How to install a hub dynamo

• Allen key set
• Torx key set
• 8 mm open-end wrench
• Slotted screwdriver
• Flush cutters or wire stripper
• Combination pliers or needle-nose pliers
• Lighter
• Torque wrench (optional)
• Repair stand (optional)
• Pick tools (optional)
• Internal cable routing kit (optional)

• Dynamo hub wheel
• Front light and, if needed, a rear light
• Electrical tape, cable ties or cable covers
• Brake cleaner and a cloth
• Two-core connection cable with flat connectors on one side
• 2x 2.8 mm female spade connectors and matching heat-shrink tubing

Remove the old front wheel and transfer your tire setup to the new dynamo hub wheel if needed. Mount the wheel firmly and centered in the fork dropouts. Position the contact plate so the connector can be attached easily in the next step.

Mount the front light at the fork crown or on a handlebar mount. Angle it so the tire sits as directly beneath it as possible – this sets the correct beam height.

Some modern carbon gravel forks have dedicated cable ports or internal channels for dynamo systems. Check your fork before starting – if internal routing is available, take advantage of it.

Run the cable from the front light down the right fork leg toward the dynamo hub. Secure it with cable ties, electrical tape, or adhesive cable clips. Clean the fork leg thoroughly with brake cleaner before attaching anything. Make sure no cable sections are left loose when you're done.

Route the cable to the contacts on the dynamo hub. If it's too long, trim it slightly with the flush cutters. Separate the two wires by about 5 cm and strip about 1.5 cm of insulation from each wire. Then twist the exposed wire ends together.

Open the plastic connector carefully with a flat-head screwdriver. Insert the black-and-white ground wire into the terminal marked "m" or "⏚" and the black positive wire into the opposite terminal. Fold the exposed wire ends over and close the connector firmly.

Push the connector onto the hub until it clicks. Spin the wheel by hand – the front light should come on and be aimed so it doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic.

Mount the rear light on the fender, pannier rack, or seat stay depending on your setup. On gravel bikes used for touring, the most common positions are behind the seatpost or – if you're running bikepacking bags – on the seat stay near the brake caliper. If you've already run the rear light cable, connect the plug end to the light now before routing the rest.

No fenders? Skip to step 9. If your bike has fenders, run the cable along the inside and secure it with electrical tape. Clean the surface thoroughly before attaching anything.

For external routing, secure the cable with cable ties, electrical tape, or adhesive cable clips. Clean the frame thoroughly with brake cleaner before attaching anything.

If your frame has internal routing channels, run the dynamo cable alongside the rear brake hose. Tape the cable to the brake hose with electrical tape and re-route both through the frame together. On larger channels, a spare cable housing fed in from one end can help pull the dynamo cable through.

Pro tip: Pick tools and an internal cable routing kit make this significantly easier.

Trim the cable toward the fork end if needed, but leave enough slack to turn the handlebars fully in both directions. If you need more movement at the front, wrap the cable around a screwdriver ten times to form a short spiral section.

Separate the two wires by about 5 cm and strip about 1.5 cm of insulation from each wire. Slide a piece of heat-shrink tubing (about 2.5 cm long) onto each wire before crimping. Crimp the flat connectors onto the wire ends with pliers, then slide the heat-shrink tubing over the connectors and heat it until it shrinks tightly around them.

Connect the rear light wires to the terminals on the front light. Make sure the wires are connected correctly – black-and-white ground to ground, black positive to positive. Spin the front wheel by hand. If both lights come on, the installation is complete. Don't forget to switch on the front light.