SON Lights

• Schmidt Edelux LED
• Schmidt E6 Halogen

Unswitched Lights

• Schmidt E6-OS Halogen

Bulbs & Spare Parts

Ordering

Mounting

Wiring Instructions

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The Edelux is available in polished aluminum finish, black anodized finish, and anodized in the same red color as the Rohloff hubs and red SON hubs.

Order the Edelux with a 60cm wire with 4.8mm connectors for the SON hubs, or with a 140cm wire and loose connectors. You can also specify any length up to 140cm and we will install the connectors for the SON hub.

The halogen bulbed E6 headlight is without question the finest halogen headlight for bicycles ever made. While not as bright as the new LED headlights, the projected beam of the E6 is amazing. And many older cyclists prefer the color of the halogen bulb to the color of LED headlights and find it easier to see, even though the total light output is lower.

The E6 is available as a Primary or as a Secondary headlight. You may use the two together for the ultimate halogen headlight system.

We also have the E6 available unswitched for use with sidewall dynamos like the Busch & Müller Dymotec 6.

Orientation

The Schmidt E6 and standard Edelux headlights should not be positioned upside down. If you do, the brightest part of the beam hits the road closest to you, making for a light that is next to useless for clearly seeing the road ahead for any meaningful distance. While Schmidt headlights are impervious to water penetration, placing them upside down is particularly silly, since you've spent so much money for a carefully refined beam pattern, and by reversing it, you make the light beam worse than the cheapest Nigerian flashlight.

All headlights (and taillights) are weatherproof, not waterproof. If you place them in a bucket of water, they won't work. But they'll work all day in the rain, unless you have them upside down.

Schmidt dynamo powered headlights mount in the same fashion. At the bottom rear of the light is a horizontal hole, perpendicular to the light beam, and 6mm in diameter. I have various mounts to allow placing the headlight in many locations on your bike. Most lights can be placed directly above the front brake. All can be mounted on either fork blade below the brake, or on the handlebar, or an accessory bar attached to the handlebar. The Schmidt E6 can mount using any handlebar mount to either a handlebar, or to the side of a fork.

Upside Down Edelux?

As of 2012, we now stock a special version of the Edelux headlight that must be used upside down. This version has no provision to work with a dynamo powered taillight. It also has a two position On/Off switch. It eliminates the Senso function. It can only be turned on and off manually. We have them polished, and black anodized.

Connections

Metric spade connectors attach the wiring to most of these headlights. These metric connectors are virtually impossible to find in the United States, except by bicycle shops that sell these lights. I stock them by the thousands. So if you have any concerns, buy some extra connectors when you purchase your system. They are very inexpensive. If you're buying these lights from your local bike shop, be sure to ask them to get some extra connectors.

Some headlights are hard wired for attachment to the Schmidt SON dynohub. All have connectors to attach optional taillights. We stock lots of wiring and connectors to allow many configurations for your bike. We don't have a package as such, since everyone's bike is a bit different. We prefer to sell you exactly what you need to give you the best lighting for your needs.

Primary? Secondary? Huh?

If your headlight has a halogen bulb, you can add a Secondary headlight to increase the light level at higher speeds. Schmidt makes a special version of their E6 halogen headlight, the E6-Z for this purpose. The E6-Z uses a 3 watt bulb, and is wired in series with the original headlight. It ships with suitable connectors for the Schmidt SON hub. Your original headlight can still have the taillight wired to it. But the E6-Z cannot have a taillight wired to it. So, while you can have two halogen headlights, you cannot have two taillights. Your original headlight would also use a 3 watt bulb, if there is no taillight wired to it. If there is a taillight, the original headlight would use a 2.4 watt bulb. We keep both types of bulbs in stock.

Which Headlight is Brightest?

Here's a chart which shows the relative brightness of several German headlights. It's not simply the total output of the light, but how well it illuminates the road 10 meters ahead of the bike. In other words, it's LUX, not LUMENS.

Notice that the Supernova E3 Pro is near the bottom when rated this way. But this is mostly because Supernova spreads the light out wider than the other headlights do. For riding at moderate speeds, that's a good thing. You're more likely to spot some kid on roller blades coming at you from a side street when riding in a city. And since Supernova puts more light on the ground close to the bike, it's a bit easier to spot glass on the pavement. But on a fast descent, where seeing into the distance, and being able to react to something you're approaching fast, you'd most likely want a headlight like the Busch & Müller CYO Sport or the Schmidt Edelux. Light projected on the road close to the bike is only a distraction at high speeds.

Notice the spotted red line? That's a plot of the Edelux headlight when powered by the SONdelux dynamo hub built into a 700c rim. All of the other plots were made using the SON28 hub and 700c rim.

As of December, 2012, Busch & müller has begun shipping their new Luxos headlights, rated at 70 lux at 15 kph. We don't yet know if the Luxos equals the Edelux at higher speeds. However, the Luxos does have a wider beam than the Edelux. More info as I have it.

Don't these dynamo lights Blow Up?

