Igaro D1 ReviewThe Igaro D1 was bought to replace a Lightcharge USB charger I've been using on Audax events of 300km and over for the last 4 years. Recently the Lightcharge has become unreliable - the switch has become difficult to operate and the wiring needs attention on a regular basis. I use an old Son 28 hub to power a B & M Cyo and Secula rear light. USB charging is limited to recharging a Sigma Rox 10 GPS and occasionally an Anker 5000mAh cache battery.
Ordering and DeliveryThe Igaro D1 was ordered on a Friday afternoon and the package arrived Royal Mail “Signed For" on Tuesday morning.
Package with business card for size comparison.
Box unpackedInside the box you have the Igaro D1 unit; a couple of spare spade connectors (unused); two mounts (unused at the moment - the double sided tape was a bit feeble, and I thought they were unnecessary); two zip ties (unused - used my own more robust zip ties); FAQ sheet (unread as I'd already read the FAQs online); installation instructions .
InstallationThis really was very simple. I detached the B & M Cyo spade connectors from the Son 28 hub and attached to the piggyback connectors of the Igaro D1. The piggyback spade connectors were then connected to Son 28 hub: this, for me, was a minor issue as fitting was tight and difficult to secure, eventually needing pliers to force down the connectors onto the hub's spades - I can imagine this being a bit frustrating if an inner tube change is required on a cold, wet night.

The cable of the Igaro D1 was then threaded and secured around the fork and the main Igaro unit zip tied to the side of the head tube. The USB socket was fixed to the underside of the handlebars.

TestingTo test the unit I set off on my usual commute from Blackheath to Hackney Downs with my GPS switched on and 50% charged. Out on the road, once I began rolling, charging started pretty much instantaneously with no appreciable drag.
The walk through the Greenwich foot tunnel showed me charging didn't take place at normal walking pace and I later determined that it only kicked in at around 10km/h - not a problem as far as I'm concerned. Forty minutes and 13km later, at Hackney Downs, my unit was showing it was 80% charged.
Seven kilometres into the return journey the GPS was nearly fully charged. As it was getting dark I tested the unit in conjunction with front and rear dynamo lights; this increased drag but lights worked perfectly and the GPS unit showed it was still drawing power from the dynamo. I reached home with the GPS showing it had retained its 100% charge.
ConclusionsThe Igaro D1 is a very compact and simple device that does exactly what it's supposed to. The unit is well constructed and finished and coming with a lifetime user guarantee promises many years of trouble free charging.
My reservations are the fact that the USB socket is potentially vulnerable to water penetration (I'll probably try to remedy this with a bit off Gorilla Tape stuck over the end when not in use) and the fiddliness of fitting the piggyback spade connectors which could be problematic if a tube change is needed on the road at night - as someone who routinely uses back-up battery lighting and a cache battery I don't see this as a deal breaker. I will also be paying attention to how hot the unit gets and will make adjustments to its mounting if necessary.
I'll update this review as and when I have anything additional to add.