Bike Upgrades
I have been contemplating some upgrades for the bike (part of it is lust for shiny new stuff and mostly things I think can improve my commute and beyond). There are 2 bikes that I am focussing on upgrades, firstly, it is my Long Haul Trucker and the second one id some upgrades to my New World Tourist. Lets focus on the simpler upgrade, my Long Haul trucker.
The focus is on setting up a power plant on the bike to generate electricity. Recently (2009 / 2010) many companies are working on products that focus on harnessing energy from the bike to charge electronics (phone, GPS etc…). Some good products coming on line are from pedal power +, B&M and Dahon. I have invested in checking out Pedal Power + and will be testing out their product in the coming weeks. The missing component in my bike is a good electricity generator.
Dynamos on bikes are very old technology and have been around for a long time now and the technology is very mature. Generally, there are 2 classes of products, side wall dynamos (good ones are from B&M) and the hub dynamos (good ones are made by SON, Shimano and SRAM). Pros and cons exist for both versions and I have decided on going along the Hub route. It is expensive option (generally) but if you get a good deal on a hub, it is a very fuss free option.
As I was procuring some components I chanced on a great deal for a Shimano DH-3N72 hub (< 60 USD) and pounced on it. I dont know much about the quality of dynamos but Peter White says that the Shimano Hubs (especially the 7x and 8x) are very good bang for the buck and a very good long term value. I received the package and the hub looks very delicious in appearance and it came with a skewer too. The electric attachment also looks pretty robust I do think it is a good value. I will have to wait for the built wheel and some riding to see if things are going to be smooth sailing.
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- Shimano Hub Dynamo DH-3N72 in Box
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- Shimano Hub Dynamo DH-3N72 with skewer and manual
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- Shimano Hub Dynamo DH-3N72 with skewer
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- Shimano Hub Dynamo DH-3N72 connector end
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- Shimano Hub Dynamo DH-3N72
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- Spanninga Luceo XS
So, the project essentially involves building a new wheel around the Shimano dynamo hub. I also found good deals on a nice head light (Spanninga Luceo) at velo orange and the entire package does not blow a hole in the wallet. I contemplated re-lacing my current front wheel with the hub but when I thought about it, I needed to get rid of the current rim tape, undo the spokes, get new spokes or try to re-tap the current ones to be used with the larger hub, build the wheels again and replace the rim tape. On the other hand, if I just got a new rim, I need not strip the current wheel and keep it as a backup or sell it to someone who needs it. That’s what I decided and I am going to get a new rim and build a new wheel around the hub. Some pictures in the blog show the new stuff and I will post pictures once I get the wheel built.
The wheels are being built by TR bikes who have built my earlier wheels too and do a great job about it. They recently have tied up with a new wheel builder and I am expecting the build to be the best one can get.
Enjoy the component porn while I wait for the wheel (should be in within the week) and I will be posting more of my experiments with the lights and pedal power + charger in the weeks to come.
Update: I realized it is not easy to find the sub 60$ deal on the hub. It is actually sold by Niagara Cycle Works and they have an amazon shopfront. A direct link to the product is here. It says DH-3N71, but they shipped a DH-3N72. According to Peter White, there is no difference between the models (except the 8x which has an aluminum axle). If you are still waiting on a hub, run there to score the deal.
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December 6th, 2009 22:02
Hi,
Just came across your blog, am building up a soma double cross tourer and was planning to get a dynamo for the front hub too. Interestingly Shimano dynamos are made in Singapore. However, i could not find any retailers in Singapore. Your thoughts on SON vs. Shimano?
December 7th, 2009 18:19
Hi Bren:
Even though Shimano Dynamo’s are made in Singapore, I could not hunt down dynamo hubs here. however, I found a good deal on amazon for the DH-3N72. I have a link to the product in the Update above. I find a Dynamo (preferably with a LED light) is a pretty useful addition for city riding and should be for touring too. Beats the need to have a rigorous battery cycling policy (which I did and am still doing on my rear light diligently for more than a year).
Welcome to more self sustenance
On the differences between SON and Shimano, honestly, i am not sure there are much. There should be given on a normal day the SON28 costs at least twice that of a Shimano DH-3N series. Peter white cycles provides the best advice on the internet for dynamos and even he says there is little difference. Technically, the SON has lower drag when riding with the lights off. But let me tell you this. I do not find any difference in terms of my pedaling effort with or without a dynamo (switched on or off). I am comparing my ride with the Previous LX hub. I suppose it is because 6W is a pretty small amount of power and tales little energy compared to pushing my fat arse and bike along the road
I have however bought a SON hub for my New World Tourist. But given that I see that the Shimano hub is pretty well built and feels nice in hand and as part of a built wheel, I will stick to buying DH-3N series, especially when you can find them at 60 bucks a pop.
SON has a great reputation and the product looks great. But so does the Shimano hub. I am sure the SON hub is worth its money but given that even Peter White thinks they are nearly equivalent and given that I do not find any difference in pedaling effort with or without a hub, the debate on which is better is a moot point. I would think both are equivalent.
If I were to buy another hub, I would definitely end up with a Shimano DH-3N. At its standard price of 120$, I think it is a good deal. At 60$, I would not think twice.