Unlike the typical bottle dynamos we all remember from childhood, dynamo hubs insert into the wheel’s hub. This system with sealed bearings hardly creates resistance and makes you not even realize that you have it since the vibration and noise are minimal.

They are also much more durable, with virtually no maintenance. The dynamo hubs have nothing to do with the bottles rubbing against the side of the tire.

They weigh around 400-500 grams, some more, others less, like everything, it depends a lot on the price. I don’t think it’s a lot of weight for a cyclist with all his luggage.

Set up and maintenance 

These dynamos are installed on the front wheel. You have two options.

1. Buy a wheel with the dynamo already installed. This option is much more comfortable since you only have to buy the wheel and put it on. Below we see where you can buy these mounted wheels.

2. Radiate your wheel again (or buy a new rim with your preferred characteristics). To do this, you must take into account 3 aspects:

• If your bike has Disc brakes, V-brakes, or Cantilever brakes
• The number of spokes. Don’t buy a 30-hole hub for a 36-rim!
• Wheel size (26″, 700cc, 29er)

If you use your wheel, keep in mind that the necessary spokes are shorter than the ones you have since the diameter of the hub dynamo is greater.

You decide whether to radiate the wheel or go to your trusted mechanic. It all depends on your skill and patience with the mechanics. 

I have had experiences on both sides. Two years ago, I just went and decided to take a rim with a dynamo hub to the mechanic, and it ended up being a bad idea, as every week, a new spoke was breaking. I guess that one wasn’t a trusted one.

As for maintenance, as we said at the beginning, it is practically zero, thanks to its sealed bearings that make it very durable, so you have a dynamo for a few years.

Dynamo hub Models

There are many brands. The SON is best known, and I recommend it if you agree with its price. You also have Shimano, SP, Supernova, etc. Let’s see some known models.

SHIMANO DH-S501 Alfine Dynamo Disc Hub

The Shimano Alfine dynamo hub DH-S501 provides your City bike with energy for road light. It is intended for use on Center Lock disc brake wheels with 9 x 100 quick releases, but a cover cap for the rotor mount is supplied. The dynamo is made of aluminum and is suitable for wheel sizes from 26″ to 28″. The shell is either black or silver and the quick-release lever is always silver.

Specs:

Series: Alfine S500

Application: City & Touring

Output: 6V/3W (according to StVZO)

Efficiency: min. 30 %

Over Locknut Dimension: 9 x 100 mm quick release

Spoke Hole Count: 32 holes, 36 hole

Brake Type: Center Lock Disc

Technical Information:

Body Material: Aluminium

Seals: Contact

Flange Distance (L/R): 52.1 mm (29.85 mm/22.25 mm)

Pitch Circle Diameter (L/R): 70 mm/70 mm

Spoke Hole Diameter: 2.0 mm

Wire Connector: E2-TYP (= meets current European standards for two lights)

SHIMANO Dynamo Bicycle Hub DH-UR700-3D for Disc Brake 

 This Hub Dynamo is compatible with the Disc Brake – CENTER LOCK system (if your rotor doesn’t have a center lock system, there is a center-lock adapter) 

This dynamo hub has a 3.0Watt power supply.

It works with Quick release systems. 

It is compatible with 26-28 inch wheel sizes, but you can probably also use it for 29ers.

The SHIMANO ALFINE DH-UR700-3D Dynamo hub employs a new internal unit construction that is lighter and also reduces dynamo drag while producing 3 watts. It is designed for 26 to 28-inch quick-release wheels and is available in silver and black, 32 and 26-hole drilling.

It is compatible with disc brakes with a center lock. 

This dynamo has a new internal unit construction that is 28 g lighter than its predecessor, the DH-T8000-3D

It also has more efficient wheel rotation and reduces dynamo drag by up to 44% from DH-T8000

It has a new ring magnet construction

• Single Contact sealing

• Aluminium coil and axle

• Center Lock brake disc mount

• For all dynamo-powered 6V lighting systems

• 26″ – 29″ wheel size

• 6 volts, 3 watts

• Axle: 100 mm (quick release)

• 32-hole or 36 hole

• Incl. Quick release, connector, and overvoltage protection

Shutter Precision (SP) Ultra Small Dynamo Hub SL-9 BK

The premium dynamo construction offers a new dimension of riding comfort and a dynamic force inside the hub. Every detail has been meticulously considered to accomplish such an enhancement. It comes with Shimano Center Lock Disc mount.

The unique aerodynamic shape of the hub has been optimized to a golf size while attaining a weight of only 323g.

From wheel size 400mm(16″) to 535mm(20″):

The 9 series output perfectly matches German StVZO 6V3W/20″ regulation. From wheel size 400mm(16″) to 535mm(20″), the 9 series output is designed to meet StVZO regulations.

