Favero Assioma Duo review
Dual sided power to one percent, rechargeable batteries and fifty hours per charge, for around five hundred dollars.
A dual sided pedal based power meter with IAV power measurement and a gyroscope for plus or minus 1 percent accuracy, automatic temperature compensation and rechargeable batteries giving 50 hours of use.
Check Backcountry → Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Pedal based, available as single (UNO) or dual (DUO) |
| Accuracy | Plus or minus 1 percent in any situation per Favero |
| Measurement | IAV Power detecting instantaneous angular velocity through the pedal stroke |
| Temperature | Automatic Temperature Compensation |
| Battery | Rechargeable, 50 hours per charge |
| Installation | Fits and moves like a normal pedal, no special tools |
Specifications above come from Favero's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Rechargeable batteries rather than coin cells is the practical difference nobody talks about. Fifty hours per charge and a magnetic charger beats hunting for a CR2032 before a race.
- Instantaneous angular velocity measurement accounts for the fact that pedal speed varies through the stroke, which is the technical reason the accuracy claim holds up outside a laboratory.
- Automatic temperature compensation matters because strain gauges drift with temperature, and a ride that starts at five degrees and finishes at twenty is a real test of that.
- It moves between bikes with a pedal spanner, which makes one power meter serve a road bike, a gravel bike and a trainer bike.
Where it falls short
- The pedal body is Look Keo compatible, so your shoes and cleats have to suit. Changing cleat systems means new cleats and adjusting to a different float and stack.
- The pods on the axle are slightly bulky, and while they clear almost everything they are the part that grounds first in a crash.
- Favero is a smaller company than Garmin or Wahoo, so the ecosystem integration is thinner even though the ANT plus and Bluetooth output is standard.
- Like every pedal meter it is exposed, and a serious crash can be an expensive one.
What owners report
Published owner reports and independent power meter testing describe the Assioma as consistently accurate and unusually reliable, and it has held that reputation for years. The rechargeable battery is repeatedly cited as the feature owners appreciate most in daily use.
Criticism concentrates on the cleat system requirement and on pod bulk. Reports comparing it against Garmin's Rally generally conclude that the data is equivalent and the difference is ecosystem, which makes the price gap hard to justify unless you specifically want cycling dynamics.
Who it suits
- Anyone buying a first power meter who wants dual sided data.
- Riders with several bikes who want to move power between them.
- Cyclists who train indoors and outdoors and want one consistent power source.
Who should skip it
- Riders committed to Shimano SPD-SL or Speedplay cleats.
- Anyone who wants Garmin's cycling dynamics in Connect.
- Riders who crash often on technical terrain, where a crank meter is better protected.
Alternatives worth considering
Nearly four hundred dollars more, and it uses Shimano SPD-SL cleats so you keep your shoes. Adds cycling dynamics and native Garmin Connect integration, which is the real reason to pay the difference.
Check Backcountry → Check price on AmazonBuilt on the Speedplay platform with dual sided entry and greater adjustability, accurate to plus or minus 1 percent with an internal gyroscope. The choice if Speedplay is your cleat system.
Check Backcountry → Check price on AmazonSimilar money for a smart trainer, which controls resistance for structured indoor work but only measures you in one room. If most of your riding is outdoors, buy the power meter first.
Check Backcountry → Check price on AmazonGift idea: the Favero Assioma Duo is one of the picks in our Gifts for Cyclists guide. See also Gifts for Runners, gifts under $50 and the gift finder.
Common questions
Is a dual sided power meter worth the extra?
If you have a genuine left right imbalance, yes, because a single sided meter doubles the left leg and assumes symmetry. Most riders sit within a few percent, in which case single sided tracks training equally well for less money. After an injury, dual sided tells you something a single sided meter cannot.
Assioma or Garmin Rally?
Comparable accuracy for roughly four hundred dollars less. Garmin adds cycling dynamics and native Connect integration and uses SPD-SL cleats. If you are not deep in the Garmin ecosystem, the Favero is the better buy and it is the one most coaches recommend.
What cleats does it use?
Look Keo compatible, and cleats are supplied. If you currently ride Shimano SPD-SL, moving means new cleats on your shoes and adapting to a slightly different float and stack height. That is not difficult and it is worth knowing before ordering.
How long does the battery last?
Favero specifies 50 hours per charge from the rechargeable batteries, using a magnetic charging clip. That is roughly a month of serious training between charges, and there is no coin cell to source before a race.
Will it match my trainer's power?
Not exactly, and that is normal. Measurement points differ, and a small offset between a pedal meter and a trainer is expected. Choose one as your reference for training and stay with it. Our FTP calculator and training stress calculator both work from whichever source you designate.
Keep reading
- Best power meters
- Best power meter pedals
- FTP calculator
- Garmin Rally RS210 review
- Wahoo POWRLINK Zero review
- Power to weight ratio calculator
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.