Garmin Rally vs SRM X-Power: A two-year test of SPD-style power-meter pedals

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

Thanks for your great content Ben! I'm up in the CO mountains, so I love the Colorado insight.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thank you very much for Super Thanks. Much appreciated!

[@sagarman]

I also have the play issue on my Rally XCs. I noticed the cleat moving fore/aft inside the Rallys immediately when I got the pedals last August. It seemed a little worse on the right pedal, but noticeable on both. It is very annoying. Both pedals click and squeak due to this. Increasing the tension has no effect other than to make the pedals harder to get into and out of. I was using them with the Garmin-supplied cleat on my Shimano XC9s. Those shoes are a little worn, but I never noticed cleats moving around in the pedal on my XTR or XT pedals on other bikes. I've never noticed this with any shoe/pedal combo. I then tried them with a new pair of Shimano RX8s and a pair of Shimano ME5s and had the same issue. I tried Shimano cleats with all of these shoes and still had the same issue. Eventually, I emailed Garmin about and they immediately sent me a new right pedal body, no questions asked. It didn't make a bit of difference though. I have been suspecting it may be related to the lug height on the Shimano shoes that just makes them incompatible with the Rallys. All of my shoes are Shimano as I have settled on them as the best fit for me. However, I have a pair of Specialized S-Works Recons on the way to see if there is any difference. On a positive note, I've never had any issues with accuracy or calibration.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@IvanMalechko]

I have exactly the same experience. The right one is also worse. Tried with different shoes, the only difference is amount of squeaking with each pedal stroke. Shimano has two versions of spd cleats sh56 and sh51. One of them works just a bit better (sh 51 I believe). The best option (but still not perfect) is to use the cleats from the original garmin package. Made by Exustar (I forgot the exact model but can look it up). I should probably also try to contact Garmin (at least to get a fresh pedal lol)

[@michaelkoenig]

Did the Sworks recons fix the problem?

[@derekmattice3077]

I use the Garmin XC200 with Shimano SH-51 cleats. I've not pulled out and have not noticed any slop in the cleat/pedal interface. I weigh 130 lbs for reference (which could impact my experience with the pedals).

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@salsalawyer]

Would love to see you update this video by doing a three-way including the new Assioma pedals

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Great idea. I have asked Assioma for a test set but haven’t heard back yet. Will get on it asap.

[@janetw9016]

Appreciate your experience with these 2 power meter pedals. Been contemplating a switch to power pedals on my next bike purchase. Have been a SRM crank owner for +10 years over several bikes. The expense (based in Canada) plus inconvenience of being without for several weeks for recharging, has me looking at other alternate power options. Thanks!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

As others have noted here, the Assiomas are also worth a look.

[@gilberttiborjakub9890]

Hello! I’ve just found your channel and I have to admit I become a subscriber instantly after this honest and detailed review. As the matter fact I was hesitating to buy a pedal power meter instead of my crank arm integrated Stages (especially since I own three bikes now) and my original plan was to buy the Garmin Rally XC100, but after your video I am bit uncertain now and probably I will choose the SRM

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Hey Gilbert. Glad you found the channel. A year later, I can say that the SRM charger cables have broken, which is annoying. I am sure SRM will replace, but it is definitely more of a hassle than just replacing batteries you can get at the store. That to say, my preference is still a crank or spindle!

[@izi941]

Also had to send SRMs back. It took 4days (in Europe tho). No problems, just don’t forget to calibrate it with the app, when changing from bike 2 bike 😅

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Yeah, they are fiddly that way. And yes on the app calibration! I tried with various computers and numbers were way off. If I could only follow (SRM’s) directions…

[@JulianKent]

The Favero Assioma-Shi spindles fit into a bunch of the Shimano SPD housings, including those XTs you like. So if you already have the pedals you want and don't mind a few mm of extra Q factor, this is also a great (and budget) option. GPLama did a piece on this.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks. I need to try those Assiomas.

[@jamiefarrell6496]

Can confirm GPLama's experience - easy to shift the spindle to the SPD body and they've been bullet proof since (and still cheaper than the alternative options)

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

@@jamiefarrell6496 Cool! How much wider are they than Shimanos? And the measurement seems good?

[@ilanpi]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney He didn't mention that you usually have to trim your mountain bike shoes due to the width of the Assioma pods.

