Nordlicht Dynamo

These days many people use hub dynamos. I like hub dynamos a lot too, but they do also drawbacks. These include weight, expense and the need for a new wheel it you want to retrofit a dynamo. What's more, even the best of them create some drag when you're not using them. As a result, sidewall dynamos still have some advantages, especially if you want to have a lightweight but permanent lighting system on a sporty bike. One of the best sidewall dynamos is that from Nordlicht. I've used these Nordlicht for many years. It's well built, from metal not plastic, relatively efficient and quiet. The rubber roller can be run either on the tyre or the rim, making it compatible with thin walled tyres. When set up well I find it works reliably.

Can be used with any of the dynamo front lights that we sell, from the outstanding Philips Safe Ride through to the rather less expensive but still very good Basta Sprint headlight and optionally one of the dynamo rear lights (or you can use a battery rear light). With a bottle dynamo you need the less expensive versions of the headlights, without a switch.

The dynamo is available in two versions with the attachment point on the "Left" or "Right". That shown in the photo above is the "Right" version, but most of the time you will want the "left" dynamo. Bikes which have a dynamo mount on the front fork usually have it on the left side and need the left version of the dynamo. For mounting at the rear right of the bike you also want a "left" dynamo. If your bike doesn't have a dynamo bracket on the frame, please also buy a suitable dynamo bracket.

One of the additional photos shows a Nordlicht Dynamo which is well over ten years old. It's outlived two other bikes, and is now in daily use on one of my children's bikes, used on the school run in all weathers. The new version of the Nordlicht dynamo is provided with two connections so that you don't have to rely on a earth connection running through the frame, so it's actually better than the older versions were.

See also our second favourite dynamo (it's a little less expensive).