Single- and dual-sided power meter pedals for gravel, cyclocross and XC
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The Italian power meter pedals specialist, Favero, has today unveiled the latest product in its growing line-up; the Assioma Pro MX.
The Favero lineup is a small one, only comprising the Look Keo compatible Assioma Uno (single-sided), Assioma Duo (dual-sided), and the Shimano SPD-SL compatible Assioma Duo-Shi spindles. The brand has historically focussed entirely on road, but that looks set to change,
The Assioma Pro MX is a Shimano SPD-compatible system, comprising a choice of single- and dual-sided measurement for gravel riders, cyclocross racers and mountain bikers alike.
It is the first power meter from Favero to come without the pod on the axle to house the electronics, as all of the circuitry and battery are housed within the spindle. Notably, they also don't affect the rider's Q-factor when compared to Shimano's own pedals.
Our top-down image shows the centre line of the pedal sits exactly the same distance from the end of the axle threads as a Shimano PD-M520 pedal. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Boasting an accuracy error of just +/- 1% and a weight of just 191.4g per side, their specs make them an immediate contender against Garmin's Rally XC and SRM's X-Power for a place in our guide to the best power meters. We've just received a set for testing and will report our findings in a full review in due course.
Favero Assioma Pro MX specs
The Assioma Pro MX are available in two guises, MX-1 and MX-2. The MX-1 is a left-sided option with a spare 'dummy' right pedal, while the MX-2 features independent power measurement of each leg.
They boast measurement to within 1% – the same as Garmin's Rally and SRM's X-Power – with a maximum capability of 3000 watts.
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Favero says each pedal weighs 191.4g, with the dummy pedal weighing almost exactly the same at 191.2g. Favero also says the pedal's stack height is just 11.2mm. It's generally considered that a smaller stack height is better for performance and this figure bests Shimano's entry-level PD-M520 pedal by 5.8mm. It also beats the top-tier XTR pedal by 3.5mm, but SRM's X-Power does come in slightly lower at 10.5mm.
The included charge clip is magnetic, and uses a Micro-USB charging port (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Favero claims 60 hours of battery life between charges, and like the existing Assioma models, they charge via a magnetic clip which connects the charging elements to two gold contacts on the axle. This system contributes to an overall waterproof rating of IP67.
Via the Favero Cycling app, users can analyse various advanced metrics from their rides. The obvious stats such as power and cadence are a given, but the app also tells you your torque effectiveness, pedal smoothness and left-right balance. Like Garmin's Rally range, it can also tell you your Platform Centre Offset, which shows how your force is distributed across the face of each pedal; your Power Phase, ie where in the 360 rotation each leg is providing the most torque; and Rider Position, which can tell whether you are sitting or standing.
The pedal body can be removed from the spindle using a 6mm Hex key and a pedal spanner (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The Assioma Pro MX will also automatically self-calibrate, and its Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC) feature compensates for temperature swings between -10C/14F to 60C/140F.
Favero also says that thanks to an inbuilt three-axis gyroscope, it offers Instantaneous Angular Velocity (IAV) measurement which means it can work with oval chainrings.
Each pedal spins on a pair of needle roller bearings, each of which has a maximum dynamic load of 400kg. This relates to the constantly-changing load found when riding over rough terrain or landing drops. The pedals are rated for category three trails, defined as "Riding in rough terrain and drops less than 61cm (24in)." The maximum rider weight is 120kg.
They are serviceable at home using little more than a 6mm hex key, a pedal spanner, and the included greasing tools – bring your own grease. They also come with a pair of SM-SH51 cleats and a Micro-USB charge cable (dual-head for MX-2).
Also included are a pair of Shimano SPD cleats, four spindle washers, two charging clips (for MX-2), two small tools for greasing the interiors, and a split-head charge cable (not shown) (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Favero Assioma Pro MX price and availability
As outlined above, the Assioma Pro MX pedals are available as a single-sided (Pro MX-1) and a dual-sided (Pro MX-2) package.
The Assioma Pro MX-1 will be priced at £399.00 / €368 + VAT.
The Assioma Pro MX-2 will be priced at £599.00 / €614 +VAT.
Favero points out that the VAT will differ depending on the country of purchase, but offers a round figure of approx €450 and €750 for the MX-1 and MX-2 respectively.
All are available to buy at Favero's website and selected dealers right away.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
