# Hub generator (dynamo) lights - comparisons - thoughts



## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Here is a link to a shoot-out between the main hub generator-powered lights available these days:

http://www.velociped.ch/docs/Dynamo-Scheinwerfervergleich_2008.pdf

From my experience with 3 of the lights in the shoot-out, these photos look quite accurate.

I switched to a hub generator out of frustration with the fickleness of NIterider batteries and their "digital" controls. My current commuter uses the D'Lumotec Oval, an LED-based light rated at 16 Lux, which is the measured performance of the Dinotte 200L in the current RBR/MTBR LED light shootout. This is a very nice light for in-town commuting. It has a nice spread of light for road illumination and visibility to other road users. Subjectively, it's not as bright as my old 15w niterider, but it feels like a very good light. It's standlight is also very nice for those times I'm stopped at an intersection.

I recently was interested in the Lumotec Fly IQ, which is LED-based and rated to 40 Lux, possibly making it brighter than the 33 Lux of the Dinotte 600L measured in the current RBR/MTBR LED light shootout. Despite being happy with my current light, the more-than-double rated brightness of the Fly IQ had me intrigued. But it has a flaw, as illustrated in the shoot-out photo at the first link. The Fly IQ shoots light out ahead so well that it leaves a black spot just in front of the front wheel. Ooops... Despite its brighter light, that beam pattern cured me of any light-lust for the Fly IQ.

I also have experience the Lumotec Oval and the Lumotec Rund (Round), both halogen-based lights, which are generally comparable to the LED-based D'Lumotec Oval I'm using now, with a couple differences. First, the halogens have bright spots, as shown in the shoot-out photos, that I think undercut some of the effectiveness of the lighting. The hotspots help illuminate what they shine on, but undercut our seeing what's NOT in the hotspot. I prefer smooth illumination over a larger area over a small hotspot that leaves me slightly blinded for the under-illuminated areas. Also, the brightness of these halogen bulbs degrades after about 100 hours or so of use and need to be replaced. Each bulb costs just $3-$5, but is an added maintenance chore that's unnecessary with long-lived LEDs available.

That brings me to the discovery of the crazy-bright Supernova e3, rated 60 Lux. I haven't seen one of these in person, but it has become the new focus of my bike light-lust attention. Here is their web site:

http://www.supernova-lights.com/en/products/e3/e3_english.html

In a review of the Fly IQ, one reviewer at the SJScycles.co.uk website said "I had a Supernova E3 that although appeared brighter produced a less usable beam. The Fly's beam is rectangular and so all the light directed to where you want it." 

There was a link to another shoot-out for the dynamo LED lights, but I can't find it now. As a substitute, here's an article in German with some informative graphs about dynamo lighting.

http://www.nabendynamo.de/pdf/ar.11-12_2007.pdf

Edit: Here's a link to a (Swiss?) review that seems to acknowledge the brightness of the Supernova, but ultimately scores it about evenly with the D'Lumotec. The SuperNova wins with "helligkeit" (brightness), slightly loses out on "ausleuchtung" (illumination), but seems to fall down on "zusatzfunktionen" (functions). (All translations from google)

http://www.velojournal.ch/CMS/images/stories/vj6_06/lichttest_06.pdf 

Maybe my D'Lumotec is just fine...


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Funny you put this up today..I just came in from the garage where I finished setting up a bike with the SON hub. I went with the D-Lumotec oval primary and a E6 secondary as well as a LED tail light driven off the hub. The advice I got was that the D-Lumotec gets to full brightness at very low speeds and has a broad beam -- as your pictures show. I imagine the E6 will soon be outdated by an LED, but that's just a guess. 

I can't wait to try this out.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Pdx, it sounds like you`ve done a lot of research. Have you seen anything on those Inoled LEDs beyond what`s on Peter White`s site? They looked tempting to me, but I ended up with the round Lumotec, mostly because the Inoleds seem so obscure. 

I`m currently in a state of dilema over my dyno too. I was delighted with my set-up initially. The only other light I had used was a 4 X AA halogen cateye that I had clipped onto my fork blade until it took a ride through the spokes. My lumotec is about the same brightness, but throws longer and the side spill around my front wheel is really nice. 

But I started to want a little bit more light (distance) for speeds over about 15mph and to show up better in a particular section of road I travel fairly often with nasty traffic through a confusing intersection. So I put together a 20W homebrew thinking I would just turn it on as needed, then switch it off again. Shazam! When I shut off the 20W and go back to the 3W it`s like my hat fell over my eyes! But I love the idea of making my own light and really do have a lot of faith in the dyno/Lumotec combo- haven`t had it long enough to say for sure, but I can`t imagine it failing. Now I`m torn between going strictly battery or trying a possibly expensive upgrade to my dyno system that may not even work out. Since I already have a good battery and charger, any changes to that system would be cheap. As an in between fix, I`ve ordered a 10W halogen for the homebrew to see if I can actually manage to switch back and forth. The 3W and 20W absolutely don`t mix. Sure wish there were more info out there on the Inoled.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

You might want to talk to Peter White about the inoled. They have them, and for some reason they first thought that would be the answr for me but then advised me to go the other way. I think it was because I wanted to run a secondary, but I'm not sure. Since you have the generator already, why not add a bright secondary like many do?

Oh, one other thought. There is a google group "Randon" where people are all over these kinds of discussions here: 

http://groups.google.com/group/randon


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## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

JP said:


> ... I imagine the E6 will soon be outdated by an LED, but that's just a guess.
> 
> I can't wait to try this out.


I have an E6 as well, and like you I wonder if LEDs are the way of the future. I really like the E6 beam pattern but it is not quite bright enough for speedy descents. Does anyone know if this "supernova" is available in North America yet?


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

The E6 has been the gold standard for dyno lighting, but from the shoot-out photos I think the LEDs have caught up with illumination quality and, of course, "bulb" lifetime.. I haven't seen/used Inoleds. 

I came around the dyno lighting for commuting via the maddening unpredictability of Niterider batteries during the night-time commute season (winter) and the absence of charge when an unscheduled dark ride would come up during the day-time commute season. For me I realized that dyno lighting could give good-enough commute lighting and visibility ANYTIME without the blisteringly bright lighting of battery-based lights, even with just a Lumotec halogen or a D'Lumotec LED (which is better). I have a Shimano 3n-70 on my fixie commuter and a 3n-30 on my Breezer commuter. Both are great, affordable commute hubs. If I were still riding brevets I'd have to think hard about a Schmidt hub.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

JP said:


> You might want to talk to Peter White about the inoled. They have them, and for some reason they first thought that would be the answr for me but then advised me to go the other way. I think it was because I wanted to run a secondary, but I'm not sure. Since you have the generator already, why not add a bright secondary like many do?
> 
> Oh, one other thought. There is a google group "Randon" where people are all over these kinds of discussions here:
> 
> http://groups.google.com/group/randon


I might end up doing that- have to check compatibility, but an E6 secondary would probably do the trick. So would a battery system with the dyno as backup. Decisions... Thanks for the "Randon" link- lots of discussion on the Inoleds. Don`t know why I didn`t stumble onto that site when I was researching last time.

Oarsman, they have an online store in English. It doesn`t say where they can ship, but they do list a suggested currency converter, so their customers apparently aren`t all paying in Euros.
http://www.nova-factory.com/store_en.htm
It would be worth asking.


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

Just another option: over at www.yellowjersey.org they have some nice lights, dynamos and other lighting accessories.


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

*Lighting*

Just another option: over at www.yellowjersey.org they have some nice lights, dynamos and other lighting accessories.


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