Pedalcell

[steve.howard]

Has anyone got or have experience of the Pedalcell rim dynamo?

Just wondered if they are any good as I'm considering buying one for my GDMBR this summer - Covid permitting ......

Ta.

[AndreR]

I last used something like that 40 years ago and it could be summed up as "similar to the dim light of an unlit candle" This looks a lot better though!

[thenorthwind]

A different one, but: https://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.c ... -look.html

I also came across this recently, may be interesting to you: https://www.cyclingabout.com/rim-dynamo ... b-dynamos/

[fatbikephil]

I think water and / or mud will be an insurmountable problem for these. When do you need the most light? When its dark, wet and muddy. Nice idea though. I wonder if you could make it work with something attached to the spokes or disk mounts (like a toothed strip) away from the worst of the mud. It would be handy having something you can remove completely. In fact wasn't there something on here a wee while ago about a dynamo set up that attached to a standard wheel near the hub?

[sean_iow]

Just wondered if they are any good as I'm considering buying one for my GDMBR this summer

I've neither ridden it or seen one of those dynamos in action, but I'll not let that stop me from commenting

I'd echo what has been said about mud (and rain) above, I can't see that coping with the peanut butter mud and I wonder how well it works on a wet rim?

I see you called it GDMBR so I assume you're not racing? And you're hoping to go in the summer, so longer days, At a more relaxed pace just charge lights/powerbanks when you're stopped at diners and campsites? Plus I assume if not racing you won't be riding into the dark every night?

If you want dynamo power just buy a SON, even if it's just for this trip you can sell it on afterwards for good money still.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I can confirm that water isn't too much of an issue, there may be some slippage but you don't notice. On the other hand, any type of mud that sticks to things is a bit of a no go.

This may have changed, I don't know but for me it was the stumbling block with regard to the Velological ... it arrives with a resistor in the form of a light bulb in a plastic housing. I broke two quite early on as they're somewhat fragile and a PITA because you fit it inline between dynamo and light. Velological say it needs to be fitted to prevent damage to lights. Kerry at K-lite reckons it doesn't. I'm not yet brave enough to risk destroying any of my lights in order to find out for certain

[woodsmith]

Don't worry about it. You'll soon stop riding at night after seeing your first mountain lion

[Lazarus]

TBH if you want it for the duration you need it i would want something that was more of a known quantity than that so a Dynamo hub is extremely unlikely to go wrong
That product will essentially be being tested by you if you get it and its not hard to see how mud may be a serious problem- I am sure you would test it locally but I always assume things like that are ok for a road bike and not really for an offroad bike

YMMV

Finally given you will be riding all day you dont need the extra power it offers either,

[steve.howard]

Thanks for everyone's contributions . Apparently, the Pedalcell isn't significantly affected by mud. But then there is mud - and then there is mud!

https://pedalcell.store/collections/fro ... 1611125679

A SON dynamo hub is obviously the way to go, but they're expensive and then limited to the one bike. Doing the GDMBR means I have no plans to ride at night and just want the rim dynamo to top-up my battery pack. I have a solar panel, but there are obvious problems with that.

I suspect I will now have another year to fine tune my kit, as Covid makes it looks doubtful I'll be doing it this year.

[johnnystorm]

I was going to say that after my dynamo completely died in Montana I got by with a max 400 lumens light (run on min power so probably 150ish) as the days were so long and the terrain wasn't technical. If you have no plans for night riding then I'd be tempted to just get a PD/Quick charge charger and battery and top up when you stop for food.

[Teaman]

Just wondered if anyone had any experience/update on how the pedal cell performs, especially in wet and muddy conditions? It's been a while since the last post on this subject. If it wasn't for the doubts I have over the mud etc in think this would be better and cheaper than going down the Son hub route.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Nothing's changed really and mud will still be an issue for (I imagine) any rim driven dynamo. I suppose the only saving grace is that their position can be quickly changed so there not in contact with the rim should conditions call for it - but obviously, it can no longer generate power. I tend to believe that rim dynamo are a 'road item' in the UK.