Dynamo Lights

The µ is very nice and small. (Available in black for more money from sjs)

never known about this one. looks good!

Fantastic work chaps this is why I come here. I hadn't stumbled across either of those.

Also like the look of the rack-mounted SON rear light as it looks v smart. Would have to create a bracket for it though as I don't envisage ever having a rear rack.

Of course it's not that I have a crippling weakness for style over substance, I promise.

Hey folks, what are considered the best dynamo lights at the minute? Supernova?

I asked almost this exact question two pages ago. Based on feedback I've bought an IQ-X (mainly because it allows freedom to mount either way up), and a SON rear rack-mounted light.

Having read back a bit, looks like Di2 stick-on cable guides might be one of the more aesthetically pleasing ways of running a light from crown-mounted front light to seatstay-bridge-mounted rear light.
Any other methods I should consider before I add it to the ever-accumulating, wallet-scaring shopping list?

Road: Supernova e3 Pro 2 or SON off road: Sinwave Beacon or Exposure Revo.

Others available. They are just good lights for different things.

Nice one thanks. Looks like Supernova seems the go to for me. Frame will be built to accommodate the wires using Di2 grommets etc

I've got Magicshine strap on lights for MTB and proper off road pitch black stuff.

Any other methods I should consider

@Cyclopathic the B&M mini rear, also rack mount 50mm spacing, is near identical to the SON. SON also make a natty mudguard-mount version, sits at 10 o'clock ish on the curve of the guard, if that helps you fit something.

As for the fixing: beware buying a cheap bundle of Di2 stickon strips as i did this and they didn't stick properly, think the glue had got old - no-one's really using these for Di2 really because it's all internal routing now.

I've used Sugru to fix cables with some success. Helps to use cableties to get it taught against the tube, then apply your blobs and wait for it to harden.

My latest wheeze was to have brazeons attached to a frame i was doing other work on, used mudguard eyes mounted flat onto the fork blades/tubes, domed hex bolts and tiny 3.4mm nylon P clips. The cable sits taught away from the frame though, about a mudguard-eye's depth to be precise. But it's fairly pleasing.

I've gone for the SON for almost purely aesthetic reasons, I think it looks rather swish ahah.
I also won't be running 'guards, and I want to avoid the seatpost or seattube mounted option for the sake of seatpacks and paintwork respectively.
I'm going to make up a mount to fit to this nubbin circled (or possibly the rack mounts). (Bike is a Bombtrack Hook EXT.) I haven't got the bike yet (ETA two weeks whoo!), so shall attempt fabricating once I do.

Notes re Di2 strips, I have heard that about the adhesive. Shame as I think it would be quite subtle and also protect the wire from framepacks/bike racks etc.

That sounds very pleasing indeed! However I can say with absolute certainty I will not be having braze-ons added to my brand new frame haha. Maybe once it's out of warranty...

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I have one of those. It's very bright considering how small it is.

Supernova e3 Pro 2

Not disputing it’s a good light, I’ve not owned it ... but I know people who were disappointed with the beam, I think they found it too focussed for hilly riding. And the hollow in the lens fills with dirt.

Does one need to solder the wires into the spade connectors when wiring dynamo lights up? Or does crimping do the trick?

Crimping can be fine.

can be fine ...
But soldering is better?

Crimping works. But I tend to destroy at least one spade connector per connection because I have no crimping tool. And I think soldering is always better?

Agreed. Given the old man has all these various gubbins, I think I'll take a trip down to costa del sussex to relieve him of soldering iron, shrink wrap, heat gun, crimps and wire strippers.
Probably best to do it properly after dropping several hundreds of pounds on the lights and hub...

But soldering is better?

Depends on the crimp job (for which you need a decent tool - mentioned previously in this thread) and I suppose the soldering job.

Does one need to solder the wires into the spade connectors when wiring dynamo lights up? Or does crimping do the trick?

A good crimp with a proper tool is better than soldering as solder can make the wire brittle where solder wicks up the wire and cause it to break. If it's a dodgy crimp solder might help though.

Seems legit. I've so much to learn in these dynamo dark arts...

Where “a proper tool” is always one grade above what you’ve forked out for.

Weeeeeell, actually, I do have some rather nice aerospace-spec crimping tools. But I did build the wiring harness for my race car, including a 12 channel datalogger, from scratch.

Soldering spade connectors is completely the wrong thing to do. Crimping is the way to go, using a "special" crimping tool or just using any form of pliers would do the trick.

I always use some heat shrink tubing covering both the wire connection and spade to prevent shorting. But NOT heating/shrinking the part covering the spade, just shrinking around the wire connection. This so you can still easily slide something in and out of the spade without the heat shrink getting in the way.

Hope it helps!

finally wired up front and rear, thanks to @MCamb for essentially doing it all

(pls ignore the horrible stickers, need to figure out how to get them off still!)

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I've got a Supernova rack mount rear light as below, which I want to mount down by the RHS seat stay.

I've got this on the way from the US from Framebuilder Supply, taking its sweet time to get here:

Any tips on mounting this until the bracket gets here?

I mean I guess I can botch it with cable ties, but anything more elegant?

Anyone got any use for Supernova light tins, ie. the packaging the lights came in?

Seems excessive for lights that will be permanently attached to a bike. Maybe I just need more trinkets to store in them.