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dynamo usb charger

List of Hub Dynamo USB Chargers That Power Your Electronics While You Ride

A dynamo front bicycle wheel can now power your smartphone (and electronics) using any of these special USB chargers. This article sorts all charging options available and ranks them based on their power output at 20kph/12mph. There are currently 26 different hub dynamo USB chargers available.

I personally use a Cinq Plug6 Plus to charge my iPhone, Bluetooth earphones, Bluetooth speaker, eReader, headlamp, GoPro, Garmin Inreach, and a power bank.

This article was originally published in March 2012 but has been updated in Nov 2023.

If you’re bikepacking off-road or spending lots of time on steep mountain roads, you may want to skip on dynamo chargers and instead use a power bank or solar charger. Dynamo chargers are essentially useless at charging power-hungry devices (eg. smartphones) unless you average 12 to 15kph for the majority of your ride (7.5 to 9mph).

That said, hub dynamos can charge power-efficient devices at as little as 5kph/3mph – this includes GPS trackers, GPS navigation devices, or small battery packs. This is one reason why hub dynamos are popular even for off-road ultra events.

If you’re cycling on terrain that has you cycling above and below 12kph, make sure to add a buffer battery into your charging system, which will supply power to your device when the dynamo can not. For example, when climbing at low speeds or when stopped at traffic lights.

The above is a very brief introduction – if you want to learn it all, it could be worth digging into my full series:
Dynamo Hubs
Dynamo Lights
Dynamo USB Chargers
Dynamo Wiring
Buffer Batteries
Rim Dynamos

Key Stats For Benchmarking Hub Dynamo USB Chargers

dynamo usb charger

To help you compare the hub dynamo USB chargers in this resource, I have listed their key specs and have organised them according to type (“integrated”, “inline” and “light” chargers). Within these categories, you’ll also find them ranked in terms of available output power when cycling at 20kph.

Speed at 2.5W – This is the speed you need to ride in order to achieve the minimum charge for many smartphones.
Power at 20KPH –
 This is the maximum output power at the USB port at 20KPH.
Power Output Graph – The power output graph for the charger if available.
Buffer Battery –
 If a buffer battery is integrated into the charging system, I have listed the battery’s capacity here.
Price – Retail price on the hub dynamo USB charger.

Integrated Hub Dynamo USB Chargers

Forumslader V6 Ahead

page street cycles

The Forumslader V6 is one of the more powerful dynamo USB chargers above 20KPH. While we don’t have any data on the latest model, the Forumslader V5 was able to hit 2.5 watts at 13KPH and almost 5 watts at 20KPH. A cool thing about the Forumslader products is that they’re constantly getting updated with the latest tech and circuitry due to their small-scale production. If you’d like more protection of the USB port, an aftermarket dust and water protection cap is available HERE.

Speed at 2.5W: 13KPH (V5)
Power at 20KPH:
4.8-watts (V5)
Power Output Graph: HERE (V5)
Buffer Battery: 7500mAh
Price: €227

Cinq Plug6 Plus

The Cinq Plug6 Plus is my dynamo hub USB charger of choice. It’s super neat and offers more power than anything else below 18KPH. There’s an 1100mAh battery hidden in the steerer tube that steps in when your speed drops below 12KPH. Simultaneous operation of lighting and charging is possible, although it will only really maintain your smartphone battery – rather than fill it. The Plug has recently been redesigned to be significantly more waterproof than previous models (mine Plug6 has worked flawlessly for 18 months so far). You can hide the USB-C plug quickly by rotating the ratcheting top cap door, and a waterproof cap can additionally be used in extreme conditions. If you’re after a rare USB-C-to-iPhone cable in a short length, check out this one on Amazon.

Speed at 2.5W: 12KPH
Power at 20KPH:
4.6-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery: 1100mAh
Price: €259

Cycle2Charge V3+

dynamo usb

This headset top cap option from Cycle2Charge is available at an exceptional price. It produces the minimum charge for a smartphone at 15KPH (2.5W), but it’s between 20 to 25KPH where it provides the bulk of its power. Like the Plug6, this charger uses a rotating dome to protect the USB plug when not in use.