If you do a search on the internet for bicycle dynamo lighting systems, you will undoubtedly come across dire warnings about lights blowing out if you ride your bike too fast. This is true of systems designed back in the 1920s, and used on bikes such as Raleigh three speeds up through the early 1980s. These were very crude systems by today's standards. While you can still buy cheaply made dynamo lights that will blow bulbs on a downhill run, none of the systems I sell are so poorly made that you have to concern yourself with this. Without exception, every headlight I sell for use with either a hub dynamo or sidewall dynamo incorporates circuitry to prevent the overvoltage of the bulb. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, so long as you install the system properly. That means using a 3 watt bulb in halogen headlights when used without a wired taillight.

LED Headlights and Wireless Computers

Some wireless computers don't work with some dynamo powered LED headlights, and even with some battery powered LED headlights. If you find your computer doesn't work when you turn on your lights, my advice is to get a less expensive wired computer. We've never had a problem with any wired computer that uses a magnet attached to the spokes. And remember, wireless computers consume more batteries. So if you don't want to contribute to the local landfill quite so much, either get a wired computer, or just ride without one. I'd rather look at the scenery, frankly, than a computer screen while I'm riding.

Schmidt Edelux

We now have plenty of Edelux headlights available. We have polished, black and red anodized to match the red Rohloff hub and red SONdelux hub.

The Edelux is Wilfried Schmidt's new LED headlight. It's compatible with all modern 6 volt hub dynamos. This headlight is almost entirely hand made by Schmidt, with the exception of the wonderful IQ-TEC mirror, which is made by Busch & Müller, and of course the LED itself. Since heat is the big enemy of LED headlights, the LED in the Edelux is mounted on a large and heavy copper heat sink. This keeps the LED cool, and results in a very low operating temperature, and a very bright headlight. Like the E6, it uses a magnetic reed switch for high reliability. The switch has On, Off and Senso positions. On Senso, the light switches itself on or off as conditions require. The standlight remains on for up to four minutes after you stop, depending on how long you've been riding. The Edelux does not have a built in reflector. A few people have been surprisd by the fact that the standlight stays lit for a few minutes even if the light is switched off. This is normal for the Edelux.

You may use a taillight with the Edelux, and it will be switched on or off by the headlight. The headlight is unaffected by the presence of the taillight; it's performance is the same in every respect with or without a taillight attached. For safety's sake however, I strongly recommend the use of a reliable wired taillight with the Edelux.

For the Edelux PDF brochure, with all the specifications and a beam comparison with the E6, click here. The graph in the PDF, showing the relative brightness of the Edelux vs other headlights, was made before the new Supernova was introduced.

Two Edelux headlights can be used together, powered by the SON dynohub. However, the cyclist should think long and hard before ordering a second Edelux. One of these headlights is already extremely bright, making it difficult for me to see a significant advantage to having a second. And the wiring for a second Edelux gets a bit complicated. Below 25kph two wired in parallel will be brighter than a single Edelux. But at speeds over 25kph, series wiring will produce the most light. Wiring in parallel is easy; just run both lights to the hub directly and you're done. Each light can be switched on or off independently. But to wire them in series requires a "Secondary" version, with a switch that shorts the Secondary to switch it off. That's something the user will have to rig for himself, at least for the time being. While I can't say it will never happen, there are no plans to make a Secondary Edelux at this time. And the reason for that is that since the Edelux is so bright, it hardly seems like running two makes much sense. The best argument I can see for a second Edelux is to make the beam even wider than it is, and it's now twice as wide as the E6 halogen headlight.

The light is available in polished aluminum finish, as shown, and in black anodized. And both versions are available with either a 60cm wire with attached connectors, or a 140cm wire with the connectors loose. We are happy to install the connectors to the long wire version using my special crimping tool, which does a better job than you can do using regular pliers. You'll just need to loop up the excess wire, or tell me exactly how long you want it.

Polished or black anodized: $ 194.00 Specify 60cm wire or 140cm wire when ordering.

Red Anodized to match Red anodized SONdelux and Red anodized Rohloff 14 speed hub: $ 210.94

Schmidt E6

The Schmidt E6 headlight uses the optics of the BiSy FL headlight but adds an extremely reliable magnetic reed switch and wiring for easy connection to the SON hub. The E6 is also designed to make it much easier to replace a burned out bulb in the dark.

The E6 beam is dim at the bottom, where it hits the road close to you, and gets progressively brighter towards the top. At the top of the beam, it's extremely bright, to light up the road over 100 feet in front of you. This makes a fast downhill much safer than with other lights. Even battery lights with 20 or more watts can't put as much light at a distance as the E6 can since the optics don't concentrate the light so effectively at the top of the beam. Above the top of the beam is a sharp horizontal cut-off, keeping focused light out of the eyes of oncoming drivers, exactly like a high quality automotive low beam. With this beam pattern, your light is focused on the road ahead of you, not into oncoming drivers eyes or up in the trees where it does you no good. Oncoming drivers still see you very well since the bulb is so bright. For more on beam patterns, click here. $ 98.28 for the Primary version with the standard 2.4 watt bulb. See the Schmidt Ordering page for all of the E6 headlight options and prices.