[@jamiefarrell6496]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney The pod, on the inboard side of each pedal, adds ~15mm...I haven't noticed that change in Q factor in either a positive or negative way - but that might be to do with my agricultural style! Haven't had to trim any shoes I've used (inc Fizik, Shimano, Adidas) so far 🤞🏻

[@yumyumhungry]

On the cold weather thing, my Garmin rally XC-2's were useless during the Canada and Montana sections of the tour divide because of how cold it was. The readings were just totally busted.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Sorry to hear it but good to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@sand9577]

I've been using the Garmin Rally XC200 for over two years now. Yes they are a bit lose and they are songbirds, my right side pedal chirps a lot. They are BOMB proof, I haven't been kind to them and so far the only thing they've asked is for batteries. No syncing issues, so dropouts, solid and reliable. BUT! Changing the bearings when they need replacement is a whole project. Garmin did not design the housing to have its bearings serviceable. Neither of my pedals' bearings need replacing for the time being, but it's something that I might need down the line. I'm going to have to make a custom tool to get uninstall the bearing housings. Aside from that, I'm a happy user when it comes to the Rally XC200.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks for the detailed feedback. To update my SRM testing - both charger cables have broken so the cables are going back. 🤷‍♂️

[@sand9577]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney That's one of the reasons I went with the replaceable batteries on the XC200. I have a several proprietary cable chargers on some of my stuff, cables that I just can't get anymore if I were to lose them. So the prospect of not being able to use a 1k USD piece of equipment for something so mundane as a cable, really rubbed me the wrong way. And the next big thing that sold me on replaceable batteries, is water ingress. Seals aren't perfect, if water where to enter a pedal with a built-in battery you lose the entire thing. I have several times not properly screwed in or greased the threads on the battery caps and have had the batteries oxidize inside and lose connection. After a 2 dollar battery replacement I get my pedals back, I can't imagine that happening with other pedal brands. I may sound like a shill, but I really like the Garmin Pedals.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

@sand9577 all great detail. Thank you!

[@tatestuntz1428]

I have the rally pedals and can confirm they’re a little sloppy feeling. I’ve never come unclipped accidentally, but you can definitely feel it. Just feels a little weird. But, they are rock-solid performers in terms of power meter behavior so far on my gravel bike and I like the idea that I can switch them over between bikes. Of course, I’ve never done that yet. So, we’ll see…

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Tate.

[@bkhsms]

Rally XC200 owner as well. I can confirm I've used the Shimano OOB cleats and Silca Ti cleats both have the fore/aft movement. I've also cranked down on the tension which, as Ben says, does help a bit.

[@unbridlededification]

I personally went for some Assiomas paired with Xpedo M Force 3--something of a hack. The aren't the prettiest set of pedals with their bulky tension adjusters and pm 'pods,' but the price, proven accuracy, and ability to swap between SPD and SPD-SL (and different bikes) have left me feeling pretty smug every time I hear a mate talk about their need to buy yet another power meter for a particular bike

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Cool!

[@0649933963122]

Absolutely did the same thing, been amazing swapping between three bikes and even changing pedal bodies is simple. Save yourself twice the price and have better performance. Win win

[@veganpotterthevegan]

I'd be all for this if it weren't for the q-factor issue. I can't even ride a fat bike for more than a couple hours without hip pain and the q-factor with this is more than the fat bike I sold for that problem. No issues riding for +6hrs on my road or mountain bike though

[@happy2818df]

@jpstez5271 the hack that GPLama shows uses the standard road pedal with normal Q factor close to 55mm, right ? so if this version is fit with Xpedo bodies, then one may need to cut out MTB shoes to fit the pedal. Only the Shi axles of Assioma have the wider q factor and hence people are good and do not need to do any hacks to the shoes..

[@briantravis1851]

I have the Garmin Rally XC200s and I constantly debate going back to an XTR pedal with a crank power meter. The "play" you describe is just annoying and mine squeak as well.

[@jeromelacote8304]

I love the Garmin pedals, I swap them between my gravel, XC, enduro, and occasionally my downhill bike. With fresh cleats, I have never experienced any sliding or unclipping. Sometimes the calibration fails a few times randomly until it finally works. For me, it's a game changer and I could not afford to have a dedicated power meter on all my bikes.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Cool. Glad to hear they're working well for you!

[@TexasNightRider]

Very informative video. Think I will avoid the MTB power pedals and stick with the 4iiii dual setup.

[@BananaChipzzz]

The Garmin’s squeak like crazy.

[@buzzman4860]

1 year too late Ben. I already bought the Garmins. There weren't a lot of options in stock availability then. I was swapping cranks out a lot due to my 1 bike for road and gravel and pedals made the most sense. I also have 3 bikes I switch between. Anytime I stop I always recalibrate. I haven't had any pedal cleat looseness.

[@IvanMalechko]

Totally agree on Garmin Rally. Pretty good as a power meter but way below the cheapest Shimano spd pedals as pedals. Lots of play even with fully tightened adjustment scews. Especially with original Shimano cleats, almost unbearable to ride, not only excessive horizontal play but vertical as well. The cleats that come with Garmins (exustar as I found out) work much better but still not as good as simple Shimano combo.

