Guide · Bikepacking
Lights that never need charging
Why bother
The case for a dynamo
Nothing to forget
Battery lights are fine until the one night you forgot to charge them. A dynamo can't be left on the kitchen worktop.
One system, two jobs
Light on the bars, USB charge for your GPS or phone. kLite's ULTRA kits do both from one hub, switched at the bars.
Built for long days
kLite gear has been through the Tour Divide and won the Silk Road Mountain Race — the sort of riding where a failed light ends the day.
What you need
Four parts
01
A dynamo hub
SON or Shutter Precision, laced into your front wheel. We build these to order — pick any Nextie rim, or bring your own.
02
A light
The kLite ULTRA Adventure beam is wide for rough tracks at low speed; the Race beam throws further for faster riding.
03
USB charging
The ULTRA kits include it. Handy for a GPS, phone or rear light on a long trip.
04
Wiring and mounts
Bar switch, loom and mount. Fiddly to source separately, which is why kLite sells it as a kit.
Watch
Dynamo, fitted and ridden
KLite Micro USB charger for bikepacking - Get self supported
Self supported bikepacking dynamo wheels
KLite ULTRA ADVENTURE dynamo lights
Kit
kLite systems we stock
Travers Bikes is the European home of kLite. We ship across the UK and Europe — UK VAT comes off orders going outside the UK, and your own country's import taxes are charged separately.
Questions
Dynamo FAQ
Do I need to charge anything?
No. A dynamo hub makes power as you pedal, so the light comes on and your GPS charges while you ride. There's no battery to remember, which is the whole point when you're three days into a trip.
How fast do I need to ride?
Modern dynamo lights give usable light from walking-pace-plus and full output at normal riding speeds. Climbing slowly at night is where a small buffer battery or a standlight earns its keep.
Will it slow me down?
You can feel a little drag with the light on, and almost nothing with it off. Over a long ride, not stopping to charge things more than makes up for it.
Can I charge a phone and run a light at once?
That's exactly what the kLite ULTRA kits are built for — light plus USB charging from one hub, with a switch on the bars.
What do I need to buy?
A dynamo front hub, a wheel built around it, the light, and the wiring to connect them. We build the wheel and supply the kLite system, so it arrives ready to fit.