From wheel size 646mm(26″) to 716mm(28″):

The 9 series is the perfect device for 16″ to 20″ wheels. The extra values provided by the 9 series, such as its lightweight and low drag, are definitely significant advantages for enjoying comfort. The ULTRASLIM dynamo works great for 26″ to 28″ wheels. Does increasing speed only 1 or 2 km/h matter? The only piece of cake. SP 9 series offers sufficient output and is the best setup for going fast.

I have tested this particular dynamo during my trip through northern Europe, and I have to say that it’s a great piece of technology.

SON 28 15 Disc

Hub dynamo or thru-axle? Until now, the demanding cyclist had to do without one of them. The thru-axle strengthens the suspension fork and allows for more precise hub positioning, which is especially helpful with disc brakes. More and more mountain bikers want to use the advantages of a hub dynamo lighting system. Due to its robustness and electrical values, this is a hub dynamo that resembles the Son 28 Disc but with a thick “hole.” Also, the weight could be kept surprisingly low at 460 g.

Specs:

Power supply: 6V/3W (according to StVZO)

Efficiency rating: 65% at 15 km/h on a 28″ wheel

Idle power consumption: 0.5 W at 15 km/h on a 28″ wheel

Mounting Width: Thru Axle 15 x 100mm

Number of holes: 32 holes, 36 holes

Brake system: 6-hole disc

Technical data:

Series: They are 28

Field of application: All Mountain, Touring & Trekking, City

Hub Shell Material: Aluminum (6082-T6)

Bearings: Groove Ball Bearing

Sealing: separator gasket and sealing gasket

Distance between flanges (Left/Right): 47.5 mm (22.5 mm/25 mm)

Pitch Diameter (L/R): 59mm/54mm

Spoke Hole Diameter: 2mm

Connection for current output: 4.8 mm flat Plug, 2-pole, floating ground

My favorites from this list are the SON and the SP. The last one is in second place, and is the one I currently mount on my Genesis Vagabond

Wheels with Dynamo hub already assembled.

A more accessible and probably cheaper option if you don’t want to re-spoke your wheel is to buy a reel that comes pre-mounted with the hub dynamo. The options can be more limited, though, although you might have some better ones depending on where you live. 

In this case, you will have to look at five things mainly:

Wheel size (26″, 28″=700).

• The number of spokes.
• Rim width.
• The dynamo that comes mounted
• Compatibility with your brakes.

SON 28 | DT Swiss R460 – 28″ Front Wheel with Hub Dynamo – Rim Brake – QR – black

This is an excellent option if you are willing to go for a good dynamo hub mounted on a good rim. It also has an option for disc brakes. 

The front wheels are all hand-built, spanned, and centered. This and a high spoke tension grant the wheel high stability and longevity. SON always uses Spam Race stainless steel spokes and brass nipples for 26″ and 28″ wheels. The double-butted spokes are more flexible than continuous ones; therefore, the load is dispersed over more proximate spokes. The spokes are triple-crosse and forced off several times during spanning.

The flanges outline fits the spokes arch, so they snuggle perfectly together without building up unnecessary tension. Hence it can be resigned to add brass washers to the head of the spokes. As a matter of principle, the heavier the rim, the more resilient the wheel. A stable rim, evenly tensioned spokes of high quality, and an experienced hand in building add to the resilience of a wheel, not necessarily a large number of spokes.

SON 28 | Mavic A 319 – 28″ Front Wheel with Hub Dynamo – Rim Brake – QR – black

Middle-class all-road rim.

Thanks to high-grade 6106 aluminum and double eyelets, this rim is perfectly designed for modern touring- and trekking bikes. It is solid and durable – made for tires up to 50 mm in width.

UB Control

(Usiné Brut Control) – The braking surfaces are milled to improve braking friction and eliminate shuddering.

Weight: 595 g

MASON X hunt search 29 MTB dynamo disc wheelset (x2 wheels)

These are lovely finds and are specially thought for taking your bikepacking adventures to the next level.

• Rims | 6069 T6 (+69% tensile strength vs. 6061-T6) welded construction, 30mm wide (internal), work-hardened shot-peened finish.
• Tires | Optimised for 2.35 “-2.6” tires set up Tubeless, but also work very well with 2.25 “-2.8.”
• Dynamo Front Hub | SON 28 (15×110 boost MTB spacing). 3 watt / 6-volt output at 18-19kph tested to standard German K687 for output requirement. Hubs have 6 bolt disc mounts.
• Rear Hub | 6 individual pawls resulted in just a 5-degree engagement angle; boost (12×148) spacing. Large double-sealed cartridge bearings.
• Axles | Oversized 7075-T6 heat-treated aluminum alloy axles.

How much power does a hub produce?

As for the electricity, they generate gives variable power, but generally around 5-6 W per hour.

