Dynamo Lights

https://www.bike-components.de/en/SON/28-A-319-Sapim-Race-28-Wheel-p30503/

Whole wheel for cheaper than dynamo !

Anyone know of a saddle rail mounting bracket for a rear light, other than the B&M version attached? Looking for something more secure that can't be easily clipped on/off

That plus zip ties if there’s nothing else?

I’ve used Brompton light mounting options before to good affect, but don’t think they do a saddle mount

You can look for gopro saddle mount.

Example: https://www.ebay.de/itm/296435534270

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Bracket-Taillight-Cycling-Enthusiasts/dp/B0D2DRG919

Plenty of these knocking around Amazon/eBay

Anyone have a recommendation for a quick release cable coupling? Need put a break in the taillight cable(s) on 2x bikes.

edit: something a bit more weatherproof and robust than the usual bullet/spade connectors?

I like the idea of Dyna Snap, but I don't like the price.

How often will you need to unplug/re plug? If it’s occasional bit you need the option,I’ve had good success so far (1 year and counting) with spade connectors wrapped in heat-shrink to keep it all together.

Otherwise, banana plugs?

Might be worth looking at Tamiya Connectors (yes, as in the RC cars) but I've no idea how they fare up against 2000km of mud and wet.

I recommend the dyno snap though agree they're pricey. Though they have lasted me many years.

This may be one of those 'cheap / durable / simple solution, you can only choose two' scenarios.

I am using JST connectors without any issues.

I spent ages crimping little JST connectors onto my various dynamo equipped bikes to make swapping stuff round easy (after asking much the same question some pages back) https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/159454/?offset=4575
TBH I don't think it's been worth the effort based on how many times I've pulled them off/attempted to connect them upside down and pushed them off, etc.
I've come round to thinking that chopping wires and twisting them back together with a bit of electrical tape is probably a better option than anything else.
(at least until cheap Dyna Snap copies pop up on Aliexpress or the like).

Thanks for the replies everyone, good food for thought.

On reflection I think I should stick with something cheap and easy to work with - they won't need to be used very often, but will be invaluable at the end of an upcoming trip where bikes will need to be boxed up to fly home (the lights are mudguard mounted).

Bullets, heatshrink, and some conductive grease should sort us out for the sake of this trip. DynaSnap can be a bougie option later in the year, as there's a lot of other fettling to do besides the wiring :)

If your tail light is installed on an aluminium or steel rack, and you have an aluminium or steel frame, then you can use the frame as the ground.

GBP35 package for the pair of dina-snap will then fit for two bikes.

Anyone selling a silver front light, ideally an IQ-XS? I’ve gone all silver on a new build and don’t like the look of the black plasticky models occupying the low-mid range.
There’s this one on eBay but it’s off a Halfords special Pashley town bike which doesn’t fill me with heaps of confidence tbh.

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Would anyone like this SON mudguard mount light for £30?

Lengh of wire is huge - 170cm

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I've had a google and looked at the SON website but no answer - does anyone sell a dynamo with different end caps to use on boost and non-boost bikes?!

Pm sent

you can buy a non-boost and put a boost adapter kit from for example problem solver. But you will have to remove/add the disc spacer each time you switch wheel. And not sure your wheel will be always centred.

https://problemsolversbike.com/products/booster-front-hub-spacing-kit-6-bolt

you can buy a non-boost and put a booster adapter kit from for example problem solver. But you will have to remove/add the disc spacer each time you switch wheel. And not sure your wheel will be always centred.

Theoretical use case is the very very occasional MTB ultra/tour and then commuting the rest of the time, so a little faff is OK. Thanks! Given me something to think about.

Any neat tricks for excess rear cable?
I'm removing a front rack and previously had the excess rear cable just curled up and taped on a strut. I'm half thinking about stuffing it up inside the fork crown/steerer, is that a thing?

I've neatly taped it under the top tube using a trick someone mentioned on here, the downside is that I can't pull the cable through to trim it now and I rly don't want to buy more of this 3m cable guide stuff.

With my front rack I use a removable section of cable with bullet plugs at either end. Take it out, reconnect and cable is now a rack length shorter.

For rear I have similar points to break it near the fork crown, but that was mostly due to internal routing meaning I had to use thin wires inside and needed to join them where they emerge.

So you could make a break/join point nice and neat for no rack and add the cable back in when required.

That's my dream scenario but I was trying to think of something more immediate.
Tbh I have just removed the basket from the rack and I might just leave it at that. Baskets aren't for me but actually the rack is still useful.

Yeah, not the quickest thing to setup, fiddly soldering and heat shrink.

I have an odd problem, my lights went off last night but when I unplug the rear the front light
works again. It's an IQ-X front and a Spanninga Elips rear. Is that a connection problem
or the rear light is broken? How can I check the rear on it's own?

Ok, false alarm, I re-did the connection on the rear light and it all works again. Those plugs are garbage and the exposed copper wire deteriorates over time.

What's the current pick for a cheap-and-cheerful commuting light? A nice beam pattern isn't essential – just a decent stand light and relatively good reliability.

I have an old AXA Pico 30 pulled from another bike, which is ok, but the rear light cables have yanked out the moulded plug (and I can't re-fit them) and the stand light is a bit duff, so I'm on the hunt for a replacement.