Favero Electronics has long been a key player in the cycling power metre market, known for their accurate and reliable Assioma pedal-based systems. Favero’s latest offering, the Assioma PRO RS power pedals, marks a significant evolution, promising to redefine the standard for road and triathlon training. Bicycle Power Trading (BPT) with over 20 years in the industry and as the official distributor for Southern Africa undertook a first look and dives into what makes the PRO RS a compelling upgrade, focusing on its key improvements and how it stands to benefit cyclists across various disciplines.
The most striking departure from previous Favero Assioma DUO and DUO-Shi models is the complete integration of all electronics within the pedal spindle, eliminating the external pods that were a hallmark of earlier designs. This ‘pod-less’ design, first seen in their off-road PRO MX pedals, is a game-changer. It not only results in a cleaner, more aesthetic look but also offers enhanced durability and protection for the sensitive components against moisture and dirt. This internal housing also eliminates the potential for power dropouts often associated with external battery contacts found in systems with replaceable batteries.
Furthermore, the PRO RS addresses a long-standing request from the cycling community: native Shimano SPD-SL cleat compatibility. While the DUO-Shi offered a solution that required users to install the Assioma spindles into their own Shimano pedal bodies, the PRO RS comes as a ready-to-ride unit, directly supporting Shimano SPD-SL cleats (SM-SH10, SM-SH11, SM-SH12). This is a huge convenience for the broader road cycling community’s preference for Shimano’s widely adopted cleat system, removing a barrier to entry that existed for some riders.
The Favero Assioma PRO RS boasts several significant features that solidify its position as a top-tier power metre:
Weight:
Weighing in at an impressive 123.5g per pedal (247g for a dual-sided pair), the PRO RS are among the lightest dual-sided road power metre pedals on the market. Even competing with high end standard road pedal systems. This minimal weight impact is crucial for performance-oriented cyclists and triathletes looking to shave grams wherever possible, without compromising on data accuracy.
As highlighted, full Shimano SPD-SL compatibility is a major win. This seamless integration ensures that riders can maintain their preferred cleat system, offering a natural feel and familiar clip-in/clip-out experience. In fact Shimano cleats are packaged with every set of PRO RS pedals. The Q-factor of 53mm is also very close to standard Shimano road pedals, ensuring a natural fit and minimising the need for fit adjustments.
Build Quality:
Favero has a strong reputation for robust construction, and the PRO RS continues this tradition. By housing all electronics, strain gauges, and the rechargeable battery within the sealed stainless steel spindle, the pedals are exceptionally durable and carry a waterproof rating of IP67. The pedal body itself is crafted from carbon-fibre techno-polymers, with a wide stainless-steel contact surface, further enhancing longevity and power transfer. The modular design, allowing for interchangeable pedal bodies (road or MTB, using the same spindle), also simplifies maintenance and cost-effectiveness for replacing worn pedal bodies.
MagCharge:
Charging is made simple and secure with the proprietary magnetic USB-C charging cable and clip. This design eliminates fragile charging ports, further enhancing the pedal’s resilience to the elements. With a claimed battery life of at least 60 hours, cyclists can enjoy extended training sessions or multiple rides before needing a recharge, with the convenience of simultaneous charging for both pedals.
The App:
The accompanying Favero Assioma app is essential for activation, firmware updates, manual calibrations, setting crank-arm length, checking battery levels, and accessing advanced cycling dynamics. Recent updates have made the app even more user-friendly, offering offline functionality, enhanced real-time metric display, and direct support requests, streamlining the user experience.
For road cyclists, the Assioma PRO RS offers unparalleled accuracy (±1%), lightweight design, and the familiarity of Shimano cleats, making it an ideal tool for structured training, pacing in races, and analysing performance. The IAV (Instantaneous Angular Velocity) Power system ensures accurate readings even during dynamic efforts like sprints or when using oval chainrings.
Editorials like Road.cc “The Gold Standard” (https://road.cc/content/feature/assioma-pro-rs-sets-power-gold-standard-314179, Cycling Weekly, and BikeRadar often review Favero products, highlighting their reliability and value, and the PRO RS follows suit. While professional WorldTour men’s teams are often tied to specific component sponsorships, Favero Assioma pedals have also seen use by women’s WorldTour teams and continental teams, demonstrating their pro-level capabilities.
Triathletes will also find the PRO RS particularly appealing. The ease of installation and transfer between bikes is a significant advantage for those with multiple training and race setups. For pacing in long-distance events like IRONMAN, consistent and accurate power data is critical to optimise effort and save legs for the run. Athletes like Jan Frodeno or Lucy Charles-Barclay, while not explicitly linked to Favero, exemplify the data-driven approach common among top triathletes who rely heavily on power metres for training and racing. The PRO RS’s robust build and comprehensive data metrics, including Platform Centre Offset (PCO) for analysing pedalling efficiency, provide triathletes with the insights needed to refine their bike leg performance.
Bicycle Power Trading are excited to have the first stock in our warehouse and into distribution already. Confident that the Favero Assioma PRO RS power pedals represent a significant leap forward, blending Favero’s proven accuracy and reliability with a streamlined, pod-less design and native Shimano compatibility.
Favero’s lightweight construction, robust build, convenient magnetic charging, and feature-rich app make it an incredibly attractive option for both road cyclists and triathletes seeking precise, consistent, and user-friendly power measurement. It’s not exaggeration to say the PRO RS is poised as a new benchmark in pedal-based power, offering a compelling package that addresses our ever evolving needs as modern cyclists.
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KWAZULU NATAL
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