Re: [CR]re: why no dynohubs?

(Example: Framebuilders:Tony Beek)

Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:00:18 -0400
To: classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "John Betmanis" <johnb@oxford.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]re: why no dynohubs?
In-Reply-To: <496552.97098.qm@web31802.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


At 01:26 PM 22/06/2007 -0700, randy dugan wrote:
>The front dynohub on my recently-acquired mid-1950s Raleigh Sports (thanks Matt!) has 90mm o.l.n. spacing.
>
>Don't know if they're all like that, or if there are wider axles available for them, but I imagine (i don't own one) that French randonneur bikes would have 100mm fork spacing.
>
>Maybe this difference is why they weren't commonly used?

Sheldon Brown has this:

91 mm Low-end front hubs. 96 mm Older front hubs, especially French. 100 mm Modern front hubs.

Would that be about right and when was the change from "older" to "modern"?

I have a 1978 Nishiki Landau with 96 mm front spacing. Would that be "older"?

The S-A Dynohub is no longer made, but perhaps the reason for not seeing them on randonneuses may be the "low end" label. Also, according to Sheldon, they were heavy and unregulated, so were hard on bulbs.

http://sheldonbrown.com/dynohubs.html The Shimano Nexus Generator Hub looks much nicer and those Dynohubs were mostly found on low end commuter bikes years ago.

John Betmanis
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada