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SON 28 Dynamo Hub — Specs & Analysis
Manufacturer specifications, compared against every other electronics & power in our database. We do not test gear in the field — we measure, verify, and compare.
The SON 28 is the benchmark dynamo hub, hand-built in Germany with vanishingly low drag. It produces 3W at 6V from walking speed upward, and the sealed bearings are designed to last tens of thousands of kilometers without service. SON state 440g for the non-disc hub; the disc versions are 460g (6-bolt) and 430g (centre lock).
Who Is the SON 28 Dynamo Hub Best For?
Long-distance tourers who want set-and-forget power generation for years of riding. If that describes your riding style, the 28 Dynamo Hub should be at the top of your shortlist. It sits in the Electronics & Power category alongside 12 other products we track.
How It Compares
At 440g and $300, the 28 Dynamo Hub is 397g heavier than the lightest option in this category (the Sinewave Cycles Reactor USB Dynamo Charger at 43g). The most budget-friendly option is the Voltaic Systems Arc 10W Solar Panel at $25.
The price-to-weight ratio comes in at $68 per 100g — a premium price point, but you're paying for quality, materials, and design that justify the investment for serious bikepackers.
What We Like
- +Industry-lowest drag when not charging
- +German-made with ceramic bearings
- +Virtually maintenance-free for years
- +Consistent power output across speeds
Watch Out For
- −Very expensive for a hub
- −440g adds noticeable wheel weight
- −Requires a wheel build around the hub
The Bottom Line
We haven't scored the SON 28 Dynamo Hub, and neither has anyone else we can cite. It's here for its verified specifications and dimensions, which is what the fit tools run on — a score is an editorial judgement, and we don't hand one out until someone has a basis for it. What this page can tell you is measured: 440g, $300, and how both sit against every other electronics & power product we track.
Weight checked against the manufacturer on 22 August 2026 — see the source.
Specifications and dimensions come from the sources listed above. Where a page draws on first-hand riding, it says so.
How it compares
Against the 13 electronics & power products we hold published specs for.
At 440g the 28 Dynamo Hub is lighter than 1 of 12 alternatives we track, which makes it among the heaviest we track. The category median is 195g.
At $300 it undercuts 0 of 12 of them, against a median of $60. That works out at $68 per 100g — above the $40 median for electronics & power products.
Weight and price come from published specifications. Cost per 100g is a blunt measure — it rewards light gear and says nothing about durability or whether the thing works — so treat it as one input, not a verdict.
More in Electronics & Power
Power banks, solar panels, dynamo chargers, and phone mounts to keep devices alive on multi-day rides.