Up to 6000 lumens. At that level the battery lasts an hour and it has to run an internal fan to keep cool. At 1000 lumen setting, it lasts 8 hours. Apparently the 6000 lumen setting is for rough trail riding?



http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL6000RC/

Crappy phone batteries at that - modern phones are charged at least daily, and can certainly handle more than a year of that...

They might also be overdriving the batteries. Good LEDs are in the 100-150lm/W range, so for a 6000-lumen light they might be pulling 50+W from the pack for extended periods of time. At those power levels you'd want something specced for serious laptops or maybe automotive use, but cars usually avoid charging and discharging batteries fully to extend their lifespan. I expect Cateye might also be using the full capacity of the battery to get more runtime out of the weight you need to carry, which will wear them out sooner.

I'm not sure about 6000 lumen on the road, but I'd take 2k for Rose Canyon bike path at night. :)

I'm a big fan of USB rechargeable lights with silicon straps for easy removal when you lock up. My Serfas blinkie died a while back so I replaced it with this one. Seems like an awesome light for a great price and if you buy from REI, you can return within a year if the battery craps out.

https://www.rei.com/product/109777/niterider-swift-350-front-bike-light

I have had incredible service from NiteRider. I went through a period of multiple failures, which were all taken care of in a more than satisfactory manner. But I decided to try out Cygolite for my further purchases. I have found the Cygolite light to be great, but the switch is hard to deal with on the fly, and at the same time I somehow stopped having NiteRiders blast out of their mounts on big bumps--this had plagued me for some time. Perhaps I got better at making sure the lights were really mounted properly? So I am currently running a combo of Cygolite and NiteRider lights on bars and helmet. I have an old Lumina 750 that has been through quite a bit, and still works, but turns itself off when it's shaken. It's not reliable as a cycling light, but it's an awesome flashlight to have lying around.

Paul:Everyone in San DIego ... have all also encountered that broken USB connection.

NiteRider owner here (four units) - never had issues with USB port (knock on wood). Also happy with my Cygolite Metro (maube two or three units) series of headlights - their daylight blink mode is brighter than I've ever seen it.

Does anyone know of a local tech who can service a Schmidt SONDelux dynahub?

I don't know if servicing requires special tools or knowledge, but my regular bike shop was loathe to take on the task out of concern of messing something up. The Schmidt web site is thin on info about dealers outside of Germany.

Thanks for ideas.

You are pretty much stuck with calling Peter White to figure it out. It will be a fun phone call if you get him ;-)

I spoke Linda White today, who told me that no servicing is needed unless the hub is making noises.

I have a couple SONs. One is a delux and the other is older. They are fairly bulletproof. If you just spin the wheel or hub in your hands, it may seem off because you can feel friction and little "bumps" but that is just how they work. If it's just that, it's fine.

Sigurd:

t.e.d:

Sigurd:I spoke Linda White today, who told me that no servicing is needed unless the hub is making noises.

What's wrong with it?

Nothing at all - it's actually better than new, as those little "bumps" when you spin the wheel are much less pronounced now than when the hub was new.

But I am used to hubs that regularly need servicing (bearings, grease, adjustment), but if the SON needs _nothing ever_, all the better.

Awesome. All the more reason to finally build that bombproof front wheel with a SON hub.

Does anybody have recommendations for a helmet mounted tail light (or just a helmet rear mount that is compatible with Planet Bike, Portland Design Works, etc)?

Sigurd:Does anybody have recommendations for a helmet mounted tail light (or just a helmet rear mount that is compatible with Planet Bike, Portland Design Works, etc)?

I use the cheapo Sodial ( https://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-Waterproof-Double-Silicone-Bicycle/dp/B009WFLH3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499397290&sr=8-1&keywords=sodial+light ) on my helmet. It stays put, has 3 modes (steady, slow pulse, fast pulse). I'm afraid battery life isn't long (it uses 2 flat round little CR battery thingy that you use in the wrist watch and is not rechargeable), but it's easy to carry a few spare batteries in the saddlebag. :) It isn't all that bright for day use, though.

Bike Coalition to give out free bike lights
11/01/17 sdnews.com

Daylight Saving time ending brings shorter days, the San Diego County Bike Coalition invites all bike commuters to receive free front and rear bike lights 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 at the San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd. The Bike Coalition and the San Diego Central Library will encourage safe, nighttime commuting with helpful tips and important safety information about riding in the dark.

Daylight Saving officially ends on Sunday, Nov. 5, which means more people who commute by bikes will pedal home in the dark. As California state law requires cyclists to use front and rear lights when commuting at night, the Bike Coalition wants to ensure all people in San Diego have access to what they need to be visible on busy streets and get home safely.

