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The lighting set
Anyone cycling on public roads is required
by law to have a properly working lighting
set (see chapter 6.
“Legal requirements for
riding on public roads“
).
It is important to be familiar with the design
of the lighting set so that you can repair it
yourself in the event of a failure.
Most trouble occurs when you ride a lot in the
rain or during the winter.
The pulley wheel can slip on the wet rubber
tire, making the light dimmer or fail alto-
gether.
Therefore, dynohubs are becoming more
and more popular. Besides its indifference
to weather, this type of dynamo is also dis-
tinguished by its greater efficiency, i.e. the
smaller power input required for producing
the same amount of electricity as compared
with a tire dynamo.
7. The lighting set
Tire dynamos are usually put into operation
by pressing on the joint or a key from above
to release a spring which then presses the
pulley wheel against the tire for electricity
generation.
Dynohubs can be switched on very comfort-
ably by pressing a button mounted on the
handlebars.
7. How it works
The dynamo produces the electricity required
for operating the light bulbs. It has two dual
cables attached to it, one running to the front
light and the other to the rear light. On some
bikes, the electricity is conducted for a part of
the way via strip conductors integrated in the
mudguards.
