Bike Generators
So Johnson keeps preaching the qualities of bike generators. The latest sales pitch is for this one:
I agree that they are cool looking, they don’t crap out because of batteries, and a probably more environmentally sound. But whenever I think of generators I’m reminded of my expreiences with them when I was a kid where are pretty much summed up in the this Simpson’s episode (generator part is 1 min in):
Heh, that’s a funny clip. I’ve gone back and forth about generators. I think to get it right you’ll end up needing to spend a bundle on a schmidt hub and e6 type setup. I have one that came with the Doi,
http://home.att.net/~jpgorham/images/doi_02.jpg
and a box of old ones like the cyclo. I even have an old sturmey dynohub, but I think the future is in what Cory did below. We ought to have a bulk purchase of components and then a light building party.
i think generators, esp bottle generators, are as much about a way of thinking as they are about function. Its the whole self reliance/boy scout motto thing. I think that for something like a 24 hour race, a fancy super bright light weight zero drag light system is where its at. but that light, no matter how bright, isnt something i would want on my bike, anywhere, if i didnt need it at that moment. it doesnt fit with my sensablities. I also dont like the idea of a fixed burn time, and the calculations needed therein. like 3 evening rides of various lengths in the cold are going to throw off how long you think the run time will be. ok, you say, bring spare batteries. No thanks, i’d rather not, when i could just bring a bulb (cheaper, lighter smaller) or if i had a led headlight like b and m make, i wouldnt ever need spares of anything. so they kick out less light, so what? how fast do we ride anyway? lets not flatter ourselves. no one but cory rides road fast enough to need a better system, and for generations people faster than cory have used generators. I like cory’s light. I said so before. But does it have place on a semi classy touring bike/rando bike/general purpose road bike? i cant answer for you. But i know you wont find one on my bike anytime soon.
I have a question. Does anyone make a generator that uses LEDs? Since they require less power for a whole lot of light I would think they would be ideal.
See http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/inoled.asp
battery or generator. I think you’ll see more of this coming along.
By considering lights at all you are way ahead of the pack. I can’t fault your arguments on utility and style either, other than to say it comes down to personal preference. I was planning a hub generator before you guys made me break my bike. Now I’ll stick with the cateye for a while longer. Style wise you could put a pretty cool little led setup like Cory’s into a traditional looking flashlight and clip it aboard a la velo orange flashlight holder (despite its known issues). You still have that battery issue going though. I wonder how the schmidt hols up on MTBs? I know you aren’t supposed to submerge it.
i was rocking the flashlight program. It er. wasnt too great. the mounting bolts scratched the light whenever you wanted to remove it, sometimes it would bounce out, the leather washer thing came unstuck in days. They’re heavy, for what they are. i like the hub generator, but when old grannys nail your front wheel, and you go back for a replacement, there goes your light source. (other things can wreck front wheels, like old grandpas, pot holes, children who are lying in the road, republicans)
i dont like that hub generators cost so freakin much. i dont like the small amount of drag present when they arnt on. why would i want a hub that has drag for 97 percent of my riding, and more drag for the other 3 percent? bottle dynamos have none. its true they have more when they are on. so maybe for the schmo on his schmo bike, bottle generators, and maybe hub for serious rando endeavors, like the PBP. That being said, i’m not gunna switch my maxi car front hub out for anything, unless its a high flange maxi car front hub. modern bottle generators look like crap. i will say that. they work great, look like crap. they look like a big black plastic gouiter. which i hear is popular in places like iowa, but not here. that is, not in my head.
John, I am sorry we broke your bike. Best to not take your quickbeam on any ride with us.
Have you sourced anything new yet?
Lights are for pussies. Helmets too.
Ninjas drunk bike the night.
Have you sourced anything new yet?
Nothing for sure. Rob is letting me look at an old Hercules.
It may all be cashed in for a mountain bike…