New commercial dynamo lights

[Bmblbzzz]

Possibly. But it seems that non-StVZO lights are also getting smaller in lens size. I'm pretty sure that a couple of rather staid (by market norms) and (again compared to other manufacturers) rather geographically restricted StVZO-compliant manufacturers aren't setting the wider trend.

[Brucey]

as some of you may know, I have installed several 'Falcx' brand dynamo-powered LED headlights on town bikes. I did so because they are very good indeed for the money, giving excellent brightness/visibility whilst looking much like a light from B&M costing three times as much. One of the things that I didn't at first appreciate is that the reflector for the LED is incredibly compact, allowing the other (legally required in some territories) retro-reflector to be both concentric and contained within the same housing. I think it is a rather nifty piece of design.

[edocaster]

I'm pretty certain most StVZO front lights are sold without a retro-reflector, whatever the requirements for legal use are.

It's just not the kind of thing that can be tidily implemented without making a very un-sleek package. Unlike a back light which can be a flat surface.

[Brucey]

.....It's just not the kind of thing that can be tidily implemented without making a very un-sleek package......

as I mentioned the Falcx light does include the retro-reflector inside a sleek package, but the beam isn't really StVZO-compliant. I don't really see why it couldn't be though.

[Bmblbzzz]

B&M lights are sold with retro-reflectors, sometimes incorporated into the body of the light, but in the more recent designs it tends to be a bolt-on chinstrap reflector.

I don't know the legal requirements, but I presume that if StVZO requires a front retro-reflector to be part of a light, a light without that won't get certification. Obviously there are zillions of non-StVZO lights in use in Germany, because law enforcement everywhere has an element of pragmatism. Equally obviously, older StVZO lights won't have retro-reflectors.

[SA_SA_SA]

B&M lights are sold with retro-reflectors, sometimes incorporated into the body of the light, but in the more recent designs it tends to be a bolt-on chinstrap reflector.

I don't know the legal requirements, but I presume that if StVZO requires a front retro-reflector to be part of a light, a light without that won't get certification. Obviously there are zillions of non-StVZO lights in use in Germany, because law enforcement everywhere has an element of pragmatism. Equally obviously, older StVZO lights won't have retro-reflectors.

The CJ explanatiin that I remember is that a front reflector became a German requirement although could be separately mounted but Germans expect their bike to come with lighting fitted, so a combined pair( integral or bolted together) means no increase in bike assembly time over fitting front lamp only..

[plancashire]

Separate front reflectors are common in Germany and StVZO-compliant. The advent of LEDs, with their better defined and brighter emitter position, made it possible to create a reasonable beam with a smaller reflector than for a filament bulb. That meant that the dynamo light housing could remain the same size and incorporate the reflector. That has been my observation of the bikes I see in the workshop. Battery lights (now allowed) almost never have reflectors as compactness is good when removed and put in the pocket.

My own Supernova light (avatar picture) came with a separate"chinstrap" reflector which I don't use.

[SA_SA_SA]

But smaller lamps lenses predate leds: eg the Hella FF micro, both the b&m lumotec and similar union/basta 9430 had smaller lens with a reflector as surround (former mentioned by Cj when he reported the stzvo reflector requirement). Also Soubitez also made a small diameter dynamo filament front lamp before leds.

[Bmblbzzz]

My own Supernova light (avatar picture) came with a separate"chinstrap" reflector which I don't use.

So presumably you are in contravention of StVO (I think, as opposed to StVZO, when actually riding)? Not that I think I anyone would, much less should, care.

[SA_SA_SA]

My own Supernova light (avatar picture) came with a separate"chinstrap" reflector which I don't use.

So presumably you are in contravention of StVO (I think, as opposed to StVZO, when actually riding)? Not that I think I anyone would, much less should, care.

Only if cycling in Germany surely, Uk Rvlr law has no such 'nighttime' front reflector requirement.

[Bmblbzzz]

My own Supernova light (avatar picture) came with a separate"chinstrap" reflector which I don't use.

So presumably you are in contravention of StVO (I think, as opposed to StVZO, when actually riding)? Not that I think I anyone would, much less should, care.

Only if cycling in Germany surely, Uk Rvlr law has no such 'nighttime' front reflector requirement.

Plancashire lives in Germany.

[plancashire]

My own Supernova light (avatar picture) came with a separate"chinstrap" reflector which I don't use.

So presumably you are in contravention of StVO (I think, as opposed to StVZO, when actually riding)? Not that I think I anyone would, much less should, care.

No, I have other front white reflectors that have a much bigger area and are much neater than the little one that hangs below the front light.

[edocaster]

Another set of commercial dynamo lights (seems like a custom builder):

https://custompurple.com/product-category/dynamo/

Expensive.