How To Charge Your Phone While Cycling

The smartphone is an essential daily tool for many people. This is also the case for cyclists. However, a mobile phone drains quickly throughout the day. It is therefore common for a cyclist’s smartphone to display a low battery during his ride. Fortunately, recharging your smartphone by bike is quite possible thanks to the dynamo.

Regulator connectors

There are two solutions for recharging your smartphone by bike: regulator connectors and front lights with integrated USB socket .

Concerning the regulator connectors, the quality of the current and the voltage delivered is generally higher than that of the USB outputs on the front headlights of the bicycles. The smartphone begins to charge when the cyclist is pedaling. These external regulators do not prevent you from driving with the lights on, provided of course that you pedal at a reasonable speed.

Its major drawbacks are the presence of electric wires which can be damaged over time and which must be tidy so as not to be too visible, as well as the mobility of the regulator which is an external device. If its user forgets to remove it from their bicycle, it can be stolen. It is therefore strongly recommended to remove it after each use.

Lightcharge chargers

Lightcharge City charger powered by bottle dynamo

The Lightcharge City allows you to recharge your smartphone by bike by transforming the energy from the dynamo bottle using a 125 cm cable. When the mobile is plugged in, its charging is activated when the bike reaches 13 km / h. A voltage of 5V having an intensity of 250mA is sent. 

This charger, protected against surges, has several plugs, which makes it possible to simultaneously connect the bicycle light and the charger. A switch, present on the charger, allows you to define which component to charge.

Lightcharge Touring powered by hub dynamo

This charger is similar to the Lightcharge City. The only difference lies in the way it is fed. The Touring works with hub dynamos . Since the energy expended by the dynamo in the hub is generally higher than that on the bottle dynamo, it has additional protection. This OPS protection strengthens the surge protection.

E-Werk chargers

Universal charger on dynamo for phone and GPS – E-Werk

The E-Werk allows you to charge your phone, via hub dynamo like conventional dynamo. This is done with the lights on, provided the voltage does not exceed 6.3 V. But the lighting power can be reduced by up to 50%. Voltage and intensity can be adjusted with two adjustment knobs. The maximum power supplied is 16 W. When the bike reaches a speed of 15 km / h, this universal charger suitable for all frames charges as quickly as a standard charger.

It is strongly recommended to add a buffer battery to chargers that are not equipped with one. This is because most phones are extremely sensitive to charge current, so it is not uncommon for them to connect and then disconnect depending on the speed of the cycle. 

This can disturb the cyclist, especially if a message is regularly displayed on his smartphone to warn him. Buffer batteries can remedy this problem by providing continuous power to the USB port.

Universal USB-Werk charger on built-in buffer battery dynamo

The USB-Werk is much more compact than the E-Werk, it also has a buffer battery. The smartphone is therefore recharged even when the bike is stationary, which is extremely practical. 

This charger transforms the energy of the hub dynamos like friction dynamos on the sidewall of the tire. Its output power is therefore 2.5 W continuously. Its voltage is 5 V continuously for an intensity of 0.5 A, also continuously.

Front lights with integrated USB socket

Some lights have an integrated USB port, which allows you to easily recharge your mobile. There is no accessory to add. No wire taints the aesthetics of the bike, except the phone charger. However, this solution has weaknesses. It is not waterproof and may be the cause of false contacts or water infiltration.

The quality of the current is not optimal, both in terms of its regularity and its intensity. In order for the phone to start charging, it will generally be necessary to reach a higher minimum speed threshold than for the regulator connectors. However, a lot of progress is being made on a regular basis to make these products the best performing possible.

The Luxos U 90 front light on a Busch and Müller dynamo

Equipped with IQ2 technology, this Luxos U front bicycle light provides strong illumination of the road thanks to the dynamo of the bicycle. Two modes are available: 70 and 90 lux to be adapted as needed. The adjustment is made from an intermediate box to be installed on the handlebar of the two-wheeler. 

This control box is also equipped with a USB plug that can recharge a cache battery to supply a smartphone, an MP3 or a GPS. Extremely practical!

The PWR Rider Knog headlight with external battery

Knog lighting is a powerful 2 in 1 headlight. It illuminates the road with a high brightness of 450 lumens while providing the rider with an external battery for electronic equipment. A micro-USB charging port under the cap turns the fire into a backup battery, delivering 2200mAH of power. It allows you to charge a smartphone, GPS or tablet while pedaling.

Attach your smartphone to your bike

More and more cyclists are installing their smartphones on the handlebars of their bikes. Athletes regularly use their applications to measure their performance. Cyclists often use them as GPS. There are many equally original solutions for attaching your mobile to your bike.

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