My Very Cool Electric Dynamo Hub

A close up of my very cool dynamo hub

As you may know, I have, on occasion, whipped up a mild fever when I ruminate over a few of my most favorite items of camping or cycling gear. Like, for instance, my Kleen Canteen 64 oz. aluminum insulated bottle. (Yes, I will admit to breaking a bit of a sweat just thinking of the copious mugs of hot tea I can be sipping all day long. Especially when the trail takes me to a place where I can relax and enjoy a spectacular view, mug in hand!)

Then there is my Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Pad Sleeping Pad. The Wide Long is 25” wide by 78” by 3.5” of pure, plush, trail-sleeping comfort. At times, the thought of collapsing in Big Agnes’s arms at the end of the day is all that has kept me keeping on.

But the object of my present excitement is the SP PV-8 Dynamo Hub and its associated Sinewave Reactor charger. “What,” I hear you saying, “is that?!”

It is electricity, my friend. E-lec-tric-it-y. More precisely, it is electric power generated from the bicycle-pedaling of my human feet and legs. This space age contraption now resides at the center of my front 700 c spoked wheel. Inside its silver aluminum casing is an amazing electric technology that generates 6 volts and 3 watts of direct current power when I start pedaling. (Well, actually the PV-8 starts charging at three MPH and reaches full power at nine MPH.) The PV-8 Dynamo Hub does all this without creating any friction loss on my front wheel.

Is this effing cool, or what?!?

All of this technical gobbledy-gook means that, as I pedal merrily along, my cell phone and backup power battery – or my iPad mini or my headlight – will be charging. My devices simply plug into the USB hub at the top of my handlebar post (see photo).

See? Space age!

Even more exciting is the fact that I can charge two devices simultaneously, via the micro-USB splitter cable which plugs into the charger. I was a bit suspicious about this particular point, so I called the manufacturer and spoke to Dave. Dave reassured me that, “Yes, this is doable. Just pedal your ass off and don’t stop.” (Dave should try his hand at stand-up comedy.)

Now, my trusted Surly Long Haul Trucker bicycle is a power generating machine. Well, as long as I keep pedaling.

A BIG SHOUT OUT to Jeff and Nancy at A1A Cycle Works at the Beaches Publix Plaza who actually purchased all these techno-marvels for me – and then installed them!