You can get a complete dynamo wheel plus bright headlamp that never needs batteries or bulbs for about $150 these days. A wired taillight only a bit more…. Though these systems are all nominally 3W, the older halogen types produce palpably more drag than the newer, brighter, longer-lasting LED types.
LED dynamo headlamps brighter and less draggy than halogen
Posted on December 10, 2010
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Hey, cool! Ask and you shall receive... Thanks for the informative video Todd! Looks like if you have the choice an LED headlight is the way to go.
Cool demo rig!
Hi Todd,
Where can I get a complete 26" wheel with dynamo and headlight for around $150 ??
Why, from us of course! Currently our generator lighting section includes a $99 dyno wheel and a quite good $54 LED headlight. We have halogen headlights cheaper.
Speaking to the Brompton Shimano hub dynamo kit... Is there a direct replacement that you can recommend for the halogen bulb? preferably a LED?
I cannot recommend a non-halogen replacement for the bulb itself, but any of several replacement headlights will work. I use and love my Cyo; the new Lyt is only $54 and quite a bit better than the halogen light it would replace. On the high end the Schmidt Edelux offers jewel-like build quality, though I'm not convinced it works any better than Cyo.
I have read about LED replacement bulbs for halogen. The trouble is that high intensity LEDs need a way to shed heat that the physical design of an incandescent lamp doesn't accommodate. Thus the LED incandescent bulb replacements suffer a short life for a given brightness level. Furthermore the optics of incandescent lamps are not suited to the directional characteristics of most LEDs. I welcome correction.
Todd- I'm liking the Cyo but will this work in conjunction with the Brompton rear LED standlight that I'm currently running?
@tyler yes.
Thanks Todd. Just placed my order :)