Speed at 2.5W: 15KPH
Power at 20KPH: 
4.3-watts
Power Output Graph:
HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: €80

Sinewave Reactor

sinewave reactor

The Sinewave Reactor offers notably good reliability and moderate performance. The electronics are neatly integrated into the fork steerer, making it somewhat theft-proof and elegant. It’s manufactured in the USA and gets rave reviews from many users.

Speed at 2.5W: 17.5KPH
Power at 20KPH:
 3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: US $220

Cinq Plug5 Pure

The Cinq Plug5 Pure is a lower-cost version of the Plug6 Plus that’s sold without the buffer battery. The charger is not particularly powerful: the maximum output is just 3.1 watts, which is really only suitable for low-draw devices such as a Garmin GPS or Spot Tracker.

Speed at 2.5W: 14KPH
Power at 20KPH:
3.1-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery: No, but it is designed to be used seamlessly with the Smart Power Pack
Price: €159

In-line Hub Dynamo USB Chargers

Lumi-Con Bike Harvester PM

The Lumi-Con PM offers amazing specs for the price. It integrates up to 3500mAh worth of batteries that can kick in when you drop to low speeds, or store any excess power for when you’ve finished your ride.

Speed at 2.5W: 15KPH (non-independent testing)
Power at 20KPH:
5.5-watts (non-independent testing)
Power Output Graph:
HERE (non-independent testing)
Buffer Battery:
3500mAh
Price: €161

Forumslader Pro V6

The Forumslader V6 is available in a larger unit that will sit inside a handlebar bag for a lower price.

Speed at 2.5W: 13KPH (V5)
Power at 20KPH:
5.1-watts (V5)
Power Output Graph: HERE (V5)
Buffer Battery: 7500mAh
Price: €122

Igaro S1 Pro

The Igaro S1 Pro is a notably high-performing dynamo hub charger, especially at low speeds. It has dual USB-C ports, status indicators, and super-capacitors that add power to your device when you’re cycling at slower speeds. The S1 Pro is IP69 waterproof and mounts directly to your handlebar near the stem.

Speed at 2.5W: 12KPH (non-independent testing)
Power at 20KPH:
5-watts (non-independent testing)
Power Output Graph: Table HERE (non-independent testing)
Buffer Battery: Internal super-capacitors with four minutes of stationary power
Price: £260

Fahrradlader V3.1

The Fahrradlader V3.1 is a small open-hardware project by an electrical engineering student in Germany. The Fahrradlader V3.1 delivers big power at 20kph for very little money, plus it has four supercapacitors that keep the power flowing temporarily when you ride at low speeds. This model is not waterproof and appears to only be made in small numbers (you might need to get your name on a list).

Speed at 2.5W: 16.5KPH (non-independent testing)
Power at 20KPH:
5-watts (non-independent testing)
Power Output Graph: HERE (non-independent testing)
Buffer Battery: Four super-capacitors with stationary power
Price: €35

Igaro D2 Pro R3

The Igaro D2 Pro charger features dual USB-C ports, status indicators, and a metal casing. It’s compact, IP69 waterproof, and hand-assembled in the UK. The charger comes with a five-year warranty, and Igaro will ship warranty replacements anywhere in the world for free.

Speed at 2.5W: 14KPH (R2 model)
Power at 20KPH:
4.1-watts (R2 model)
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: £160

Lumi-Con Bike Harvester P5

dynamo usb

The Lumi-Con P5 offers excellent specs for the price. It integrates up to 7000mAh worth of batteries that can store any excess power for when you’ve finished your ride.

Speed at 2.5W: 14KPH
Power at 20KPH:
4-watts
Power Output Graph:
HERE
Buffer Battery:
2x 3500mAh
Price: €159

Velotor SE2 Base

Speed at 2.5W: 16KPH
Power at 20KPH:
3.6-watts
Power Output Graph:
HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: €197

kLite USB Charger

kLite makes some amazing light and dynamo systems for remote backcountry use. Their focus is specifically on reliability, so their systems are as simple as possible, using thick internal cabling, full waterproofing, and smoothing capacitors that offer ultra-consistent waveforms (best practice for direct charging; kLite says they take up half the charging unit). The kLite charger also offers solar charger input and 2x USB output ports (1x Spot Tracker or GPS + a smartphone or other power-hungry device).

