Bottle dynamo, worth persevering?

[Imlach]

bottle dynamo works fine as long as you eat enough carrots

 

[Joe_Rides]

You could always go for a magnet type dynamo light like a Reelight CiO, I always think they seem a great idea.

SJS cycles sell a few different models, depending on mounting preference and whether you want a constant or flashing beam.

Example:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting/reelight-cioplus-reepower-flash-light-set-uk-left-hand-traffic/

 

[jim haseltine]

I used to swear by the Sanyos with halogen bulbs. Used to be able to engage it on the go by knocking the lever with my left foot. Only time I had one slip was climbing Mortal Ash Hill out of Scunthorpe at 10pm on a Sunday night in a blizzard with a couple of inches of snow on the road. I'm pretty certain that there's still one on a bike in my parent's garage.

 

[Bats]

Yeah I have noticed dynamo tracks on tyres and was aware these do not have them.

My thinking with the bottle dynamo rather than a hub one was that when it’s disengaged it’s giving zero resistance. It was also much cheaper than a hub dynamo! I’ll probably just use rechargeable lights until I can pick up a cheap hub dynamo.

The drag of a hub dynamo is tiny compared to even the best bottle, it's basically unnoticeable. They're less convenient in electrical terms though, as they're AC generators, the power has a frequency equal to the dynamo speed. A tiny bottle dyno roller spins ridiculously fast and gives steady output, hubs tend to give a slow pulse until you get up to speed. Old fashioned bulbs forgive this but LED replacements strobe.

There are crap bottle dynamos and decent ones. The worst ones lack bearings and are very stiff, causing loads of drag, loads of noise and getting hot to the touch. Better made ones are quieter, don't drag near as much, but cost more.

A dynamo track on the tyre helps but isn't mandatory, alignment is more important. I think your dynamo in particular is just rubbish

 

[klunkrider]

Interesting.

Hadn’t thought about that sort of mechanical advantage of the small wheel on the bottle dynamo.

Anyone know if the dimensions are standardised, ie having positioned my braze on for the lucifer dynamo, will other makes foot or would they need the mount in their own position?

 

[Bats]

Normally the braze on has a slot instead of a bolt hole, to accommodate differences

 

[Canuk]

There's a French manufacturer produces a little rubber cap for inclement weather which would incredibly well. Can still find them on the bay I'll try and get a link.

 

[Canuk]

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/25658761809...0z6rsqwr_s&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Canuk]

Margil and Velox are the two brands to look for. I've used one in torrential rain commuting and works very well indeed.

 

[klunkrider]

Normally the braze on has a slot instead of a bolt hole, to accommodate differences

View attachment 915057

Ah crap, I made mine with a fixed hole.

There’s a few Lucas dynamos on eBay and the wheels on them look much more toothed than on the Lucifer I have so I might take the gamble and try one of them.

Or maybe a better Lucifer with one of the rubber caps @Canuk had mentioned.