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This is advertising, not news. So, they put a supercapacitor between the rectifier and the output to stabilize the voltage. This is old technology. The reason

This is advertising, not news. So, they put a supercapacitor between the rectifier and the output to stabilize the voltage. This is old technology. The reason why so few cyclists use a dynamo nowadays is not because of the voltage instability, it's because a dynamo slows you down, and because good, long-lasting and rechargeable batteries are ubiquitous.

goodbyegti 7y ago
Absolutely. I will stick with my 80USD shutter precision hub dynamo. 5W of output is plenty for charging in the day and lights at night, and I don't even notice the drag.
wiredfool 7y ago
The reason people don't use dynamos often is that good ones cost $300 + another hundred + for the lights, and if you're spending that much money, you're serious about wanting to ride all night without worrying about batteries dying. If you're out for a couple of hours, batteries are grand.
- Florin_Andrei 7y ago
  If you're out for the whole day, put a few 18650 spares in your pocket.
- ajuc 7y ago
  I wanted to buy a dynamo because I was driving long-distances with smartphone navigation and listening to audiobooks, and my smartphone was dying after about 6 hours. I looked at the options and bought a $50 20000 mAh powerbank instead. Enough to charge the smartphone 4 times and the lights basically forever. Dynamo is much more likely to break than the batteries, less convenient, and more expansive. It's obsolete technology IMHO.
  - hprotagonist 7y ago
    I've put about 7,000 commuting miles on my SON hub in all weather conditions. The previous owner put another few thousand on in maintenance conditions I don't know the particulars of. I expect I'll need to service it in another few years. In the meantime, I've gone through at least three reasonably priced battery packs; two because they crapped out, and the last because i wanted USB-C. I'll take the dynamo hub any day for my bike lighting and power needs. oh, and as an added benefit it's way less of a hit on the environment!
foxyv 7y ago
I was thinking about going with a dynamo wheel on my touring/camping bike when I realized that instead of building a $200-300 3 watt dynamo wheel I could use a 28 watt solar charger on the rear rack for $50. Not to mention batteries have gotten so big/cheap and places to charge are all over the place.
sansnomme 7y ago
Also, wheel hub motors can function as a dynamo too if the circuits are designed properly.

goodbyegti 7y ago

Absolutely. I will stick with my 80USD shutter precision hub dynamo. 5W of output is plenty for charging in the day and lights at night, and I don't even notice the drag.

wiredfool 7y ago

The reason people don't use dynamos often is that good ones cost $300 + another hundred + for the lights, and if you're spending that much money, you're serious about wanting to ride all night without worrying about batteries dying. If you're out for a couple of hours, batteries are grand.

Florin_Andrei 7y ago
If you're out for the whole day, put a few 18650 spares in your pocket.
ajuc 7y ago
I wanted to buy a dynamo because I was driving long-distances with smartphone navigation and listening to audiobooks, and my smartphone was dying after about 6 hours. I looked at the options and bought a $50 20000 mAh powerbank instead. Enough to charge the smartphone 4 times and the lights basically forever. Dynamo is much more likely to break than the batteries, less convenient, and more expansive. It's obsolete technology IMHO.
- hprotagonist 7y ago
  I've put about 7,000 commuting miles on my SON hub in all weather conditions. The previous owner put another few thousand on in maintenance conditions I don't know the particulars of. I expect I'll need to service it in another few years. In the meantime, I've gone through at least three reasonably priced battery packs; two because they crapped out, and the last because i wanted USB-C. I'll take the dynamo hub any day for my bike lighting and power needs. oh, and as an added benefit it's way less of a hit on the environment!

foxyv 7y ago

I was thinking about going with a dynamo wheel on my touring/camping bike when I realized that instead of building a $200-300 3 watt dynamo wheel I could use a 28 watt solar charger on the rear rack for $50. Not to mention batteries have gotten so big/cheap and places to charge are all over the place.

sansnomme 7y ago

Also, wheel hub motors can function as a dynamo too if the circuits are designed properly.