Infini's Super Lava 300 and Sword Super Bright 30 COB Rear Light is a nifty, cost-effective set that'll ensure you're seen in the dark from front and behind.
Let's face it, you're not short of options in the bike light market. In fact, they number in the hundreds. But if your need is for a simple 'be seen' pair with some ability to shine your way in a pinch, Infini has a neat set for you here.
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The small front light very closely resembles the Super Lava 300 that we tested back in 2016, but the recipe has been improved somewhat. This one can flash up to 600 lumens, as well as pulsate, among six settings including a 300-lumen bright mode that you choose by cycling through with single clicks of the button on top of the unit.
Sure, the beam is small thanks to its circular shape from the single 3W LED, but it's enough to shine a light on the road immediately ahead when called upon, and the strobe settings are definitely capable of drawing attention to your presence on the road and in built-up areas – in fact, this is probably its most 'competent' setting. You'll get around eight hours of battery life too if used on the 600-lumen daytime flash mode, and the 100-lumen pulsating mode – more than enough for a typical dim Sunday out on the bike.
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Throw in an easy-to-fit bracket system that fits snugly around a standard road handlebar, with an easy but secure mechanism to clip the light in and out, as well as more than enough side-to-side adjustment, plus a small footprint on the handlebar, and it's a useful, tidy little unit.
With it comes a Sword rear light, which we tested standalone at the start of the 2017/18 winter. We liked it back then for its sleek COB-enabled design, and even today some two-and-a-bit years later, it's a nice unit that still does a solid job.
To recap the basics, it features five settings, with a 'High' of 50 lumens and two hours' claimed burn time, two 5-lumen flashing modes (200 hours burn time, apparently, not that I counted for quite that long myself in one sitting!) and a pulsing mode that gets up to 50 lumens itself and lasts for four hours.
For the most part I used it on the flashing modes for the extended battery life, although when left on from fully charged on my desk, I saw just shy of the claimed times in both the 'High' and pulsing modes, at 1:45hrs and 3:45hrs respectively.
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The switch is easy to use – a standard cyclic selection of modes and a long press to switch the unit on and off – while the Sword also remembers your last setting, just like the Super Lava front light, so if you have a favourite for your purposes, you're not having to cycle through to find it again. Simple, easy and convenient, which is really what you want in a light set of this type.
Overall, as long as you don't need big super-bright lights, and are happy with a more compact pairing, I'd say that Infini's here are stronger together than they are apart.
At around £60 for a set, I'd say value is pretty good too – Knog's twinpack is around half the price, but battery life and output doesn't quite match up, and nor do you get a beam from the front COB light, while Topeak's Aero Combo is a tenner more but, once again, doesn't give any beam frontways either.
These days, some brands such as Lezyne and Cateye are offering connected light sets (yep, that's the age we live in), but for £100 and £120 respectively – do you really need that kind of connectivity?
I don't, and as a result I'd be very happy to use – and recommend – this Infini light set.
Verdict
Unless you need a powerful front beam for riding at night, this light set is a very good option
Make and model: Infini Super Lava 300 and Sword Super Bright 30 COB Rear Light
Size tested: 69x43x24mm, 80x24x31.5m
Tell us what the light set is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Small, compact light set primarily for being seen.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light set?
From Infini:
INFINI Super Lava
- Excellent 300 Lumen light output
- Daytime Flashing (600 lumens)
- Adjustable lighting mode (60-600 lumens)
- Durable aluminum alloy light cap and efficient heat dissipation design
- Compatible with GoPro mounting system
- Low Battery Indicator
- Optional helmet mount bracket
Infini Sword
- COB LED system
- Low battery, charging and battery capacity indicator
- Mode memory function memorizes last lighting mode used
- IPX4 waterproof standard
Rate the front light for quality of construction:
7/10
Rate the rear light for quality of construction:
7/10
Quality looks good, and bad weather was kept out during the testing period. No alloy in the bodies, but the plastic seems sturdy.
Rate the light set for design and ease of use. How simple were the lights to use?
9/10
Couldn't be much simpler to operate, or fit.
Rate the front light for the design and usability of the clamping system
9/10
Rate the rear light for the design and usability of the clamping system
8/10
The front clamp is small and easy to fit with good adjustability. The rear one is easy too, but requires a rubber spacer that can easily come away during fitting/removal so you could conceivably lose it. However, once on it's secure, which is what matters most.
Rate the front light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
8/10
Rate the front light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
8/10
No problems, IPX4 rated and proving it. A higher rating (e.g. some submersion resilience) might be nice.
Rate the front light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
7/10
Rate the rear light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
9/10
Good enough on the front, especially considering the size, while the rear (if used on flash modes) is very good.
Rate the front light for performance:
7/10
Rate the rear light for performance:
9/10
The front light lacks some punch and beam strength, but okay, it's a small unit. The rear is secondary-unit in size, but punches out more than enough to be used as a solo rear light.
Rate the front light for durability:
7/10
Rate the rear light for durability:
7/10
Although no alloy in the construction, the plastics are sturdy and well fitted together.
Rate the front light for weight:
9/10
Rate the rear light for weight:
9/10
Not noticeable on the bike, and light enough to carry in a backpack without noticing too.
Rate the light set for value:
7/10
Better performance than some more expensive options (and cheaper ones).
Tell us how the lights performed overall when used for their designed purpose
Really well.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the lights
Compact size, bright for the size, simple usability.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the lights
Slightly compromised front beam for night riding, rear bracket spacer comes apart easily when removing.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Knog's twinpack is around half the price, but battery life or output doesn't quite match up and nor do you get a beam from the front COB light, while Topeak's Aero Combo is a tenner more but, once again, doesn't give any beam frontways either.
Did you enjoy using the lights? Yes
Would you consider buying the lights? Yes
Would you recommend the lights to a friend? Yes, if they didn't need a strong front beam for night-time visibility.
Use this box to explain your overall score
A good, solid, compact light set that does the job very well for 'be seen' purposes, with some 'seeing' ability too.
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: I ride: I would class myself as:
I regularly do the following types of riding:
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