Speed at 2.5W: 18KPH
Power at 20KPH:
2.8-watts
Power Output Graph:
HERE
Buffer Battery:
 Available separately
Price: US $140

Sinewave Revolution

Sinewave Revolution

This small 38-gram waterproof charger can be connected directly to phones or power packs and is especially popular given it offers the same performance as the Reactor but with a lower price tag. It will achieve 2.5W at 17KPH, 3W at 20KPHH, and 4.5W at 30KPH. Like all Sinewave products, it’s made in the USA.

Speed at 2.5W: 17KPH
Power at 20KPH:
 3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery:
 No
Price: US $120

Busch and Muller E-Werk

Image: GPSRadler.de

The E-Werk is a unique unit as you can control the voltage (2.8 to 13.3V) and current (0.1 to 1.5A) to suit the charging specifications for each device you’d like to charge. While it’s a great idea, in theory, it really just makes the charger more complicated than necessary. The only time I can see this feature being useful is if you’re regularly travelling ultra-fast (40KPH+) or slow (<7KPH). In terms of performance, the E-Werk will hit smartphone levels of charging at 17.5KPH, and by 30KPH it will be producing over 4 watts.

Speed at 2.5W: 17.5KPH
Power at 20KPH:
2.8-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery: Available separately for $105
Price: €179

Busch and Muller USB-Werk

Busch Muller USB Werk Dynamo Charger

The USB Werk is the more recent release from Busch and Muller (it’s getting old now). It’s a stripped-back version of the E-Werk but with a tiny buffer battery built-in. It can achieve smartphone levels of charging (2.5 watts) somewhere between 14 and 19KPH (two different tests).

Speed at 2.5W: 14 to 19KPH
Power at 20KPH:
 2.6 to 3.3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE and HERE
Buffer Battery: 300mAh
Price: €110

USB2BYK

USB2BYK USB Charger

Speed at 2.5W: 20KPH (non-independent testing)
Power at 20KPH:
 2.5-watts (non-independent testing)
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: €39

Kemo M172N

Kemo 172N USB Dynamo Charger

The Kemo M172N is a dynamo USB charger with a built-in switch so that you can choose between sending power to your lights or your USB device. It’s an absolute bargain, and from all accounts, works really well if your average speed is above 25KPH.

Speed at 2.5W: 22KPH
Power at 20KPH:
2.3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: £40

PowerBUG

Another cheap charger from Poland is the PowerBUG. While you need quite high speeds to access smartphone levels of power, it definitely won’t break the bank.

Speed at 2.5W: 25KPH
Power at 20KPH:
2.3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: €38 (169 zł)

Ullmann Power Station 4

usb chargers

Speed at 2.5W: No data
Power at 20KPH:
 No data
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: €130

VeloCharger MK2

Speed at 2.5W: No data
Power at 20KPH:
 No data
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: £105

BioLogic ReeCharge Dynamo Kit

Speed at 2.5W: No data
Power at 20KPH:
No data
Buffer Battery:
No
Price: US $39

Hub Dynamo Lights with USB Chargers

Spanninga Nomad

usb charger

The Spanninga Nomad is, by far, the cheapest light and USB charger combo. It has a small form factor, with the USB plug hidden on the side of the lamp. It offers a lower 40 lux light output than the competition (compared to the B&M 90 lux and AXA 70 lux) but offers more USB power at 20KPH.

Speed at 2.5W: 18KPH
Power at 20KH:
 3.4-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Battery:
No
Price: US $50

Sinewave Beacon 2

Sinewave Cycles Beacon

The Sinewave Beacon 2 is an LED light with 750 lumens output and an integrated switch for charging. The Beacon 2 uses the same internals as the Revolution and Reactor so you can expect a strong smartphone charge at 17KPH. A cool feature is that the light can be powered by the dynamo hub, an external USB battery pack, or both. A blinking mode is also available when external battery power.

