Many people have asked me if I can still get hold of dynamo hubs. I reply, not only are they available but the technology is incredible now. People normally remember the Sturmey Archer 3 speed dyno-hubs and most shops see dynamos as relics of a by-gone era. However the reality is that shops want to avoid building up a custom wheel and there is no distribution of quality, pre-built dynamo wheels in the wholesale market.

This is a great shame because a top end dynamo lighting system will blow you away with its performance. Not only that but you have endless power on tap. There are even clever gadgets that you can plug into your dynamo system to charge phones and so forth.

Here are some key dynamo hubs are key price points.

£24 – Novatec EDH2 – a fairly heavy, fairly slow but solid hub. A great alternative for those on a tight budget.







£35 – Shimano DH-3n30 – Shimano’s entry level dyno hub. A significant upgrade on the Novatec, offering weight saving and reduced resistance, especially when switched off.






£99 – Shimano DH-3n80 – Shimano’s top end dynamo hub. Improved bearings and life span. Weight saving. Significantly reduced rolling resistance, especially when switched off.






£150 – Schmidt and Son 28. Breaking boundaries in dynamo lighting technology. Schmidt have really perfected their hubs. They boast a light weight dynamo that can go 50,000km between servicing. Very low drag.





£170-190 – Schmidt and Son, Son Delux. The latest dynamo technology. The Son Delux is smaller than other dynamos and considerably lighter. It offers less drag too, even than the Schmidt 28. This hub is designed to go with the new generation of lighting systems which require lower power output at low speed. They offer phenomenal illumination. This is the pinnacle of dynamo lighting technology.


 

 

There is a lot more information available about choosing wheelsets, building wheels and selecting component parts as well as information on repairing wheels in Bicycle Wheelbuilding: The Manual an ebook which is available exclusively through this site.