Lezyne KTV Drive Pro 300+ front light review

Lezyne’s KTV Drive Pro 300 is a safety light, designed to keep you seen rather than to see.

Despite decent battery life, the light underperformed in my run-time test and I wish it were smaller in profile.

However, it’s largely successful, with six easy-to-use modes and intuitive mounting.

Lezyne KTV Drive Pro 300 front light specifications and details

The KTV Drive Pro 300 sports three LEDs with a uniform beam that delivers up to 300 lumens of output.

The aluminium body of the light is claimed to be waterproof and Lezyne says it has been tested up to a rating of IPX7 – the 7 indicating it can handle temporary submersion.

There are six modes to choose from – the ‘Blast’ 300-lumen mode is claimed to last for three hours, while the dimmest 20-lumen ‘Femto’ flashing mode is rated for up to 100 hours.

Of the four remaining modes, they are divided equally between static and flashing. One of the flashing modes is called ‘Day Flash’, which also pumps out 300 lumens with a 28-hour claimed run time.

A steady green light emitted from underneath the silicone power button indicates the battery has between 75 and 100 per cent life remaining. Amber signifies there's between 25 and 75 per cent of juice and red is for under 25 per cent.

The light is charged via a USB-C port and features a neat clip so you don’t lose the rubber cover. It doesn’t come with a charging cable though, with Lezyne reckoning many people will already have one at home.

Many electronic devices are moving towards the USB-C standard, thanks to recent EU legislation changes, and while I can get on board with this decision in the future, it isn’t a given you will already own devices with the standard.

The light attaches to the handlebars via a rubber strap, with in-built hooks incorporated into the body to make installation easier.

Lezyne says a new Infinite Power Pack can be plugged into the charge port to extend its run time.

This is an update to the original Infinite Light Power Pack, which doubled battery life. However, Lezyne says this older one is not compatible because of the updated charging standard.

While the KTV Drive Pro 300 generally isn’t a light you would pair with a battery pack, it might be useful in a bikepacking scenario.

I weighed the light at 72g – 1g lighter than claimed.

Lezyne KTV Drive Pro 300 front light performance

The Lezyne KTV Drive Pro 300 was tested on a variety of road and gravel rides, with some commuting thrown in for good measure.

I really appreciated the tool-free mounting, with the rubber strap attaching the light to the handlebars in seconds. The light stays in place perfectly and although the hooks that hold the strap are made of plastic, I have no reason to suspect they are likely to break.

I have older Lezyne bike lights in my light collection with this mounting style that are heavier and they’re still going strong today.

Switching between modes is straightforward, with the three static modes wisely clustered together in order of increasing brightness. You then have the three flashing modes.

The maximum 300-lumen output expectedly isn’t bright enough to see by. I used the light for the first hour of a punchy group ride before the sun rose (to save time fitting a brighter unit) and couldn’t see potholes or debris until the very last second.

As such, the KTV Drive Pro 300 is best used as a back-up light to be seen by other road users, as Lezyne markets it.

I appreciated the 300-lumen ‘Day Flash’ mode, which packs quite a punch, although it isn’t as piercing as my own Exposure Trace Mk2.

The generous run times of the dimmer modes are also appreciated, meaning you can leave the light mounted to the bike for multiple rides without having battery anxiety.

It was a shame, though, that the light underperformed in a run-time test I carried out using the ‘Blast’ mode. The light is claimed to last for 3 hours in this mode but it switched off after just 2 hours and 25 minutes – still respectable, but not quite as advertised.

The KTV Drive Pro 300 isn’t the smallest light, considering its form factor. The aforementioned Trace Mk2 is about half the size (but almost double the cost at £55).

I generally appreciate a more diminutive safety light to allow for more handlebar real estate. Then again, the KTV Drive Pro 300 is relatively cheap and cheerful at £32, which is always an important factor.

Lezyne KTV Drive Pro 300 front light bottom line

Lezyne’s KTV Drive Pro 300+ does everything you could reasonably ask of a safety light.

Its six modes offer plenty of variation to keep you seen by road users and it’s bang up-to-date with its USB-C charging standard. It does the job well.

I just wish it were a little smaller in form factor, and the battery life was advertised more accurately.