[RBW] Re: Singletracking/Offroading with Dynamo Lights and Hubs
I use a Son28 with a Sinewave Beacon and the biggest advantage for night riding is the ability to supplement the power with a small lipstick sized charger. The steady output is appreciated for technical, slow uphills, or even hike-a-bike sections. One charge (3300 mah capacity battery, I think) lasts all night for me under normal conditions. Oh.. it's also a USB charger as well ;0 ) On Monday, April 29, 2019 at 6:33:45 PM UTC-4, Collin A wrote: > > Given some discussion in another thread about dynamo lighting use on > unpaved surfaces, I figured it would be worth bringing this up as a > separate thread. > > Personally, I have a kasai Dynacoil hub (evolution of a SP hub, I believe) > laced to an Alex Dm24 rim and wired with a K-lite bikepacker light (gravel > version) https://www.kliteusa.net/product-page/klite. It so far has > survived a year of pretty intense trail use (no snow, but submerged quite a > few times) and shows no sign of additional drag or poor energy transfer. > However, given the huge load that a 1300 lumen light can pull from a little > 6v/3A generator, I do notice an increase in drag when the light is on when > on pavement (chatter on the trail takes that away, though). > > In the context of night-time usage off-road, it is great and does a way > better job than my previous Supernova E3 light. The key thing to note is > that the light generation, at night and up hills, is usually quite low, but > does enough to light up the trail. The slow speeds mean that I have more > time to react so the lower light output isn't too much of an issue. > However, If I am out in the boonies with little to no ambient light and > heading down hill with enough speed for full light output, the dynamo light > on it's own doesn't cut it as all of the twists and turns on a typical > trail means that you will often be looking into a dark corner before the > bike (and light) makes that turn. For these reasons, I'll have a > supplemental headlamp to light the trail before I point my bike into the > turns. I don't think any light mounted to a bike would be enough in these > situations, on its own. > > That being said, I am much happier with the Klite when I venture off road > and feel much more confident knowing that it really pumps out the lumens > (if I can pedal fast enough). Its overkill for commuting, and with the > amount of light pollution the bay area puts out, I rarely have to worry > about a completely dark night. > > I haven't had the chance to mess around with the fancier sondelux hubs, so > maybe some folks can provide some comparissons or their own opinions on the > matter. > > Happy Monday, > Collin A > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/720b02cd-f3da-4ea4-9105-8bf2b5942348%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Re: [RBW] Re: Singletracking/Offroading with Dynamo Lights and Hubs
If I’m in a situation where I think I might need a More light for a period of time during a bike packing adventure I might be tempted to carry one of my many battery lights to use as a supplement. I do find the beam pattern of the IQ-X to be compelling though. The very worst night ride I ever experienced was in a 24 hour mountain bike race near Olympia WA (The 24 Hours of Capitol Punishment) when about 1 am a thick fog rolled in off of the Puget Sound. In that stuff a head light was just blinding and totally counterproductive. The best option was to run the light on the bike (mounted on handlebars) at low. But I also realized that light scatter bothered me and reduced my dark adaptation even when it wasn’t foggy. When I rode the IQ-X in the dark for the first I was amazed at the difference the light pattern made. My dark adaptation was better preserved and I am much more comfortable with my peripheral vision John On Wed, May 1, 2019 at 12:01 PM Chris Corral wrote: > I've always preferred Shutter Precision for my hubs. I rode Colorado Trail > and Baja Divide with B&M IQ-X and honestly it was a great light. Perfect on > road, good enough on the trail. I have since upgraded to a Sinewave, which > is crazy bright. In theory, it can be run off of an external battery, like > a flashlight, eliminating the low-light-while-climbing issue. I haven't > used this feature yet because it doesn't bother me much but it can be > annoying to stop and not have any light. I am also put off by the > flickering during technical descents that is caused (I think) by the front > wheel stopping momentarily. This is during jumps or really loose gravel > where the front wheel may lock up a teeny bit. Otherwise, plenty of light. > It