[@IvanMalechko]

Update: I contacted Garmin and got them replaced with a new pair (after 2 years of use). Now they work perfectly (almost like Shimano). Probably that was an issue with an early released version which has been fixed later.

[@palicar]

Shopping around. I wish there were more options for SPD power. I’m leaning SRM.

[@jeffreykluge401]

I have two pairs of Garmin….love them, but like you, I prefer my Quarq setup. My buddy has SRM and has had problems with two sets also! Crazy.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I really wanted both pedal sets to be a great, easy solution because of the transferability. But alas.

[@coldfootfun]

I’d like to hear your thoughts on Faverro Pro MX. I did the Xpedo hack on my Faverro Assioma. The only thing I haven’t been happy with is having to take a dremel tool to my shoes. I will more than likely convert them back to the road platforms and resell them and buy a set of Pro MX before I replace my gravel shoes next time.

[@blazacrew]

Not a fan of PM Pedals but I appreciate the review

[@davidnicholson6680]

I'm have two bikes with spider-based Quarqs and one bike with a Stages double-sided meter. I have had zero problems with all three. I got the most recent Force AXS Quarq this year for ~$575 by buying the spider and crank separately on sale from Europe, less than half the cost of the Rallys. Swapping pedals between bikes is probably a thing, but sounds like something that would become irritating quickly. I get the benefit of being able to travel with your power meter, but like most people I don't travel and then rent bikes all that often. Add in the compromises in a pedal-based system and it's not for me.

[@michaelloos3872]

Excellent vid - thanks for the knowledge. Now looking for your take on bike computers.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thank you. Can do!

[@classactracing]

Had a lot frustration with the SRM. Sending them in for maintenance takes too long. Also experiencing drop outs on the pedals. This is an issues specially during race starts.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Sorry to hear it.

[@chriswenzel4803]

I have SRM, they’ve been sent back already. Not sure how useful they are the power #’s are I think around 40 higher then what my Hammer 2 is telling me. Not sure what to believe.

[@michaelgibbs1753]

I have the SRM X-Power pedals (right sided PM only) and it reads about 25-30 watts below my stages SB20 smart bike and my 4iiii crank based PM on my road bike. I sent them back for them to “fix it” and they unceremoniously sent it back with a letter saying it tested fine. Hmm ok. Now I just add the watts back in my head while doing intervals but my TSS etc. on training peaks is not accurate 😕 I’ve owned a lot of power meters (nine I think) and I’ve never had this problem.

[@casparwhittey]

I also got the sliding forward/rearward motion in the rally XC pedals (but only in one pedal). Super duper annoying. Also causes a subtle click in every pedal stroke that you can feel through that foot. Not great.

[@Tahoedanis]

i have been using Xt/XTR spd for almost 30 years and the Garmin rally200 for 3 years and i think the garmins feel very similar. I do not get any of the "slide" feeling/action, maybe sh51 and sh56 cleats make the difference I use the 51's?

[@stevenagy7152]

Man, both are so chunky. I went to 165 cranks in part to avoid cornering strikes, and slapping a set of those on would seem to bring that back. Nonetheless, seems a lot easier to install and set-up than changing a chainring based meter.

[@EzaVinylAddict]

Great video! How much float in the Garmin xc and can it be adjusted ?

[@B1KER]

I'm debating over buying the single sided vs. the double sided version. What's the reason to spend the extra money for the double sided? Do you think it's worth it?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Short answer: I use a single-sided Stages crank on my bikes. Longer answer: dual-sided gives you a more complete data picture, with left/right balance, and total power. But since you have two power meters, you also have the potential for twice the issues in terms of charging two meters, having small variances between the two, etc. In my experience, both the Garmin and the SRM work well as a pair. With dual-sided, you're measuring everything; with single-sided, you're measuring one leg and doubling it. For me, that is perfectly adequate for training and racing and general dorkery.

[@B1KER]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks, I'm about to film a project where I'm comparing the workouts on analog vs. e-bike and wasn't sure if I should get the single or double Garmin. I'm not too concerned about the charging. Thanks for quick answer!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Please share that project when you are done. I am curious to see it.

[@garyaland]

YEP, I got ejected out of the Garmin's in a sprint, crashed, sustained a clavicle fx (needing surgical repair), 5 fx ribs, and a collapsed lung, 5 days in the hospital and never used them again. Went back to spider based power and XTR pedals only....

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Oh man... I hate to read that. Glad you're okay now.

[@garyaland]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thank you, when I first got them I was super stoked to put them on the gravel bike, I have used power for many many years, SRM, Quarq (before and after Sram purchased them), Stages but a pedal based system seemed the ticket. Right away I noticed the increased "slop" compared to my XTR pedals and I even tightened them a couple more clicked then I do with the Shimano ones. This was my first major crash in riding / racing for over 20 years so I guess it was time....