This current depends on the speed at which we go; the higher the speed, the greater the intensity. Typically, the better the dynamo, the less momentum is needed to get enough power.

Thus, for example, the good ones start to work in conditions from approximately 6 – 8 km/h. This is why the faster the speed, the more it illuminates but beware! You must be careful because if the lamp is halogen light (or standard), we can melt it.

What devices can we charge?

As we said before, dynamo hubs are not only valid for spotlights. We can also charge other electronic devices, such as:

Mobile, GPS, camera, mp3, tablets, rechargeable batteries, external batteries…

And the laptop?

Well, no, it can’t be done no matter how much we run since it needs 20 Volts (but remember that if you have an excellent solar panel with a high-capacity external battery, you will be able to charge your laptop). Also, people usually charge a battery bank, and with that, the computer.

Even so, I think it is more than enough with the rest of the devices. As long as they can be charged via USB. We can even charge an external battery during the day and use it at night for the mobile, music player, etc.

I use a power bank of 45W on my travels for the laptop. You can check it out here.

All very nice so far, right? Well, here comes the but.

How do we get it? Through the use of rectifiers/charge stabilizers. The current generated by the dynamo is alternating, and these electronic devices (also LED lights) are powered by direct current, so we cannot charge them directly from the dynamo.

What are Stabilizers/charge rectifiers (USB chargers for dynamo)?

These are small devices, like a switchboard, that do just that, transform (rectify) alternating current into direct current and stabilize the output of that current (if, for example, a voltage of 40V enters, a voltage of 5V always comes out, to avoid voltage surges).

There are some options depending on your budget.

Cinq Plug V

This will be one of the most expensive ones. I have used it on my Vagabond, and at first, I had some compatibility problems, but after a trip to the mechanic, everything was magic! The mechanism is integrated into the stem, so there are 0 issues with having something on the way. It’s neat. The Plug V Pure’s simplicity is outstanding. Unique is the complete integration of the entire electronics into the TopCap. The electronics are encapsulated with a sealing liquid in a housing wholly made from aluminum to protect it from humidity and external impacts in the best possible way.

Eco-friendly power supply for USB devices. It must be paired with a dynamo hub like those from Shutter Precision and Schmidt.

PAT II technology

The Plug comes with the PAT II (Power Amplification) technology as a standard. The PAT II technology is specifically made for riders who travel at medium or lower speeds and now serves riders who ride fast at high speeds. Better efficiency already delivers the full USB power at about 12 km/h, which allows you to operate many devices with an integrated battery directly from the Plug. The PAT II technology does not change the appearance of the Plug as it is hidden within the head tube cartridge.

The PAT II technology can also be retrofitted to any Plug II.

Ease of use

The use of the Plug is straightforward and requires no technical knowledge. The installation is simple with the headset expander, which has a cable channel integrated. This design allows retrofitting many bikes.

The Plug features

Eco-friendly power supply for USB devices (GPS, MP3-Player, or mobile phones) via dynamo hub

Meets USB specification: The Plug III converts power from an existing dynamo hub into USB 5V standard.

Revised design: full integration of the entire electronics into the TopCap offers a clean bike design, easy retrofit as well as and excellent theft protection

Rugged 6061 aluminum housing, corrosion-resistant: The rugged housing looks great and withstands severe impacts.

iPhone® support is built-in. Plug-in and ride – excellent handling in combination with the iPhone because you do not need a special cable with the Plug III.

With everything in a simple TopCap installation becomes a piece of cake – just connect the cable with the USB-TopCap and the dynamo hub – it is that simple!

Specs

Weight 100 g

Diameter 3,6 cm

Height 2,5 cm

Output USB 5V

Input dynamo hub with 6V / 3W

Connector USB Typ-A

Busch und Müller E-Werk mobile charger/power supply unit

This dynamo-connected, the universal powering device can be adjusted variably in small increments. It charges at velocities of approx. 8 km/h and faster. At around 15 km/h, it sets as quickly as standard mains connected chargers. It can be fed up to 50 V DC so that operation with an e-bike or car battery is possible.

• Charge/power mobile devices using hub dynamo
• High efficiency
• Variable voltage and current settings
• Extensive accessory set

In general, the E-WERK can power devices without built-in batteries. When starting the ride, the output voltage of the E-WERK slowly increases with the velocity. Therefore, the connected device will not operate before the minimum voltage is reached. This can be remedied by a cache battery.

Some sensitive mobile electronic devices react to voltage fluctuations by interrupting the charging process. Since the E-WERK is connected to a hub dynamo, it cannot supply power free of those kinds of fluctuations. The cache battery stores excess energy from the ride and compensates in low-speed/shortstop phases, thus preventing charging interruptions.

Kemo M172N

This is the budget option of the three. 