Speed at 2.5W: 17KPH
Power at 20KPH:
3-watts
Power Output Graph: HERE
Battery: No
Price: US $350

B&M Lumotec IQ2 Luxos

Busch und Muller Lumotec IQ2 Luxos Dynamo Light USB Charger

Introduced to consumers at the 2012 Eurobike tradeshow, this 90lux dynamo light incorporates a handlebar switch and USB plug so that you can charge and ride. It’s a super neat and integrated design, however, comes with mixed reviews when it comes to its charging ability. Even so, this is a great dynamo light with a nice beam shape for on-road use.

Speed at 2.5W: No data
Power at 20KPH: 
No data
Battery:
No
Price: US $260

AXA Luxx70 Plus

axa luxx70 plus

The AXA Luxx70 Plus is a similar product to the Lumotec IQ2 light, providing a handlebar switch to select between using the LED light or USB charger. The key advantage of this product is the exceptional price point. From all accounts, it works really well too.

Speed at 2.5W: No data
Power at 20KPH:
 No data
Battery:
No
Price: US $150

Learn About Hub Dynamo USB Chargers HERE, Dynamo Wiring Systems HERE, Buffer Batteries HERE and Dynamo Lights HERE

70 comments
  1. Hi

    The Busch and Muller does not come with a battery but you can purchase a battery as a separate piece of kit adding to the cost of course.

    Andrew

  2. Thanks Andrew.

    Since writing this post, we’ve discovered a bit more information about the eWerk battery! We’ve update the post accordingly, with a few more details.

    Cheers

  3. I notice that you mention you charge your iPad. I am curious as to what you use to do this. My initial testing with a PedalPower+ Super-i-Cable suggests it may not be able to to this.

    Andrew

  4. Andrew,

    Apologises on the super late reply – your message got lost in the mix somewhere!

    You are correct that the SIC doesn’t charge iPads. We use the V4i kit to do our iPad charges (iPad 3 gets ~25% from a full battery).

    Regards
    Alex

  5. A little update. I have found the Super-i-Cable will charge the iPad but the iPad 2 in my case will say it is not charging when in fact it does, albeit slowly.

  6. Bausch and Muller are producing a dynamo light with built in USB charger with built in lithium ion battery buffer. It’s an adjustable light, up to 90 lux!

  7. Hello Issac. We have not had any experience with the ewerk so we are not actually sure. If you can contact your local B&M distributor I’m sure they would be happy to help.

  8. I have the Lightcharge unit. I think for what you get the price is still quite high. It’s very basic and the quality is a little bit flimsy.

    However, it does exactly what it’s meant to do.

    The shortfall of not having a battery is easily and cheaply rectified on Ebay by buying a USB battery pack. (I think I paid £12 for a 5000mah pack).

    I’m heading off on a three week tour soon, camping most nights. I’m confident this will keep all my USB gadgets topped up.

  9. I have a USB Werk, an E-Werk and cache battery, as well as a bright lights device. So 3 different methods of charging devices. If anyone here in Australia has any questions about any of these, I’m more than happy to try to answer them.

  10. Hi Peter,

    I just got a USB Werk and am having trouble getting it to charge anything. I have it connected to a Son 28 by Schmidt and all the connections seem good. Any thoughts? Do you have to roll at a certain speed to get it to work? I got up to about 25 km/hr with no sign of charge on my iphone…

    Thanks in advance for your ideas…
    Scott

  11. What model iPhone do you have? Some iPhones are sensitive to the way they are charged, that is they need a constant charge so a buffer battery has to be used between the e-Werk and the iPhone.

    Also are you able to test the e-Werk with another device to see if it charges that device okay? If you have a light or similar that is charged via USB you should be able to test it.

    Good luck.

  12. The device I am using is the USB werk not the Ewerk. Any thoughts on that one?

  13. What amperage does the phone need to charge? Without knowing what model iPhone you have and/or the specs it is hard to help.

