Igaro D1 "Next Generation" Dynamo Hub Power Converter Reviewers Required

Hi All,

Due to the support I've had with the Igaro D1 from members of this forum I thought I'd offer up a couple units for cheap in return for a short review posted on various places on the web. It's purely a marketing exercise to spread the word, and you can write whatever you want.

I'm after 4 testers and will offer up a unit for £50, with worldwide postage and I'll give £5 donation from each to LFGSS for allowing me to post this.

Although the updated website isn't published yet here's some spec;

Ultra Efficient
High Power Support
Digital Dynamo Monitoring
Titanium Alloy Housing
IP69 Waterproof
Lifetime Warranty

Every aspect of this unit will beat every aspect of the competition whether it is efficiency, working life, functional performance or manufacturing quality. There's no corners cut, even the capacitor is a Japanese model with a 1000% increase in longevity over standard models. These are some of the aspects you could write about.

If you're keen you must be;

1. a dynamo hub owner.
   
2. able to test with a few USB devices (you choose).
   
3. able to review on a place of my choosing (here being one, crazyguyonabike being another, I'll think of two more) and post within one week after receiving the unit.
   
   

First come first served.

Units will be available in a few days. :)

Regards, Andrew

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Another pic

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And one to show how it mounts on your head tube.

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Have mates doing a 1200km audax in Scotland week after next. Maybe could convince them to try.

Maybe @CarlosBI can test one on this TCR :D

Hi Andrew
I won't be cycling much for a bit (having some elbow surgery after a holiday), otherwise I'd be really interested in trying one of these. Along with function they look pretty good, which is a big consideration for some. Been using the B&M Luxos U and killed one with rain already. Now have another light (with no usb out) and one of these things is def on my shopping list.

Best of luck with the review testing. I'm sure the CTC rag would do a really good test/review but I expect you're probably all over that already.

Hi @acharnley, appear really small!
I was proving and trying to develop one converter for sale with the dynamos (Flexmedia).

Now I'm using E-werk and I'm happy with it.

What will be the market price?

it's too close to use on the TCR, but i think it's small and lightweight so could carry both if you want.

I rode 61.250k with diferents SP-Dynamo hubs :D

If there are any test units left, I would be delighted to give it a go. I was about to press the button on one when you announced a new version was coming. Want to sort out charging on the tandem for touring and then look at getting rid of Luxos U lights and replacing them with stuff that doesn't mind a bit of bad weather for Audax.

Let me know!

They are rather small - the PCB's have through hole soldering shaved to fit the case and epoxy injected with a syringe and needle!

Expected RRP is £92 (this will be through distributors).

Still after an E-werk for efficiency comparison (done The Plug 3 and D1 comfortably beats it).

One review unit left @ £50, fire me a PM if you want your name on it.

Regards, Andrew

Mine arrived. Thank you. First impression. The finish could be better. Bit of glue etc.

Actually have an E-werk. What would you like?

Amazingly small!

Am hoping to get it put on a bike and ride a 200km tomorrow.

Edit - is on bike headtube, and lights up the USB battery pack when I spin the wheel by hand. I will give it a go tomorrow.

Ah that'll be the black epoxy at the ends? I wanted to wait another day but Marcus needed one for the weekend. The epoxy is taking about 5 days to dry, it's a very slow potting type, and I've had problems with it running through and falling out the bottom!

I'm switching to silicone instead. That was the original plan but it proved too thick for the limited size and I couldn't inject it (tried everything, even football pump needles!). I've since had some injectors milled out of brass and it's now working.

edit: I can see the epoxy at the end of Marcus's, drat. If you don't mind perfecting it, a little fine grid sandpaper will take it off (and the titanium is raw so no problem there).

Well initial reports on charging - much better than the Luxos! I am using SONDelux hubs and the Luxos could be very temperamental at moderate pace. The D1 was much more stable and just kept on charging. I took a (deliberately) flat 5200mAh battery pack on the 200km today (that battery pack will easily handle my Garmin and phone needs for a 600km weekend) and it was getting towards full after the 200.

I will change my front light at some point to get rid of the Luxos. Shame the £ collapsed as suddenly a new light from Germany is a much more expensive proposition than it was last month.

Build quality on the D1 could be a little neater yes. But it's a good functional piece of kit so far.

I have mine on the head-tube with a releasable cable tie. I want to be able to quickly take it off when I do not need it (to be honest, most of the time). I can ride 600s with a battery pack, so charging only really becomes a concern on longer rides and touring.

I will try it with nothing connected and see how hot it gets.

In October, it will go on a tour of the Balkans with a SON28 - hopefully should keep us electrified despite lower speeds etc.

Working as expected then - very well. Looking forward to a review and pictures, will be great to see them in use by tourers! Andrew

Feedback from Robert for the other unit has come in. Move over B&M eWerk!

"We are back from Scotland audax. Covered 1200km in 93 hours so out of time for the event. But your device really work well. Manage to charge my battery back up to half in 8 to 10 hours riding.

Like it more than the ewerks
It's smaller
Neat on a ti bike
Fast charge
USB connection is good and even after the rain. And it really rain hard as my jacket failed on some seams."

Say I wanted to build a bike that has the electronics as follows, would this device support it?

• Dynamo hub
  
• Front and rear lights
  
• Di2
  
• Built in cache battery that runs the Di2 rather than having a separate battery, and also supplies everything else
  
• Igaro
  
• Garmin permanently plugged into power
  
• USB charging port in stem area for ad-hoc device charging
  
  

I'm imagining D1 to battery, battery to every electrical system, but am very ready to be told that that's a stupid way of doing it.

The USB charging port is already in the stem area - the cable is the correct length to do that.

Assuming the lights are independent and switchable on/off on the front light (i.e B&M lights). Get ones with capacitors built in (B&M call them "plus").

Garmin ... you could use a double USB splitter (easy to make from two 99p 30cm extension leads). D1 will happily power that and something else. Power will go off at low speed and standstill, can you live with that?

If not, powerbank with passthrough. You'll need one anyway for the Di2 if you ditch it's power source (I am not familiar with the Di2 electronics so don't quote me - does it work with 5v?).

A powerbank will lower efficiency by 25-30%, however depending on how you ride and what you consume this may be trivial and worth it for the convenience.

@andy_k

Good to hear it did such a brilliant job.

Looks interesting, although thinking about Rich donated an old Kemo last year and still haven't got round to wiring it up... must rider further to justify shiny titanium things :(

Just released today. Thanks for the feedback. fussballclub's mate is still writing a review but it looks positive!

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dynamos/igaro-d1-dynamo-usb-power-converter/

Next challenge, breaking into the German market!

Is that last review unit still up for grabs? PM me if it is, I'd be very happy to take it on my next few tours and give you a review. The new design looks great!

I have ridden so little this past few weeks for various reasons. But I managed to get out and ride 90km at a reasonably vigorous pace today.

I decided to take the bike that has the D1 on it and see if it got hot with no load on it. Pleased to say it did not even feel warm at any point.

I am looking forward to giving it a test touring next month, that will be with a SON28, but the pace will be leisurely.

Free unit going for grabs on Facebook. It hasn't had much attention so high chance of winning.

https://www.facebook.com/igarod1/

Regards, Andrew