Tonyf33 wrote:[XAP]Bob wrote:Drag? about a 1:1500 hill would be more draggy!
Lights off when you stop? Not likely, they pretty much all have standby capacitors, my rear light (the important one) does about 7-10 minutes after I stop.
Cost? My lights cost me less than £25 imported. I started with a few quid bottle dynamo, although I do now have a hub, they can be ~£50 imported, and that buys you a spare wheel as well!
Catch up with modern dynamos before you put up fight, it's doesn't feel fair otherwise
okay, whatever, now you're into the realms of ordering parts & having wheels built up specifically, firstly the OP has stated the person requiring the bike can't remember to charge a battery so ordering parts and getting a wheel built up is obviously not going to be possible. The title specifically states 'BUDGET' bike, a dynamo system is not only flawed but expensive your £75 in parts plus a wheel build is now around £150+ just for starters, then paying someone to fit the system (remember this person isn't capable of plugging in a battery!)
On top of that if you damage your wheel replacement wheels are not available readily from bike shops nor are cheap.
Yes some systems have capacitors but NOT on budget bikes.
I'll concede that on a high quality dynamo hub that indeed it may be equivalent to riding 1:1500 all the time..'switched off', however add in the huge weight of the hub, the not insubstantial rims that are oft needed for such. requiring more energy to just get the wheels up to speed and that DOES make a difference. But again, that's for a top quality hub/wheel and NOT a budget bike..
come back with a better all round inexpensive simple to use system that doesn't require complicated parts before you put up a fight as it definitely isn't fair..
No -£50 is in a wheel already, and you don't have to start with that - the £10 bottle will work quite happily.
The person is not incompetent. If they can't order a wheel then they can't order a bike so this whole discussion is pointless.
The bike is for someone who would struggle to remember to charge up batteries so a dynamo is best I think.
Have you ever ridden a hub dynamo? They are not a "huge weight", I can't work out why they might need heavier rims at all.
A nice cheap Shimano hub and B&M lights will outlast any battery setup, and will be more reliable in the mean time.
OK - So Dynamos:
AXA Quattro £7.28AXA HR £13.51Wheel with DH-3N31 £55.06Rear light:
Toplight Plus £7.58Front light:
B&M Lyt £14.35So that's <£30 for a dynamo setup to German regs... With standlights front and rear. Hardly going to break the bank (the lights are what I use btw).
Now you need to find: Front light, Rear light, Reflectors, batteries that comply with either German or British regulations - not forgetting batteries... for £17
On a £500 bike I don't think that 10-15% of the value in "practicality" (Mudguards, rack/bags, lights) is overkill by any means.