Choose a 50cm wire with connectors fitted if you'll be mounting the light on the right fork blade. Also available is a 120cm wire with loose ends for other mounting positions. I also have a version of the E6 wired as a secondary headlight. So if you choose the E6 as your primary and want the best Secondary, you can have the E6 for both. The current E6 looks a bit different. New pictures soon.

In this photo you can see the reed switch at the top, the wire to connect to the SON hub, and the additional small connector for an optional taillight. Current production E6 lenses no longer have the clear ring around the perimeter.

If you want to wire the E6 headlight yourself and make your own switch, the E6 is now available without switch and hard wiring for a lower price. But I can't help you with designing a switch box. You'll have to do that yourself. Most people will want the pre-wired versions.

The Schmidt E6 headlight does not have a built-in reflector nor is there a standlight option with the E6. The E6 exists to put the maximum amount of light on the road just where you need it most.

Schmidt E6 Primary headlight with 2.4 watt bulb, Use with a taillight: $ 98.28

Schmidt E6 Primary headlight with 3 watt bulb, Use without a taillight: $ 99.92

Schmidt E6 Secondary (E6-Z) with 3 watt bulb: $ 104.83

Schmidt E6-OS (unswitched)

This is the Schmidt E6-OS headlight (without a switch). The optics are the same as the BiSy, but it is easier to replace a bulb and is more ruggedly constructed. The E6-OS does not come with wiring or connectors. You need to purchase those separately. See below.

With 2.4 watt bulb: $ 85.18

With 3 watt bulb: $ 86.81

Bulbs & Spare Parts

Note: The Schmidt E6 halogen headlights normally ship with a 2.4 watt bulb, on the assumption that it will be used along with a 0.6 watt taillight. If you won't be using a wired taillight, the bulb should be changed to a 3 watt bulb. When you order your system, I will ask you whether or not you'll be using a wired taillight. That's so I know which bulb to supply with your headlight(s). Add $ 2.00 to swap to the more expensive 3 watt bulb.

Spare bulbs for these headlights are not readily available at electronic supply shops. As far as I can tell, there is no other use here in the USA for the type of bulb used in the Schmidt E6 and Busch & Müller halogen headlights. So, while they are quite common in Europe, they are only available at shops that sell these lights. However, I import them 500 at a time, and I have no difficulty whatsoever getting them. I generally have several hundred of each type in stock at any time, so you can always get them directly from me. Since they are quite inexpensive compared to postage, it makes sense to get several spares when you buy your system. Run time for the bulbs is roughly 100 hours.

These are the same bulbs as are used in Busch & Müller halogen headlights.

The halogen bulbs used tend to get dim before they finally blow out. This is due to microscopic bits of the filament burning off and coating the inside surface of the bulb. So if you find your system isn't as bright as when it was new, just put in a new bulb. You should be pleasantly surprised at the difference. LEDs last indefinitely.

2.4 watt Osram or Phillips (6 volt) halogen bulb, original equipment as supplied by Schmidt. $ 4.00

3 watt Phillips (6 volt) halogen bulb. The best bulb to use if you won't have a tail light wired to the headlight. $ 5.00

Replacement Lenses

If the front section, the lens of your E6 headlight should be damaged or lost, we stock replacements. We also have replacement lenses for some taillights. See the taillight page.

Replacement lens for the Schmidt E6 headlight: $ 14.00

Pricing

Where to Buy?

Click here for a list of shops selling Busch & Müller, Schmidt, Pitlock, Spanninga and Supernova. If there's no shop in your area, you can of course order directly from us. See this page to order from us.

Ordering

Almost everything else you need to know about pricing and ordering a lighting system can be found here. This page describes the Schmidt SON hub, and lists prices for not only the hubs, but many wheels built by me with the SON hubs.

Mounting Lights

Some folks choose to make their own brackets for mounting the headlight. I have six different brackets available for either fork crown mounting, or handlebar mounting. The Lumotec is shorter than the Lumotec Oval Plus, so I have taller brackets for the Lumotec than for the Lumotec Oval Plus. The E6 works best if mounted on one of my handlebar brackets, either directly on the handlebar, or on the side of the fork. See my page on mounting headlights.

Taillights

For a detailed description of compatible taillights, see my page on taillights.

Battery Powered Lights

Other battery powered taillights and headlights are available from Busch & Müller , Supernova, Spanninga, Philips and Cateye. And of course the Inolights can be powered by batteries. They even have their own dedicated battery pack available. See the Inoled page for all the details. The small battery lights make great supplements or backups for the various dynamo powered lights shown here.

Dealer Inquiries Invited.

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This page updated: Thursday, May 2, 2013

Peter White Cycles
24 Hall Rd.
Hillsborough, NH 03244
USA
603 478 0900 Phone
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