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@General_Strike
Hello there!
I've been thinking about the same question a lot recently as I'm working on my first conversion/build - a 5 speed constructeur/porteur for my girlfriend. I'm going the hub dynamo route. The reelights are essentially a dynamo as well - they work on the same principle as a hub dynamo - not a particularly efficient one, but have the advantage of being easy to retrofit and creating less drag than a bottle dynamo. I wasn't aware of any wind-up light marketed.
I've decided to go for the hub dynamo for a few reasons. Firstly it's in the middle of the wheel so protected from knocks and the elements better than a bottle dynamo would be. If you're playing around with one in the shop it feels clicky and like there's a fair bit of resistance. However, at speed this disappears (largely) because half the time the magnets are pulling together in the direction of travel and half the time they're pulling together against the direction of travel, so the forces balance out (I may not have explained that very well). There will however be additional drag when the lights are in operation - but not as much as created by bringing a bottle dynamo into contact with the wheel. That said my experience of bottle dynamos is restricted to old ones; they may have been improved.
I know what you mean about the lights being vulnerable. It bothers me too. However I hope that the attractiveness of the lights will be reduced by the fact that the power source would also have to be taken, as opposed to some of the very fancy rechargeable lights which have an easily removed power pack.