    Peter White has this warning on the USB Werk. It may or may not apply in your case.

    You should check the specifications on your device and determine that the input amperage is below 1 amp before buying the USB-WERK. The USB-WERK can delivery 1 amp when the internal cache battery is charged. However, since the hub dynamo cannot produce that much power, the battery will steadily drain. Once it has fully drained, the USB-WERK can no longer charge your device while the device is running. And keep in mind that some devices cannot be charged and run simultaneously.

  14. Hi, thanks for such an extensive writeup!

    I’ve pretty much decided what touring setup I’m going for:

    – Schmidt SON 28 dynamo hub
    – PedalPower SIC cable + v4i kit
    – Lighting from Klite (a lesser known Australian brand that does a custom made 1000 lumen dynamo-powered headlight)
    – Garmin Edge Touring GPS computer (for navigation, speed, mileage etc.)
    – iPhone 5 (for taking pictures and checking occasional messages etc.)

    However I’m not sure if there’s anything additional I’ll need for wiring this whole system up, or to make things compatible with each other. For instance charging my Garmin from the v4i pack at night – would I need an official Garmin cable or does a generic micro-USB cable work?

    I can understand there may be some specialist knowledge required to answer these questions, but I’d appreciate any advice whatsoever from someone who’s actually used some of these things.

    Cheers!

  15. I use a Garmin Edge 810 and before that a Garmin Edge 800 and I charge them using the cable that came with my PedalPower+ Super-i-Cable. No issues there and would expect your Garmin Edge Touring to have no problems.

    I would be more concerned about the iPhone. iPhones are known to be more sensitive to the power source. I would suggest checking with PedalPower+ on that aspect.

  16. Thanks. The guy from PedalPower said the v4i pack can charge the iPhone 5 with any old lightning cable with no compatibility issues. He said he’s got some new iPhone 5 adaptors for the SIC cable though which without it wouldn’t be compatible.

    So can you charge the Garmin Edge whilst using it at the same time? I’ve heard some of their models go into a mode that prevents you from doing so.

  17. I have used both of my Garmin Edge models and a Garmin Oregon 600 on my bike whilst being charged by my dynamo/PedalPower+ Super-i-Cable without any charging/use issues.

  18. I have just bought it, it has a built in battery inside the lamp itself, no need to buy an additional battery.

  19. That assumes you have brought the light with a “battery” built-in. Many riders myself included use other lights without batteries. My other issue with the “battery” in the Busch & Muller light is its capacity and functionality off the bike.

    It seems that it is really only good for caching the power supply between the dynamo and say a Garmin GPS or phone than needs buffered power from what I can see. It sure and heck is a not 15,000 mAh battery for example.

  20. I have recently purchased a HP Velotechnik Scoripion FS, and put USB head and taillight on it. Is there any USB charger out there with two or more USB ports? It would be nice to charge both lights at the same time, and perhaps even slow the drain on my phone if using GPS in town. (It would likely be best to turn lights off when doing that) Would the dynamo even produce enough current at 12v to do this?

  21. Has anyone here had experience with the B&M e-werk on Sony xperia phones/tablets and an Apple Ipod classic? I bought a Reecharge recently but these 3 devices did not seem to accept the current for charging. Now I am considering buying the e-werk and the buffer bettary, but I would like to know if this CAN charge my devices on the go…?

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  23. And about magnetic induction bicycle dynamos?

    I have a mountain bike for ~200km one day trips and use a Moto X 2014 instead a GPS unity. While it have a good batery life I would love to have some kind of dynamo that not remove my SRAM X-9 hubs and not screw up my tires over time.

    Today I carry a 7.300 mAh power pack and would like to store energy in similar battery in my MTB for this trips, but as a MTB and doing one trips I probably will face hard paths, jumps, rocks and I’m afraid to put normal dynamos in this kind of path.

