Product news: Winter isn't just stressful for bikers because of the rain and cold. It's dark, and that means for all Bio-Bike riders: Always have charged battery lights with you. There is a great alternative to the battery light and the old side runner: the hub dynamo. Those who see more and are seen better have more fun and drive more safely. Maximum sun protection factor!
In winter, not only e-bikers have to recharge more often. Even cyclists without an additional boost now always have a hot wire to the charger, because anyone who rides a gravel bike, road bike or MTB is dependent on light from the battery device almost constantly. Many commuters also rely on them, because the classic dynamos - i.e. side runners - usually have one weakness: they break down in heavy rain, mud or even snow. The drive wheel slips on the tire, the generator stops - and the lights go out. So rather charge batteries and maybe even have spare batteries with you?
No! Battery lights make sense if you drive in the dark more occasionally, the side runner has clearly had its day. The hub dynamo is a clear recommendation for frequent drivers without a motor and the corresponding large battery. It makes sense to take a look at Shutter Precision.
Hub dynamo: front wheel axle with added value
Anyone who rides a lot in the dark is definitely better off with a hub dynamo, because it actually has almost nothing but advantages. The most important thing: it always supplies luminous flux, no matter what the conditions are. As long as the front wheel is turning, the light above it is bright. A reassuring thought.
The second advantage is that a good hub power plant runs with only minimally more resistance than the side runner. The common cyclist does not notice the difference between a hub and a hub dynamo. This is also the reason why more and more gravel bikers and racing cyclists themselves are using the rotating E-Werklein.
Third: High-quality hub dynamos are in no way inferior to good hubs when it comes to robustness. Fourth: Good hub dynamos even save you the power bank to recharge your cell phone on longer journeys.
And finally: He and the permanently installed lamp are really always there - in contrast to the battery lamp, which occasionally stays on the windowsill at home... mostly when you need it most...
Innovative forge with attention to detail
Among the manufacturers of hub dynamos, the Taiwanese manufacturer Shutter Precision has particularly distinguished itself in recent years. It offers a wide range of hub dynamos for different axle and other standards such as disc brake mounts (6-hole or center lock). Incidentally, the Asians have won designer awards with various of their hub power plants.
The new 7 series is specially designed for gravel bikes and all other bikes with a 12 mm thru axle. So you can let off steam on the Graveler carefree and StVZO-compliant.
The 7 series is characterized by its particular compactness and low weight, the culmination of many years of development. With 6V-3W power in all wheel diameters, the 7 series is StVZO-compliant and the ideal power supplier for gravel bikes, racing bikes and everything else that has a 12x100mm thru-axle on the fork. The two versions PD-7 and PL-7 differ in the brake disc mount; PD stands for 6-hole, PL for the Centerlock recording. The hubs are available with 24 to 32 holes and in the colors black and silver.
Whoever says 7 must also say 8. With the 8 series, the product range is significantly broader, it is divided into P8, S8 and P8X and covers a large number of possible applications. The Shutter Precision 8 series (for quick release) comes in many variations for wheels with 20 to 36 spokes. The S8s are a bit smaller and therefore even lighter: they weigh a maximum of 380 grams. P8 and S8 were designed for bikes with quick release. The "P" at the beginning of the designation, such as in the PL-8 model, stands for POWER. P8 hub dynamos provide the full 6V-3W required by the StVZO in all wheel sizes, with extremely high efficiency and very low weight. It is not for nothing that the P8 models are the most popular. If it should be even lighter, the models of the S8 series are an option. The "S" stands for SMALL. Small and light, at 360-380 grams (depending on the version) they are among the lightest hub dynamos ever. They provide the 6V-3W required by the StVZO at 5 km/h in wheels up to 26", but can of course also be installed in 28" wheels, where they provide 6V-2,4W up to 5km/h.
And even mountain bikers can enjoy this: With the 8X series, Shutter Precision can also cover the hardcore fraction - right down to fat bikes. Well, this 15 centimeter wide power plant weighs almost a pound, but even the standard hubs are pretty big on a fat bike.
The variants are divided according to color (black, silver, red, blue) and braking system (V-brake, disc brake 6-hole or disc brake Centerlock). P8 and S8 hub dynamos are available with 20 to 36 holes.
And when the terrain gets rougher, the 8X Series comes into play. Built for bikes with 15mm thru-axles, these dynamo hubs can withstand a lot and are therefore predestined for use in MTBs. Even variants for fat bikes are available here!
The 9 series ranges from powerful and robust to the smallest and lightest hub dynamos in the world. Weights around 300 grams are the result of a further increase in precision and optimization of the components. In the wheel sizes 16" to 20", these lightweights even meet the 6V-3W output at 5km/h required by the German StVZO. Larger wheels fall below this limit, but technically wheels up to 28" can be built. Available for V-Brake and Centerlock, in black and silver and with 20 to 32 holes.
The good: There is a wide range of wheels for the different segments with Shutter Precision hub dynamos. But the trusted dealer or mechanic can also spoke the hub dynamo into the desired rim or the existing one.
Light that is really fun
As far as the right lights are concerned: the range today is huge. In principle, all bicycle lights with the new standard two-pole cable, which are designed for dynamos, fit. E-bike lights don't, they need DC voltage as opposed to the AC voltage of the dynamo. And anyone who still thinks that fixed lights are old school should take a look at the high-end spotlights from premium manufacturers: Smaller, finer and more powerful is hardly possible. This also applies to the possibilities for the brackets. And thanks to the internal routing in most modern frames and forks, a dangling cable is a thing of the past.
Incidentally, the innovation forge Shutter has also announced light delicacies for 2021 - with daytime running lights and high beams in spacey designed front spotlights.