The bike travel and gravel portal bikepacking.com recently took a closer look at our M99 DY Pro. The result is the most detailed and demanding review that has existed to our Dynamo flagship to date. First appeared on English, For you here exclusively and unchanged in German translation.

 

Original text: Kyle Ponce / Translation & Photos:Joshua Meissner

 

 

 

The dark winter is just around the corner here in northern Germany. It is the season in which the sun is already starting to disappear before you manage to drink your afternoon coffee. In addition to many layers, long days in the saddle also require a good lighting system. Fittingly, Supernova sent me with the M99 Dy Pro The latest and most powerful member of your already strong series of dynamo headlights. After an in-depth test phase, I am pleased to share my impressions and insights into the top headlight.

 

 

Specs

 

• Light intensity: 700/1000 lumens
• Material: aluminum
• Weight: 120g without steering assembly
• Price: 325 €
• Country of manufacture: Germany

 

 

Unboxing

 

Like all Supernova products, the processing of the M99 is of high quality. With a weight of 120g, the lamp lies noticeably in the hand, which conveys a feeling of robustness. The housing is made of aluminum with noble matt black anodized. The glass element, which is designed for breastfeeding, has a reasonable effect. Behind it is a matrix of polished mirrors that reflect the light of the light LEDs and steer forward. Supernova emphasizes that this technology in the automotive industry is borrowed - a detail that could remain unsaid for the taste of my friends who have cycling. Despite this, the look is very impressive. Three well -insulated cables lead from the housing: one to the rear light, one to the dynamo and one to the switch for the high beam. More on that later.

 

 

Furnishings

 

I have the supernova Universal HBM holder Used to attach the M99 DY Pro to my handlebar centrally. If the headlight is installed somewhere else, such as on the fork crown or on a mini front carrier, the photo changes on the street. For this report I followed the recommendation of the Supernova website.

In the last step, the headlight is connected to its power source, the hub dynamo. Thanks to the clear labeling of Supernova, the facility was unproblematic. Of course, it takes some sensitivity to make a professional cabling, but that's not the point here. To set up the M99 DY Pro, I had to shorten the dynamic cable, crimping flat plugs onto the cable ends, crouch over it and finally connect the plugs with the outputs of the Schmidt hub dynamos. Voilà - it will be light! The procedure is repeated for the taillight and then it can start.

 

 

 

 

In use

 

Depending on how and where you ride a bike, a strong headlight is absolutely gold. The combination of M99 DY PRO and HAMMENDYMO accompanies you reliably into the distance, without ever having to worry that the electricity will go out- in contrast to battery or battery-powered people. However, this reliability has its proud price. With a cost of € 325, the M99 will not fit in every budget and I would recommend that it also match the individual needs. In this sense, we take a look at the most important aspects that can help with the decision.

 

 

 

brightness

 

To name the M99 Dy Pro Hell would be a bare understatement. At my first evening exit with the headlight, his performance blew me away. The 700 lumens illuminate everything, and not only directly head -on, but also in the periphery.

The light cone of the headlight makes sticks, roots, potholes and other obstacles shine at a distance. In contrast to less strong headlights, the eyes can relax and driving at night becomes almost as effortless as during the day.

If you drive a little faster, from around 20km/h, the white lighting of the pressure switch on the handlebar signals that the high beam is available. By pressing the switch, its color changes to blue and everything shines in a whopping 1000 lumen dynamo light.

 

 

High beam

 

The high beam not only makes the field of vision shine even brighter, it also extends the light cone above the horizon. This works just like the biddle of light in the car and according to Supernova, the M99 DY Pro is the first dynamo-powered headlights that offers this functionality. Until the novella of the StVZO, this was not permitted to rule out the glare of oncoming road users.

Accordingly, the high beam is only permitted outside of towns. It is particularly useful away from the road while boards over forest highways and gravel roads. However, the high beam switches off automatically when the speed drops below about 20km/h. Since I don't run races, the high beam brings me little when winding through tight trails. In the course of the talent, I used the high beam as much as possible, but in the end it turned out to be more of a nice gimmick for me. For my relaxed driving style, the 700 lumens are more than sufficient.

 

Photo

 

The light distribution of a headlight is at least as important to me as its absolute brightness. In my opinion, Son Edelux II is one of the best on the market because it is very far ahead in this aspect. The light is directed so that the road is illuminated evenly without photons disappear into nothing.

In this aspect, Supernova delivers a brilliant performance. The M99 brings the light exactly where you need it, and nowhere else. For comparison, the Sinewave Beacon headlight shines relatively undefined instead of steering it onto the road with individual mirror elements. The special construction of the M99 is related to the previously mentioned STVZO guidelines, which in this case ensure that you can drive in civilization without blinding someone. For most of us this is a really valuable feature.

 

 

Flicker

 

Anyone who has once traveled with dynamo lights know the striking flickering of the LEDs at low speed. This can never be completely avoided with dynamo light systems. Because unlike battery-powered headlights, the capacitors have to charge themselves when starting with dynamo headlights, which takes a moment. The light can flicker within this time window. Smaller, less bright headlights therefore hardly need less performance and hardly flicker - for example, some Busch & Müller lamps are hardly noticeable. It is more pronounced for high -performance headlights such as the Sinewave Beacon or the M99 DY Pro.

In my experience, the M99 flickers below about 8 km/h. When driving faster, the light shines constant. Flickering was never a problem for me, because I usually accelerate to this speed within a few seconds. If the capacitor is fully charged, a parking light ensures safety. When repeated, flickering fails because the energy of the capacitor supports the dynamo.

 

 

Advantages

 

• Light 700 lumens light intensity, 1000 lumen high beam
  
  
• Depending on the dynamo, the high beam available from approx. 14 km/h
  
  
• Excellent photo that works well on how off the street
     
• High quality workmanship and five years of guarantee

 

 

Disadvantages

 

• Upper price segment - not suitable for every budget
  
  
• Automobile language and symbolism in the bicycle area (e.g. high beam and especially the symbol of the pressure switch)
  
  

 

Summary

 

If you are looking for the brightest and most powerful dynamo cleaner, you probably will not get past the M99 Dy Pro from Supernova. In the course of my test, the headlight was clearly superior to my old Sinewave Beacon, especially in the photo and in the brightness of the highlight.

In my opinion, the headlight is best suited for ultra drivers and ambitious athletes, whose racing situations require the brightest light. Sofiane Sehili recently won the "Silk Road Mountain Race" with the headlight and he was certainly able to make a lot of use from the high beam. Steadfast commuters will also find a loyal companion for the deep winter in the M99. My experience with the light is that for relaxed driving and bike packing you shoot with the M99 Dy Pro like with cannons on sparrows. For this type of cycling, many other, far cheaper dynamo-powered headlights will also do the service until late into the night.