Anywhere Bicycle Repair in Kearny Mesa might be able to help. ABR repaired my wife's dynohub lighting system a couple of years ago and it is still going strong. I think they may also be maintaining a dynohub powered bike share fleet so they get to see a broad range of issues with these hubs.

@Stephan,

If you have a multimeter, you can check continuity along the length of the wires at different places. Look for potential insulation wear and grounding, where the wires pass through fenders, housings, and other such 'rubbing' wear spots. Also check for any grounding and voltage output at the hub. All wire connections should be soldered and covered with electrical insulation like heat shrink tubing. It might be as simple as a bad switch or a bad bulb. An LED shouldn't go bad, but if they get wet or damp (think salty damp air), it could happen.

-----

@Sigurd,

You might need to have new bearings pressed into the hub if they have worn to such an extent as having discernible 'play' side to side.

New Parts from SON
Posted on September 5, 2018
by Jan Heine, Editor, Bicycle Quarterly

https://www.compasscycle.com/tech-info/lights/
At bottom of page is a link to Compass Bikes. They claim they'll answer any questions within a few days.

If it's a solid threaded axle, maybe the threads have been crushed down, increasing the gap between the hub and axle. A new axle might do the trick if there is no other solution. In the links below, SON states the axle is solid just for this reason. It could have been modified by a bike shop however. Also they state that there is normal bearing wear and can be ignored as it relates to the generator. How do you ignore your front wheel wobbling side to side?

https://nabendynamo.de/en/service/faqs/
How much play may the bearings have?
New grooved ball bearings have about zero play. During longterm-use the play may increase within a few hundredths of a millimeter. At the rim you may feel a small movement to the right and to the left then. Even when you continue cycling with a lot of bearing play no damage will occur.

Can I use 15 mm or 12 mm thru axle dynamos in standard 9mm QR forks?
Yes, with a suitable axle-adapter that is certainly possible. The fork will need to be of 100 mm width , of course.

https://nabendynamo.de/en/service/downloads/
https://nabendynamo.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Montageanleitung_SON28-SON28disc_EN.pdf

Fitting the Front Wheel
The SON 28 is suitable for fitting in forks with 100 mm fork width and 9mm axle slot. The electrical connections may be placed either on the left or on the right side. The front wheel is fastened with a standard skewer (an Allen fitting, a quick release or anti-theft device).

The shaft of the bolt should not be greased to prevent clogging of the pressure compensation system.
It is indispensable that you regard the manufacturer's instructions.

• Thread and bolt head should be greased, but not the shaft of the skewer.
• Fasten the SON 28 with a tightening torque of 8-10 Nm at the Allen skewer.
• Following installation check the tightening torque after 300km.

If the skewer is tightened insufficiently, the axle might move in the fork slots causing a rattling noise. Regularly check the firm fitting of the front wheel.

Care and Maintenance
The generator itself is optimally protected within the hub and is fully wear and maintenance free as it works without gears or contact. To prevent water ingress, the hub should never be exposed to strong jets of water (hose, pressure washer) or immersed in water.

The deep groove ball bearings of the hub are permanently lubricated and also maintenance free under normal conditions of usage, i.e. they cannot be adjusted and require no further lubrication. A small amount of play is normal in deep groove ball bearings and will not result in damage. The SON 28 axle and the parts on it have no threads so that nothing can or may be adjusted.
----------

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.php

Daiso Reflectorized Snap Band
One of my favorite night riding accessories. Leave curled around handlebars when not in use and snap around ankle/wrist when riding at night. Very bright reflector when exposed to light from car headlights. Available in either bright silver or hi viz green from local Daiso stores for less than $2/pair. Just in time for Tuesday Night Social Ride and the "fall - back" of daylight savings time on 11/4 (dark morning evening commutes).

gottobike:
Light & Motion - VIS 360 PRO
https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/vis-pro/vis-360-pro
Favorite things about this light include orange side markers and being a helmet light, it also allows hands-free lighting off the bike. I typically run headlamp on pulse during the day and then steady on low at night. And of course, just in time for Tuesday Night Social Ride and the "fall - back" of daylight savings time on 11/4 (dark morning commutes).

Doesn't the Fall time change mean lighter mornings?

gottobike:

t.e.d:

gottobike:
Light & Motion - VIS 360 PRO
https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/vis-pro/vis-360-pro
Favorite things about this light include orange side markers and being a helmet light, it also allows hands-free lighting off the bike. I typically run headlamp on pulse during the day and then steady on low at night. And of course, just in time for Tuesday Night Social Ride and the "fall - back" of daylight savings time on 11/4 (dark morning evening commutes).

Doesn't the Fall time change mean lighter mornings?

Good catch, t.e.d:. I'm consistently 50% correct with the time change.

I hear you. It'll be interesting to see what happens with teh passage of Prop 7...