A traditionally styled, five-star-rated power pedal that won't harm the bank balance
Pros
+
Beautiful design
+
Affordability
+
Lightweight
+
Accuracy and consistency
Cons
-
Look cleat compatible only
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Stages Cycling might have brought affordability to the segment with its crank-based power meter systems but it's the pedal-based units from PowerTap, Garmin and now Favero Electronics that are fast-becoming the go-to choice among cyclists. This despite weighing a considerable amount more than the crank-based alternative
Not only are power pedals easy to swap between bikes but the plug-and-play nature also nullifies the need for complex fitting procedures as experienced by crank, hub, spindle and spider-based power meters.
Favero Electronics may be a newcomer to the power-meter game but the Italian manufacturer has taken the fight to PowerTap and Garmin by offering a lighter and more affordable power pedal - called the Assioma. In fact, they weigh just 150g per pedal, which is less than the Garmin Vectors and PowerTap P2s.
The Favero Assioma Duo pedals weigh a relatively scant 300g per pair (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Design
Boasting a 10.5mm stack height, the Favero Assioma Duo pedals are a tidy-looking package and virtually impossible to tell apart from its Uno sibling, the only real difference being that it measures power directly at each axle. All the sensors and strain gauges are located in the housing pod next to the pedal body. This nifty pod construction feature not only helps impart a more traditional pedal appearance but also ensures the electronics won't get damaged by impacts or falls.
All the electronic parts of the Assioma pedals have been sealed inside a bicomponent resin block in the pod housing making it easier to maintain down the line. The pedal body is replaceable and the pod is waterproof (IP67 certified) so you can ride throughout the winter months without the risk of damaging the electronic innards and strain gauges.
The Assioma Duo pedals can be topped up at the same time thanks to a double micro-USB cable with magnetic power connectors (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Specification, set-up and calibration
You'll need to download the Favero Electronics app onto your smartphone to initiate the pedal activation process before heading out on your first ride. Failing to do so will render the pedals useless as they won't transmit any data to your cycling computer.
Pairing the power pedals to your cycling computer is a fairly straightforward exercise. Simply search for your pedals, set your crankarm length and perform a zero-offset or 'calibration'. As a rule of thumb, we recommend performing a zero-offset before every ride as it allows the power meter to adapt to changes in ambient air temperature and avoid any power anomalies - it also serves as a health check of sorts and will show up any looming errors.
The rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are claimed to last around 50+ hours - we logged an impressive 53 hours on average per charge. Much of the battery pack's efficiency stems from what Favero calls 'Start/Stop technology' which automatically puts the pedals on stand-by when inactivity is detected - they will instantly power up again upon rotating the crank.
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In terms of the charging process, the Assioma Duo pedals can be topped up at the same time thanks to a double micro-USB cable with magnetic power connectors. You can also check the charge level at any time using the Favero Assioma app but, to give you an idea, the 'low battery' signal will flash on your GPS when you've got 8 hours or less of charge left.
The pedals are built around Look's cleat system and are compatible with the French company's cleats (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Riding experience
Unlike other power meters that harvest data based on the angular velocity of the crank arm through each rotation, the Assioma uses an instantaneous angular velocity (IAV) measuring technique thanks to an on-board gyroscopic sensor. According to Favero, the IAV way of harvesting data is class-leading with accuracy to a maximum deviation of only one per cent.
Compared to some of the other power meters we have on test, the Favero Assioma Duo pedals are not as generous when it comes to dishing out free watts - power is earned here but this is more a case of accuracy than anything else. Benchmarked against the Elite Direto X smart turbo trainer, the Assiomas were bang-on in terms of power data - both in the low- and mid-range bands. At times they appeared to read a little lower in the sprints but, on the whole, the readings are consistent and repeatable.
My only bugbear - and I'm nitpicking here - is they aren't weighted like a traditional pedal. What I mean is that when you come to a halt and have to start pedalling again, the pedals spin freely on the axles, making it difficult to clip in.
Other than that, the platform is wide and supportive enough to promote an even transfer of power and the entire feel, as well as feedback, is in line with what you'd expect from a traditional pedal. In fact, it functions and feels a lot like the Look Keo - one of my personal favourites. Speaking of Look, the Favero pedals are built around the French company's cleat system and are compatible with Look cleats.
With a 10.5mm stack height the Favero Assioma Duo pedals are a tidy-looking package and virtually impossible to tell apart from its Uno sibling (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Verdict
It's appreciably hard to critique a power meter, let alone a power pedal, owing to the myriad preferential factors that come into play when making an informed decision. For me, personally, consistency is king, and reliability will always trump weight when it comes to tech of this nature. That said, as far as pedal formats go, the Favero Assioma Duos are far from portly and comparatively light on the power pedal spectrum, weighing in at 150g apiece.
Furthermore, they're accurate, consistent across the power curve and beautiful to look at. In fact, save for the housing pods, it's almost impossible to tell it apart from a traditional road bike pedal and that's another reason why it appeals to me - it's stealthy in every respect. And because the pedals broadcast constantly on both ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart, you can use them with Zwift or any other indoor cycling app.
The kicker here, however, is the affordability, ease of use and longterm maintenance benefits it brings its users. If you're in the market for something reliable, accurate, and affordable, the Favero Assioma Duo power pedals get our recommendation and stamp of approval.
Aaron was the Tech Editor Cyclingnews between July 2019 and June 2022. He was born and raised in South Africa, where he completed his BA honours at the University of Cape Town before embarking on a career in journalism. Throughout this career, Aaron has spent almost two decades writing about bikes, cars, and anything else with wheels. Prior to joining the Cyclingnews team, his experience spanned a stint as Gear & Digital editor of Bicycling magazine, as well as a time at TopCar as Associate Editor.
Now based in the UK's Surrey Hills, Aaron's life revolves around bikes. He's a competitive racer, Stravaholic, and Zwift enthusiast. He’s twice ridden the Cape Epic, completed the Haute Route Alps, and represented South Africa in the 2022 Zwift eSports World Championships.
