Background : Bike Dynamos
Over the years i have collected various types of bike dynamo. I currently use a standard bottle dynamo running against the rear wheel. There have been great many attempts by inventors and manufacturers to come up with something better than the original bottle dynamo. Below is a selection of devices that i have acquired over the years. Most have been tested on my bike.
Sanyo NH-6T Bottom Bracket Dynamo
This is a Sanyo NH-6T bottom bracket dynamo. These have been quite difficult to get in good condition as they have not been manufactured for a good number of years. I was able to buy this one on E-Bay which had never been used.
This dynamo is bolted under the frame just ahead of the rear wheel. It is fixed to the same point where a side or centre stand is often fitted. Because of its mounting point it is difficult to get good used ones as they get exposed to water, dirt, mud, dust, salt etc being mounted so close to the ground in such an exposed position.
The lever in the foreground is used to move the roller into and out of contact with the rear wheel. In this type of dynamo the drive roller runs against the tread surface of the tyre rather than against the side as in a bottle dynamo.
This dynamo is bolted under the frame just ahead of the rear wheel. It is fixed to the same point where a side or centre stand is often fitted. Because of its mounting point it is difficult to get good used ones as they get exposed to water, dirt, mud, dust, salt etc being mounted so close to the ground in such an exposed position.
The lever in the foreground is used to move the roller into and out of contact with the rear wheel. In this type of dynamo the drive roller runs against the tread surface of the tyre rather than against the side as in a bottle dynamo.
Pioneer Spanninga Hub/Spoke Mounted Dynamo (Rear Wheel)
This dynamo is quite unusual in that it mounts on spindle of the rear wheel and and is driven by compression against the spokes. It was produced in a partnership between Pioneer the Japanese electronics company and Spanninga for a short period. |
The kit comes with the dynamo which mounts on the rear wheel and is driven by the spokes, a halogen front light and and LED rear light/reflector which mounts on the rear mudguard. The rear light also has a 'stand light' feature implemented with a 'super capacitor which keeps the rear light illuminated when the bike is stopped.
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Aufa FER 2002 Front Wheel Spindle Mounted
This is another unusual dynamo which mounts on the spindle of the front wheel and is driven by engaging the black plastic 'arrow@ like lever with the spokes. This turns a belt inside the device which in turn drives the dynamo armature. This particular dynamo appears to have been made in Germany at the very end of 2003 based on the manufacturing date codes stamped on the body. One of the benefits of this type of dynamo is that the drive can be easily disengaged meaning there is no 'drag' during daylight when the lights are not needed which is often a complaint about hub dynamo's.