Knowledge is power, so they say. But in the case of cycling, knowledge about your power is a key part in developing your performance potential.
There are all sorts of methods that cyclists can use to measure and record their power, with perhaps the most traditional being power meter cranks. But there is another way that is easier to install, less expensive to purchase, and won’t change your riding experience at all. That way is Favero’s Assioma PRO power meter pedals, now available in the all new PRO RL version with Look-compatible pedal bodies and cleats.
Favero might not be a name that is as familiar to the general public as, say, Shimano, Look or Garmin, but with 30 years’ experience in sports electronics – and now with a decade specifically manufacturing power meter pedals – the brand has become one of the most respected names in the sector. Since 2015 Favero has led the way, pioneering areas of performance and utilising innovations – such as the use of rechargeable batteries – which other manufacturers have subsequently followed.
In 2024, all that experience led to the creation of Favero’s Assioma PRO MX power meter pedal (starting at just £399) for mountain bikers. The Assioma PRO range was widened last year with the Shimano-compatible Assioma PRO RS (starting at just £399 – read our Road.cc review of it here). And, now, the range spreads its wings further to incorporate Look pedal compatibility with the Assioma PRO RL.
Why is this so exciting? Let’s look at the incredible functionality that the Assioma PRO line offers.
It’s all in the spindle
Favero’s original Assioma power meter housed all the main components, including the rechargeable batteries, strain gauges, and electronic components, inside an external pod. However, the great breakthrough with the Assioma PRO System is that not only rechargeable batteries (which provide up to 160 hours of use on a single charge) and electronical components but also force sensors – have been integrated into a patented spindle solution. This has a number of important benefits.
In particular, the Assioma PRO’s force sensors or ‘strain gauges’ – which measure the spindle deformation from the force that the cyclist applies to the pedal, which is essential for power calculation – are housed inside the patented spindle. In many competing designs on the market, force sensors are positioned externally and connected via small cables to internal electronics, which introduces potential exposure to water, dust, and mud.
This patented spindle technology not only maximises longevity and reduces maintenance issues, but it also ensures the data recorded by Favero’s Assioma PRO pedals are precise and consistent.
Favero has adopted a rider-centric approach by allowing the pedal bodies to be easily removed and replaced from the spindle, thanks to its split architecture. This design ensures that the pedal bodies are free of electronics, making them simple to detach and swap.
If your pedal bodies become worn or broken, or you want to swap from your mountain biking pedal system to your road cycling pedal system, you can do that inexpensively without having to buy a whole new Assioma PRO set-up. Just swap pedal bodies.
Making the most of algorithms
Having the right hardware is one thing, but having the software to use the data it reveals is key to making the most of the technology. Even with the market-leading manufacturing excellence that Favero employs with its ‘hard’ products, it’s in the realm of digital innovation that the brand really is a step ahead of its competitors.
There are some unique data performance features that set Favero Assioma PRO pedals apart:
Instant Angular Velocity (IAV): Favero’s IAV Power System is key to how power is measured via the pedal. The technology uses an internal gyroscope, capable of detecting instantaneous angular velocity during the whole pedal stroke, and then uses an algorithm to take into account variation during the pedal stroke. This is important because, if you only take into account an average value of the velocity at the first phase of the pedal stroke, it would assume the same power is maintained throughout the entire pedal stroke. But with IAV, Assioma PRO pedals can deliver an accurate true power output to plus or minus 1%.
Platform Centre Offset (PCO): PCO is a very important metric for Favero’s pedal users because it shows how force is applied to the pedal platform. Riders can see if they are pushing more inwards or outwards, which allows them to fine tune details such as the positioning of their cleats, potentially reducing the chance of injuries.
Ride Position: While power output, cadence, left and right balance, and PCO are the most popular metrics among Favero users, Ride Position allows an even deeper dive into the data to show how much time a rider spends seating or standing on the bike.
Power Phase: Favero’s Power Phase metric allows users to examine in detail the phase of the pedal stroke that actually produces forward momentum. With that data, riders can then fine tune the distribution of their power throughout the entire pedal stroke.
Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC): Finally, while IAV delivers accuracy, Favero’s ATC technology delivers the consistency. No matter what the external conditions – whether you are cycling 40-degrees heat, or minus 10 degrees – with ATC, Assioma PRO pedals have been calibrated to ensure the data you generate is perfectly consistent.
PRO RL – Look magic, reimagined
While the technology we have just looked at is found throughout the Favero Assioma PRO range, the excitement right now is on the launch of Favero’s Assioma PRO RL Look-compatible pedals. But when we say ‘Look-compatible’ what do we actually mean?
Platform size: Favero understands that Look pedal users really appreciate their wide contact platform, so the first step was to mimic that. Assioma PRO RL pedals are the widest among any Look-compatible power meter pedal with 755 square millimeters of platform area. This delivers the kind of confidence and stability that Look users expect.
Ride experience: In addition to platform size, the Assioma PRO RL’s ‘Q Factor’ and stack height have been minimised to stay in line with the market average. This means there won’t be any nasty surprises leaning over into a corner, and riders won’t need to adjust saddle height or position after the pedals have been fitted. (You can read road.cc’s look at Favero’s approach to these details here.)
Weight: Favero also realises that performance road cyclists are very sensitive to the weight of the products they use. Assioma PRO RL is the lightest adjustable Look-compatible power meter pedal on the market at just 130g.
Adjustability: Did we say ‘adjustable’? That’s right – even with that low weight, riders can still fine-tune the release tension rate for clipping in and clipping out. And unlike the Look system itself, you don’t need to buy a new blade – riders simply use an Allen key.
Materials: All of this performance is achieved by Favero’s use of no-compromise, hi-tech materials. The pedal body is made of carbon-fibre reinforced polymers, which not only results in a lightweight product but also delivers enhanced shock resistance, reducing the likelihood of deformation and cracking.
And don’t forget the cleats: The cleats that Favero includes in the Assioma PRO RL package are the brand’s own product, featuring five degrees of float and 30% more grip off the bike compared to any other Look-compatible cleats.
Finally – the price
Favero doesn’t like to focus on the price, saying what it really wants to do is deliver value. But when we compare it to other power meter options on the market, the cost of Favero’s Assioma PRO RL is really very impressive.
The price of the single-sided (with a power meter spindle on just one pedal) Assioma PRO RL-1 is just £399. And the double-sided (with power meter spindles on both pedals) Assioma PRO RL-2 is £649.
If you initially buy the single-sided PRO RS-1 and subsequently want to upgrade to power meter spindles on both sides, the Assioma PRO RL-UP is £389.
And if you already have an Assioma PRO MX or PRO RS system but want to change to Look compatible pedal bodies, these cost £51 each.
It really couldn’t be easier to get a first-hand ‘look’ at Favero’s new Assioma PRO RL power meter pedal system – open up a whole new world of data analysis and take your cycling to a new level.
To find out more about Favero’s new Assioma PRO RL power meter pedals and order yours, visit the Favero website here.
1 thought on “Favero’s market-leading Assioma PRO power meter pedals just became even more popular with all new Look cleat compatibility”
I had a pair of Assioma Uno power meter pedals a few years ago. They worked really well for a while, and I liked being able to swap them between different bikes really easily. Unfortunately after about 18 months of use, they started spitting out random data – absolute junk measurements. I contacted Assioma and they looked at the data online (which they apparently are able to do for all their units) agreed that there was a fault, and sent me a new spindle (I had to pay postage). That worked well for about 18 months, and then started giving me random, junk data, so I threw them in the bin and now I no longer use a power meter.