James wrote:
On 29/08/14 09:55, Joerg wrote:
James wrote:
On 29/08/14 08:27, Joerg wrote:
Europeans use hub dynamos a lot. It would be possible but difficult on
my mountain bike because it has a serious disc brake up front. I'd
be ok
with a central Li-Ion battery if some company made a better holder than
those flimsy Velcro thingies.
Maybe take a look here...
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html
When I win the lottery :-)
Is it really that much?
Yes, plus it weighs a pound or so and the unsuspended parts of a vehicle
should be as lighht as possible. Unless the weight is mission-critical
such as in brake discs where I wish they wouldn't put holes in them.
I think Schmidt and Sons in Germany makes something like this but then
you be looking at 100 Euros plus labor. I really don't like to do
spokes. Have done it but hated it.
Mine (SP PV-8) was about $150AUD delivered.
Ah, c'mon, front wheel spokes are easy.
On a MTB they must be super tight. That's where the lion's share of the
brake force during a gnarly downhill section goes into.
I'd rather have a central battery where you can get a ton of capacity at
same weight. Then the bike can power lights and other gear even at
standstill, like during breaks. For example, when a friend discovered a
cave we were able to take the light off my bike and crawl in. I know, I
know, thou shalt not do that ...
I'll raise your tonne of capacity for, well, infinite capacity while the
wheels keep turning ;-)
A dynamo sure would be nice but I'd still like to have a sizeable
battery. On an MTB you are often crawling up a very steep incline and
you really do not want your lights to extinguish 1/3rd of the way up. A
dynamo isn't going to produce at 2mph.
For night rides on the MTB, I'd take a strap on head torch.
BTW, most good dynamo headlights have a stand light that keeps the light
going for 4-5 minutes at half strength when you stop. If it runs out,
spin the front wheel a few times to charge the internal capacitor again.
The lights I've seen were all plastic and/or on skinny brackets, those
on the Lumotec lights would never survive. I need something that will
survive even if a rock the size of a fist smacks to it. Happens a lot.
Like Tuesday, barreled down a trail to get home, front wheel squished
off a rock that size, it ricocheted from somewhere ... *KANGGG* ...
smack-dab between my right foot and crank. I stopped and it was still
cradled there. Took a chunk out of the crank and my shoe. Earlier this
summer one ricocheted off and crashed into the handlebar. Then there's
the rocks kicked up by other riders. And the occasional thick Manzanita
branch.
The IQ-Tec Premium light I use has a heavy steel bracket and sturdy
body.
http://www.xxcycle.com/busch-and-muller-cyo-premium-front-light-iq-tec-p-80-lux-1752qsndi-04,,en.php
That's the ones I had seen. On a mountain bike there is really nothing
you could fasten it do, you'd have to buy or build a clamp bracket. This
kind of U-shape carrier will not hold up, it'll get bent real soon.
This then.. http://www.starbike.com/en/son-edelux-2-led-front-lamp/
Seems to come without bracket. They need to offer with bracket. The
light is super expensive as it is (would be over US$200) and then I'd
expect not to have to build any missing stuff myself. Also, I hope that
black ring in back ain't plastic or it won't survive.
The enclosure itself needs to be metal, aircraft aluminum or something
similar. I've even broken ABS.
http://www.starbike.com/p/Supernova-...QaAqq58 P8HAQ
My MTBing must be very tame. I haven't broken anything for ages. Maybe
I'm just more careful.
I've got my FS for about 1/2 year now. So far:
Main suspension pivot came loose.
Freewheel is almost toast.
Saddle broke.
Left fork seal seems to be going.
Ticking noise from BB area, hoping it's just the pedals.
--
Regards, Joerg
http://www.analogconsultants.com/