We only build dynamo wheels with Son hubs as all other brands failed quickly. Dynamo hubs are not user- or shop-serviceable and must be returned to the factory for any repairs including bearings or electrical parts, so it is important that the hubs are durable.
Son Schmidt - the best
SON dynamos are made in Germany with clever design features which make them the most efficient, long-lasting dynamo hubs available.
SON stands for “Schmidts Original Nabendynamo” after Frank Schmidt, the inventor, with “Naben” being German for hub.
All SON hubs are made in the SON factory in Tübingen, Germany with most of the components for the hub being made in-house to SON’s designs.
Do you need a dynamo ?
Say goodbye to forgetting your lights, flat batteries or getting caught out on in the dark on a long ride. With a dynamo-powered light setup, the light is fixed to your bike and is always available.
With a power output of 3W at 5V, hub dynamos can also be used for charging devices like phones, GPS units and any other small electrical items you can take on a touring adventure which will charge from a USB plug. Charging a device requires an adapter which can either be integrated into a light, or a separate box which can fit under your headset cap or similar.
The Son range
Son manufacture a range of dynamo hubs for non-disk, centre-lock and 6-bolt brakes, they make standard and boost widths. Not all hubs are made in all axles, widths and brake types so you many need to choose the nearest option that will work for you.
Son 12 vs Son Deluxe
Son Deluxe
SON deluxe is the lighter version with a smaller generator. The voltage produced climbs more slowly with speed than for the 28 hubs, but over about 20kph there is very little difference in power output between the two. The lighter weight and higher speed requirements make the Deluxe suitable for road bikes.
Weight for a 12mm thru-axle centerlock disk hub is 400g.
Son 28
SON 28 has a larger generator unit and reaches maximum power at a lower speed than the Deluxe. Between 5 and 15km/h there is a significantly higher power produced by the 28 making it more suitable for mountain or gravel bikes where the speed is often lower than on road.
weight for 12mm disk centerlock hub: 440g
Wheels with dynamo hubs from £596
We can build Son Dynamo wheels into any of our custom wheels, it can often be found under the front hub options on our wheel configuration and adds around £200 to the cost of a wheelset.
If you can’t see the dynamo you want in the wheels you need them get in touch.
Popular builds for bike packing would include the Monitor Aluminium with a dynamo from £596 and a Monitor Carbon from £1051
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customMonitor alu wheels
from £450.0025mm wide aluminium rims on this strong, light gravel wheelsetSelect options -
customMonitor mk1 carbon wheels
£845.00 £745.00strong and lightweight gravel and cross-country MTB wheelset. Price reductions on 650b wheels and red 700c optionsSelect options
Connecting to your dynamo hub
SON dynamo hubs come with a couple of connectors which fit onto the contacts on the side of the hub. But usually any lights or charging accessories will come with connectors included.
Various lights are available including SON’s own Edelux, a very bright front (and optional rear) light made to very strict German lighting standards which means they are designed to not dazzle other users. If you are using your lights off-road then lights with a broader beam pattern might be better, for example the Sinewave Cycles Beacon.
If you want to charge devices on the go you will need a USB output converter. These can be a small box which straps to your handlebars, a stem plug which fits inside the top of the fork steerer, or it can be included with the light as for the Sinewave Beacon.