The Kemo M172N allows the connection of mobile phones, navigators, PDAs, MP3 players, etc., to a bicycle dynamo. The charge controller has a USB-A jack. A charging cable with a micro USB plug is enclosed. It is thus possible to use many charging cables for various devices. In addition, this charge controller is potent: input voltage up to max. 70 V (may occur with hub dynamos at very high speeds). Output: 5 V max. 800 mA (if your dynamo can produce this output, otherwise the current is lower: max. approx. 500 mA).

Input

6 V bicycle dynamo (also suitable for 6 V hub dynamos, which may supply up to 70 V at high speeds)

Output

via USB-A jack approx. 5 V stabilized (±5 %) max. 500 mA with a regular dynamo or 800 mA with a more powerful dynamo

Switch

installed change-over switch for charging operation USB jack or bicycle light (both at the same time is not allowed)

LED display

lights up during the USB charging operation.

Dimensions

approx. 70 x 62 x 42 mm (without switch)

Fastening

with cable straps at the handlebar

Connecting cable USB-A to micro USB is enclosed

The regulator may also be operated at accumulators of electric bicycles 24 – 36 V

Recommended Headlights

The best headlights are LED. These headlights work with direct current, so they cannot be connected directly to the dynamo but must be connected to the charge stabilizer.

In fact, the good lights already have their own rectifier and even come with a USB output.

It is also recommended that the headlight has a capacitor to stay on for a few minutes when we stop, and the dynamo does not generate current.

Most LED bulbs come already prepared this way. So if we are traveling at night and have to stop at a traffic light, look at a map, etc., we will not run out of sunlight.

Some of the most recommended spotlights are:

Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ-X Headlamp

Busch & Muller’s first dynamo light with an anodized aluminum housing. The 100 Lux light has extensive light coverage with exceptional homogenous quality and depth, including glare at close range. The IQ-X incorporates the daytime running light option and additional LEDs that shine laterally. The rear On/Off button shines blue. 

It also has a light/dark sensor and stands for light function. Busch & Muller have designed a special multi-jointed mounting bracket with an integrated cable conduit for fork mounting. It has a screw on the front reflector.

For use with hub dynamos only.

– Standlight

– Daytime running light option

– Additional LEDs shine laterally

– Automatic sensor

– Aluminium casing

– Available in Black or Silver

– Special multi-jointed mounting bracket with integrated cable conduit for fork mounting

SON Edelux II

With a brand-new IQ Tec P mirror from the specialists at Busch and Muller, the new Edelux 2 leaves the older model in the shadows. The light field is twice as wide and focused mainly in the distance, putting most of the light further down the road, allowing you to better assess what’s coming while still not leaving a ‘dim’ patch in front of the rider. This is a pricier option than the previous one.

• 3 Watt high-performance LED. 90 lux at 15kph
• Highly efficient by optimal cooling
• Watertight 6082 T6 aluminum housing
• Standlight & Senso
• Automatic light sensor
• Discreet rear light connection if required
• Light Includes: Stainless Fork Crown Bracket (23928), white reflector (23917)

Available in three different cable lengths, 36cm and 60cm, have the connectors included and pre-fitted. The 140cm version includes connectors, but they are not fitted so that the cable can be cut down by customers to the required length before applying connectors.

Supernova SUPER NOVA E3 Pro 2 

Even at low speeds, the E3 PRO 2 headlight provides impressively bright light and is therefore predestined for every cyclist or commuter. Switchable via a switch on the back and ideal for use with USB charging modules. The brightly lit logo on the side provides additional security.

• Dynamo (AC): 6V/3W
• Low beam: 205 lm, 70 lx
• Daytime running lights: integrated into the lens
• Optics: TERRAFLUX 3 lens
• Material: anodized aluminum, polished
• Material: anodized aluminum, polished
• Weight: 110 g, without holder and cable
• Cable length: 980 mm (dynamo), 1,080 mm (rear light)
• Parking light: 5 minutes. The SUPERNOVA rear light is also powered
• Guarantee: 5 years

What’s next?

I am aware that the are lots of options on the market. The setup I currently have on my Genesis Vagabond is an SP dynamo hub with a B&M Lumotec IQ-X headlamp and a Cinq Plug V to charge my battery bank. I have several battery banks that I set during the day and my solar panel, but I have one specifically for the laptop, as it has to be over 45W. Everything has worked perfectly, even though rough terrain and all kinds of weather and temperatures.

Dace’s setup on her Tour de Fer includes a Shimano dynamo hub with a B&M Lumotec IQ-X headlamp. She uses an old E-Werk that has been in service for over 8 years!

Now it’s your turn! If you have experience with these dynamos, go ahead and leave us a comment, I’m sure it will come in handy for all of us!

Safe travels!

If you like this article, check out our travel tips and know hows here