is great. > > All said, I would love to compare the KLight and Sinewave. Having ridden > both, they are both excellent lights. The Sinewave has more features (built > in charging, etc). > > I don't know how much of a difference a hub would make. I have also used > Shimano dynamo hubs and they're heavier, clunkier, louder. I don't honestly > *feel* a difference in loss of power when riding though. just my 2 cents > > > On Monday, April 29, 2019 at 3:33:45 PM UTC-7, Collin A wrote: >> >> Given some discussion in another thread about dynamo lighting use on >> unpaved surfaces, I figured it would be worth bringing this up as a >> separate thread. >> >> Personally, I have a kasai Dynacoil hub (evolution of a SP hub, I >> believe) laced to an Alex Dm24 rim and wired with a K-lite bikepacker light >> (gravel version) https://www.kliteusa.net/product-page/klite. It so far >> has survived a year of pretty intense trail use (no snow, but submerged >> quite a few times) and shows no sign of additional drag or poor energy >> transfer. However, given the huge load that a 1300 lumen light can pull >> from a little 6v/3A generator, I do notice an increase in drag when the >> light is on when on pavement (chatter on the trail takes that away, though). >> >> In the context of night-time usage off-road, it is great and does a way >> better job than my previous Supernova E3 light. The key thing to note is >> that the light generation, at night and up hills, is usually quite low, but >> does enough to light up the trail. The slow speeds mean that I have more >> time to react so the lower light output isn't too much of an issue. >> However, If I am out in the boonies with little to no ambient light and >> heading down hill with enough speed for full light output, the dynamo light >> on it's own doesn't cut it as all of the twists and turns on a typical >> trail means that you will often be looking into a dark corner before the >> bike (and light) makes that turn. For these reasons, I'll have a >> supplemental headlamp to light the trail before I point my bike into the >> turns. I don't think any light mounted to a bike would be enough in these >> situations, on its own. >> >> That being said, I am much happier with the Klite when I venture off road >> and feel much more confident knowing that it really pumps out the lumens >> (if I can pedal fast enough). Its overkill for commuting, and with the >> amount of light pollution the bay area puts out, I rarely have to worry >> about a completely dark night. >> >> I haven't had the chance to mess around with the fancier sondelux hubs, >> so maybe some folks can provide some comparissons or their own opinions on >> the matter. >> >> Happy Monday, >> Collin A >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google G
[RBW] Re: Singletracking/Offroading with Dynamo Lights and Hubs
I've always preferred Shutter Precision for my hubs. I rode Colorado Trail and Baja Divide with B&M IQ-X and honestly it was a great light. Perfect on road, good enough on the trail. I have since upgraded to a Sinewave, which is crazy bright. In theory, it can be run off of an external battery, like a flashlight, eliminating the low-light-while-climbing issue. I haven't used this feature yet because it doesn't bother me much but it can be annoying to stop and not have any light. I am also put off by the flickering during technical descents that is caused (I think) by the front wheel stopping momentarily. This is during jumps or really loose gravel where the front wheel may lock up a teeny bit. Otherwise, plenty of light. It is great. All said, I would love to compare the KLight and Sinewave. Having ridden both, they are both excellent lights. The Sinewave has more features (built in charging, etc). I don't know how much of a difference a hub would make. I have also used Shimano dynamo hubs and they're heavier, clunkier, louder. I don't honestly *feel* a difference in loss of power when riding though. just my 2 cents On Monday, April 29, 2019 at 3:33:45 PM UTC-7, Collin A wrote: > > Given some discussion in another thread about dynamo lighting use on > unpaved surfaces, I figured it would be worth bringing this up as a > separate thread. > > Personally, I have a kasai Dynacoil hub (evolution of a SP hub, I believe) > laced to an Alex Dm24 rim and wired with a K-lite bikepacker light (gravel > version) https://www.kliteusa.net/product-page/klite. It so far has > survived a year of pretty intense trail use (no snow, but submerged quite a > few times) and shows no sign of additional drag or poor energy transfer. > However, given the huge load that a 1300 lumen light can pull from