Garmin Rally RS210 review

Dual sensing pedals with cycling dynamics, one percent accuracy, and a fitting that takes five minutes.

The verdict: Pedal power meters are the only kind you can move between bikes with a pedal spanner, and the Rally RS210 does it with dual sided measurement and Garmin's cycling dynamics on top. Buy it if you own more than one bike or expect to change bikes, and you already ride Shimano SPD-SL cleats. Skip it if you ride a different cleat system or want the cheapest accurate dual sided power, because Favero's Assioma undercuts it substantially.

Best Pedal Power Meter for Multiple Bikes

Garmin Rally RS210 Dual-Sensing Power Meter, Shimano SPD-SL

~$900

A dual sensing pedal based power meter compatible with Shimano SPD-SL cleats, installing like normal pedals, with cycling dynamics data and plus or minus 1 percent accuracy from a new strain gauge and gyroscope.

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Specifications

Spec	Detail
Type	Pedal based, dual sensing
Cleat compatibility	Shimano SPD-SL
Accuracy	Plus or minus 1 percent
Cycling dynamics	Left and right balance, seated versus standing, platform centre offset and power phase
Sensors	Strain gauge and gyroscope
Transfer	Moves between bikes like any other pedals

Specifications above come from Garmin's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

Moving between bikes takes a pedal spanner and five minutes, which crank and spider based meters cannot match. For a rider with a road bike, a gravel bike and a trainer bike this is the whole argument.
Dual sensing measures both legs independently rather than doubling the left, which matters if you have a genuine imbalance and is the difference between real data and an assumption.
Cycling dynamics adds seated versus standing time and power phase, which is more useful for bike fitting than for training but is genuinely interesting.
Garmin's ecosystem integration means the data lands in Connect alongside everything else with no third party app.

Where it falls short

The cleat system is fixed. The RS version is Shimano SPD-SL, and if you ride Look or Speedplay you need a different Rally variant, so buy the right one.
Nine hundred dollars is a lot when Favero's Assioma Duo measures both legs to the same claimed accuracy for around five hundred.
Pedal based meters are exposed. They are what hits the ground in a crash and what scrapes on a kerb.
Cycling dynamics needs a compatible Garmin head unit to display, so the extra data is Garmin ecosystem only in practice.

What owners report

Published owner reports describe reliable, consistent power and easy installation, which is what a power meter is for. The ability to swap between bikes is the recurring reason people chose pedals over a crank meter.

The criticism that recurs is price relative to Favero, and battery and bearing service over years. Reports comparing the two generally describe the power data as comparable and Garmin's advantages as ecosystem integration and cycling dynamics rather than accuracy.

Who it suits

Riders with more than one bike who want power on all of them.
Existing Garmin users who want cycling dynamics in Connect.
Anyone already committed to Shimano SPD-SL cleats.

Who should skip it

Riders on Look or Speedplay cleats, who need a different variant.
Anyone wanting the cheapest accurate dual sided power, where Favero wins.
Riders with one bike who never change it, where a crank meter is more protected.

Alternatives worth considering

Cheaper Dual Sided

Favero Assioma Duo Power Meter Pedal

~$521

Nearly four hundred dollars less for dual sided pedal based power with rechargeable batteries giving 50 hours per charge. The data is comparable; what you give up is Garmin's cycling dynamics and ecosystem integration.

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For Speedplay Riders

Wahoo POWRLINK Zero Pedal System Duo

~$977

Built on the Speedplay platform with its greater adjustability and dual sided entry, accurate to plus or minus 1 percent. The right choice if you ride Speedplay and want power without changing cleat systems.

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Gift idea: the Garmin Rally RS210 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

Pedal, crank or spider power meter?

Pedals move between bikes in minutes and are exposed in crashes. Crank and spider meters are protected and are a job to move. If you own one bike and will keep it, a crank meter is a fine choice; if you own several or expect to change, pedals are the answer.

Is dual sided power worth it?

It is if you have a genuine left right imbalance, because single sided meters double the left leg and assume symmetry. Most riders are within a few percent, in which case a single sided meter tracks training just as well. Dual sided removes the assumption, which matters after an injury.

Garmin Rally or Favero Assioma?

Comparable accuracy, and Favero is around four hundred dollars cheaper. Garmin adds cycling dynamics and lands the data natively in Connect. If you are deep in the Garmin ecosystem the integration is worth something; if not, the Favero saves real money. Our best power meter pedals roundup goes through both.

Will my power meter match my trainer?

Rarely exactly, and that is normal. Different devices measure at different points in the drivetrain. Pick one source as your reference for training and stick to it. Our FTP calculator works from whichever device you designate.

Do I need a specific head unit?

Any ANT plus or Bluetooth head unit will record power and cadence. Cycling dynamics specifically requires a compatible Garmin head unit to display, so if that data is why you are buying, check the pairing.

Keep reading

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.