Igaro D1 USB Dynamo Power Converter

[igarocom]

Hi,

Andrew here from igaro.com. I hope I don't fall foul of the commercial rules - (mods read this out before hitting delete).

Every so often we aim to raise brand awareness by offering Igaro D1's with a massive discount in return for reviews posted on a cycling forum thread, the last being on lfgss.com. It's mutually beneficial - short-term we try to put ourselves out of business  , riders ride for less  :thumbsup, and others have more honest feedback for comparison and decision undertaking.

This week it's yacf's turn.

1. an Igaro D1 to you with a 50% discount - so probably the worlds finest USB charger momentarily becomes the cheapest!
2. you agree to post a review in this thread (say what you want).
3. you have to be a yacf user prior to the date of this post.
4. you must own a dynamo hub or be willing to buy one.
5. reviews must be posted within 3 weeks (unless you're going on a longer tour etc).
6. the unique code you'll be given expires 9/Dec.

Then we'll link back to this thread from the website.

If you're up for it stick a post in this thread to say so and send me a PM for a unique code which will give you the discount. Starting now 30/Nov and ending 7/Dec.

(review units come with our usual lifetime warranty).

[tippers_kiwi]

Ideal....I have just had my Dynmo and have actually been looking at the Igaro option so yes please!

[igarocom]

Roger 

[ChillyPanda]

Yes please, if you have one available.

[igarocom]

Many available, enough to cover all requests. If your name is down in this thread by 7/Dec you'll have the option.

Regards, Andrew

[jsabine]

Yes please. Will be interesting to compare it to a Luxos, though not anywhere near as comprehensively as MJB managed over in the other place ...

[Veloman]

Very much yes please.

[Somnolent]

Yes please.
Currently a Luxos user (running off a Shimano DH-3N80) which is fine for low demand stuff like keeping the Garmin going but unconvincing for charging phone (or cache battery) over longer distances.

[JonBuoy]

Yes please.  Been looking at getting something like this for a while.

[furness]

I'd like to take you up up on this too please

[marcusjb]

These little feckers are good.

After another miserable wet long ride with a Luxos giving intermittent action (it actually never failed as a light this time, but this is the gen 1 version and I had to have the USB lead unplugged for much of the second half of my trip to the south of France - so no charging and no bright beam).

Anyway, Luxos are basically brilliant lights, but sucky in the rain and this is largely down to the USB thing.

So, I have ridden a few things with the Igaro (I have yet to replace my Luxii with something that is just a light, but that is primarily down to laziness and the pound being so weak that what would have bought me a nice light in June now just about gives me enough for a box of matches). Some audaxy stuff with a SONdelux and some touring stuff with a SON28.

What is there to say? It works. Brilliantly.

Not much more to it really.

The only detractor is the USB lead being permanently fitted (this is good for waterproofiness and reliability) - it is a bit of a pain in the arse if you use a bike in different ways. It is a bit of a pain if I go out on one of the audax bikes for a quick 50km thrash or whatever and it is fitted. If I do not have a bag fitted anywhere, the lead is flapping about a lot.

Anyway - minor stuff.

It works, it is way tinier than you expect, it is well made, I have yet to experience it getting hot at all when descending at speed (even in 1000+m mountainous areas).

Having two devices rather than the all in one Luxos may seem less good on paper, but a Luxos can not be relied on for USB charging in wet weather, and has let me down on the whole lighting thing in wet weather as well. (I have both gen 1 and 2 Luxii and both have had moments in poor weather).

[marcusjb]

Oh and the little sticky 'feet' on the igaro don't really like being moved from bike to bike, but I can live with that - I suspect application of some gorilla glue will sort them out.

[sojournermike]

I'd like one please - perfect for the tourer to keep stuff charged and allow contact.

Thanks

Mike

[jiberjaber]

I'd like to give this a try out too, I have a Luxus at the moment, but the n+1 (fixed edition) will be dyno'ed as well, but I'm debating the lighting options in my mind at present, this would be a great thing to free the options away from a light and built in charging solution... plus i could test it on my present SON equipped geared bike, so win!

[psyclist]

Yes please

[igarocom]

Oh and the little sticky 'feet' on the igaro don't really like being moved from bike to bike, but I can live with that - I suspect application of some gorilla glue will sort them out.

Plenty of spares here, PM me your address again and I'll send you ten.

Regards, Andrew

[zigzag]

hi Andrew, are you planning to make one with the cables coming out of the same end? this would make it much neater if the charger is mounted under the top tube, down tube or stem. also, any plans on an option in "universal black"? thank you!

[igarocom]

Check out the Facebook page for internal bracket pictures (it's only in a prototype stage at present but you can make one yourself).

No plans to paint - it's titanium so doesn't require it.  :thumbsup

Wires all out of one end is impossible due to space constraints within the D1 body.

Regards, Andrew

[Samuel D]

The question of how this compares to a USB-Werk is more interesting to me than how it compares to a Luxos-U. So some of you reviewers: please address that.

[igarocom]

The USB-Werk is a little different, it works around the low frequency dynamo AC by charging it's li-ion first (no power out) then discharging it to the device (no power in).

1. you get stable power out for a period of time regardless of whether you stop [good]
2. you get no power out for a period of time [bad]
3. there is a period where no power is consumed from the dynamo [bad]
4. li-ion and associated step up/step down circuitry introduce a 25% efficiency drop [bad]
5. li-ion's degrade after 500 cycles [bad]

The D1 omits 2,3,4,5 and does it's best to provide 1 for a longer period by way of high efficiency and frequency detection at low speed.

Regards, Andrew

[jsabine]

Wires all out of one end is impossible due to space constraints within the D1 body.

Do you have a minimum bend radius for the cables, or is it just a matter of avoiding kinking?

[citoyen]

Hi Andrew, I've been thinking about buying one of these anyway, so I'll definitely take you up on the offer. Cheers!

Plus it gives me the impetus I need to get my SON28 back into action...

[pieeater]

If I'm not too late ?.... yes please
Currently using  Luxos but needing a solution for my phone heading towards LEL2017

[igarocom]

Wires all out of one end is impossible due to space constraints within the D1 body.

Do you have a minimum bend radius for the cables, or is it just a matter of avoiding kinking?

No minimum bend, let's say 180 degree within 20mm^2. As with all small core cable shouldn't be continuously flexed (unsure what have you in mind).

[igarocom]

If I'm not too late ?.... yes please
Currently using  Luxos but needing a solution for my phone heading towards LEL2017

If you name is down before the closing date you have the option - plenty of units to go around.

Regards, Andrew