a little > 6v/3A generator, I do notice an increase in drag when the light is on when > on pavement (chatter on the trail takes that away, though). > > In the context of night-time usage off-road, it is great and does a way > better job than my previous Supernova E3 light. The key thing to note is > that the light generation, at night and up hills, is usually quite low, but > does enough to light up the trail. The slow speeds mean that I have more > time to react so the lower light output isn't too much of an issue. > However, If I am out in the boonies with little to no ambient light and > heading down hill with enough speed for full light output, the dynamo light > on it's own doesn't cut it as all of the twists and turns on a typical > trail means that you will often be looking into a dark corner before the > bike (and light) makes that turn. For these reasons, I'll have a > supplemental headlamp to light the trail before I point my bike into the > turns. I don't think any light mounted to a bike would be enough in these > situations, on its own. > > That being said, I am much happier with the Klite when I venture off road > and feel much more confident knowing that it really pumps out the lumens > (if I can pedal fast enough). Its overkill for commuting, and with the > amount of light pollution the bay area puts out, I rarely have to worry > about a completely dark night. > > I haven't had the chance to mess around with the fancier sondelux hubs, so > maybe some folks can provide some comparissons or their own opinions on the > matter. > > Happy Monday, > Collin A > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[RBW] Re: Singletracking/Offroading with Dynamo Lights and Hubs
I used to do a mixed terrain commute in the SF Bay area. I always felt that my german road legal shaped beam headlights did a fine job lighting my way. I frequently encountered trail users coming the other way with what I presume were uber bright circular beam lights. I hated those lights. They were far more blinding than car headlights were when I was on roads. Some of those folks also had headlights too, which tended to make things even worse. No doubt those things are the bees knees out in the sticks with nobody else around, but If I never have to face one of those rigs going the other way again it will be to soon. On Monday, April 29, 2019 at 3:33:45 PM UTC-7, Collin A wrote: > > Given some discussion in another thread about dynamo lighting use on > unpaved surfaces, I figured it would be worth bringing this up as a > separate thread. > > Personally, I have a kasai Dynacoil hub (evolution of a SP hub, I believe) > laced to an Alex Dm24 rim and wired with a K-lite bikepacker light (gravel > version) https://www.kliteusa.net/product-page/klite. It so far has > survived a year of pretty intense trail use (no snow, but submerged quite a > few times) and shows no sign of additional drag or poor energy transfer. > However, given the huge load that a 1300 lumen light can pull from a little > 6v/3A generator, I do notice an increase in drag when the light is on when > on pavement (chatter on the trail takes that away, though). > > In the context of night-time usage off-road, it is great and does a way > better job than my previous Supernova E3 light. The key thing to note is > that the light generation, at night and up hills, is usually quite low, but > does enough to light up the trail. The slow speeds mean that I have more > time to react so the lower light output isn't too much of an issue. > However, If I am out in the boonies with little to no ambient light and > heading down hill with enough speed for full light output, the dynamo light > on it's own doesn't cut it as all of the twists and turns on a typical > trail means that you will often be looking into a dark corner before the > bike (and light) makes that turn. For these reasons, I'll have a > supplemental headlamp to light the trail before I point my bike into the > turns. I don't think any light mounted to a bike would be enough in these > situations, on its own. > > That being said, I am much happier with the Klite when I venture off road > and feel much more confident knowing that it really pumps out the lumens > (if I can pedal fast enough). Its overkill for commuting, and with the > amount of light pollution the bay area puts out, I rarely have to worry > about a completely dark night. > > I haven't had the chance to mess around with the fancier sondelux hubs, so > maybe some folks can provide some comparissons or their own opinions on the > matter. > > Happy Monday, > Collin A > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
