit of capacitance going on.
And Psychlpath is right, the weak link is how it connects to your lights. I am HOPING they come up with better connectors soon. In the meantime, no fussing with batteries or battery packs (which are a lot heavier than the hub.)
When I'm really pedaling hard sometimes, I feel this cool vibration, i know it's coming from the hub. I love the independence it gives me and the knowledge that i'm not using batteries there.

[jobob]

hmmmm.

Mimi, is it the Supernova E3 that Raleighdon got just recently?

If so, is he happy with it?

[Gunther]

I'll chime in....

I am VERY HAPPY with my Schmidt powered Supernova E3.
It's providing full light by 5-6 mph (specs say 4, but I haven't done a lot of low speed verification) and usable light at a walking pace, literally. I have the symmetric lens version so I can read road signs and see a bit more into corners. Good for speeds approaching 40mph. Beyond that you'll want more lumens.

GtB