  24. Hi Felipe

    There are no magnetic induction USB chargers available as far as I know. Dynamo hubs are definitely strong enough for mountain biking though, you can even get them for a 15mm axle. People race 24hr MTB events, the Tour Divide and cross the world with dynamo hubs. Jumps and rocks are nothing! 🙂

    Alee

  25. Thanks for the reviews! We’re looking for a cheap option. I saw the reecharge dynamo kit with the micro usb cable for about 30 dollars. Is it feasible to charge a smartphone directly, meaning without the additional battery pack? Our main goal is to make sure the gps doesn’t run out of electricity as long as we’re riding.

  26. That is likely to depend on the smartphone. Some devices require a consistent buffered power supply such as earlier model Apple iPhones [I don’t know about the later ones]. My Garmin Edge 810 also prefers to be powered via a battery rather than from a dynamo.

  27. Thanks. We are using a Sony Xperia Go and a Nokia Lumia 520 as backup. Not sure if they require a buffered power supply. How would I be able to tell? Will they simply not charge? From what I understand, The dynamo kit from reecharge smooths out the peaks in current, and will charge for as long as you move faster than 12 km/h. Makes me think of that movie “Speed”, for some reason 🙂

  28. Thanks Alee – feel free to add to your list :). They are half price until I run out of the first batch, probably for another 7-10 days at this rate. Cheers! Andrew

  29. It’s not really a buffered power supply they need but a stable voltage. Switch mode supplies work by creating jolts of electricity at high frequency, which confuses many devices when they try to detect whether there’s power or not. The best way around it is standard capacitors on the output, and a large amount. I found 6,000uF+ to be enough for the Shimano & SON Dynamo’s. You’ll find 6,800uF in the D1 I produce.

  30. I don’t know why anyone would use a smart phone for touring as they generally aren’t waterproof and the battery only lasts a day.I use an E-werk to power my GPS and it also powers both lights at the same time even when walking.

  31. Smartphones are excellent tools for touring! They’re not only great for navigation, but photos, emails, booking hotels, finding campsites, social media, warm showers, movies, music and much, much more.

  32. I’d second what Alee says – you can use up very minimal battery if you put it into flight mode (and low power battery mode for an iPhone). My iPhone 6SE, running MapOut for routing, will use about 15-20% per day max if I don’t leave the screen on. That charge is easily topped up by my SON28 and Plug III in most normal touring scenarios…

  33. Nokia DC-14 with some modes (connecting to dynamo hub and changing the cable to usb) I think is the best in price option

  34. I’ve started to look for such deviece recently and it’s crazy! Wall phone charger costs 4 USD and bicycle charger 12 to 80 times more… is here some rocket science involved???

  35. There’s a few budget options in there. But think about the production here for a second. A wall phone charger will be made in batches of millions. Most of these wouldn’t even be made in the thousands. That significantly increases the production cost per unit. The R&D also needs to be covered somehow, adding to the price. Not to mention the ultra-high quality small components in each unit and the waterproofing etc…

  36. My only requirement for charging from a Hub dynamo is to run a GPS continually. Problem is finding a waterproof solution to do this. It seems most options use USB which is not a waterproof connection. For motorcycles they have really good charging docks for GPS units which are waterproof, but there is nothing for bicycles. Ideally I want an all in one neat solution like for motorcycles. Or alternatively a waterproof charger that charges AA batteries with a built in voltage regulator. I love the simplicity / all in one solution of the Busch and Muller Lumotec IQ2 Luxos Light, but again that is useless to charge a GPS in the rain.

    Alternatively does anyone know of a waterproof charger that charges AA batteries with a built in voltage regulator? It would also be cool if this had a quick release mount, so I could remove it from the bike when I stop to reduce the chance of theft.

  37. Tnx so much…lightcharge can be bought on amazon.it .de .fr or to lecyclo.com, system-s.com or twinheads.it …or local bicycle shop in Italy 🙂

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  39. I just got a USB Werk and am having trouble getting it to charge anything. I have it connected to a Son 28 by Schmidt and all the connections seem good. Any thoughts? Do you have to roll at a certain speed to get it to work?

  40. You should get 2.5w (USB power) between 12-15km/h. If nothing is happening (and you aren’t trying to run your lights at the same time) then you’ll have a faulty device, or hub. You can check if it’s the hub by connecting a light up.

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