[@thewallhouse5698]

How easy it it to align the magnetic charging clips to get the pedals to charge? It looks like you are able to do it on the first attempt.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

They are a little fussy. It’s not a big deal but it certainly isn’t like plugging in a usb cable to socket.

[@markreams3192]

If you don’t race and don’t train to power is a power meter system necessary. If you want a ride to ride power reading or a trend over time, why not just use the estimated power output from Strava. There are certainly variables that aren’t taken into account such as weather and road conditions but as long as you keep your body weight and bike weight updated in Strava, you should get a fairly accurate trend especially if you’re using the same courses for comparison. Have you ever compared average power readings for a ride between Strava and a power meter?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Strava's modeling is surprisingly good, considering that it's just educated guesstimates. Often it's pretty close to actual power for things like steady climbs. But riding in groups, in dirt, in wind, etc, etc.... not so much. Cool feature, though, for sure.

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

Ben, how important do you think dual sided power meters are versus just a single sided? I have Rival AXS cranks, so I was thinking of getting the AXS power meter upgrade.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Not very. Unless you are coming back from injury, there really isn't much you can do with the l/r data except obsess over it. This is the general consensus from coaches; how you make the power isn't as important as just the total power number. Folks can and do argue about the validity of taking one side and doubling it, but I just use a Stages left crank on my personal bike, and often on test bikes. Quarq meters are great. The left/right number there is more a calculation than a measurement, but it's still measuring the total power. So yeah, don't sweat the l/r; Quarq is a great solution for a SRAM bike.

[@JackFou]

Regarding the "floaty" feeling of the garmin XCs, I'm wondering whether you were using the included cleats or standard shimano cleats, more specifically SH56 cleats. I can find a few but not very many mentions of some unwanted play with the garmins but typically this is remedied by using either SH51s instead of SH56 or using the included cleats instead. I can't really tell whether this is a general issue with the pedal or simply an issue with specific cleats or worn cleats or even the particular shoe. If this was a really common issue that happens with basically every pedal, I'd expect to find much more people discussing it. Did you contact garmin about this? Did they offer a replacement? I'd love to just get the SRM instead but they're quite a bit more expensive where I live plus the battery life is pretty meh and it seems they still haven't solved the issue with battery drain. Then there's the apparent issue with QC since they keep shipping units that stop working rather quickly.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

I didn't try them with the included cleats. Garmin - and the box - say the system is intended for Shimano SPD, so that I how I tested. I use SH51s. SRM battery life isn't great, and the recharge connection cable is a total fiddly pain. For me, it's better to just get a crank or spider power meter.

[@JackFou]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, for me crank or spider based power meters are not an option - and it seems that crank based meters for shimano drive trains suffer from issues with the drive side crank. After contacting garmin support about the issue and getting a not very conclusive response, I decided to give it a shot and just buy the pedals. Turns out, I have zero issues with slippy cleats, even with my SH56. So either it was an issue with some early units that they fixed or it depends on the shoes. On the flip side, I do find the feeling of the pedal engaging a bit disappointing. On my Shimano XT pedal, I get a nice solid _click_ which tells me that the pedal is engaged. With the garmins on the other hand there is very little feedback. Other than that, they work beautifully :)

[@PedroGoncalves-cp9ql]

Could you install just one and have correct data? Or will be better always the pair? Thanks

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Single-sided is a perfectly adequate option. I used a left Stages for years.

[@PedroGoncalves-cp9ql]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney left our right for pedals is indeferent?

[@etbigevil]

Awesome vid. I had the rally spd but couldn’t stand the float and general loose unstable feeling of them, drove me bananas especially after using xtr pedals so long. Returned them. (Ironically I really love their spd-sl variant which feels very close to Shimano pedals to me though I mainly use them as a travel set so I have power on rental bikes and take quarq or stages over both all day. Ben, does srm provide cycling dynamics as well or just Garmin? Never heard of it to be all that useful but at that price I want all the data ! If srm pedals ever come down in price they’re a no brainer for spd. Hopefully favero gets a Shimano compatible spindle with a Q factor that is reasonable

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks for sharing. SRM does not have the same 360 and inboard/outboard data as Garmin, no. I'm never sure of what to do with that info, though!

[@ThegearlockerNet]

New to power meters - you mentioned a cork for shram components. What is that ?

[@brennansquad]

Quarq - spider based power meter. A ton of options that can pretty much be fit to any bike between 11 & 12-speed

[@ThegearlockerNet]

@@brennansquad Thank you! Didn't even spell it right ;-)

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

@@ThegearlockerNet www.sram.com/en/quarq/collections/quarq-power-meters stagescycling.com/en_us/product/power-meters plus, if you want to go down the rabbit hole, Ray at DC Rainmaker has a huge volume of information and reviews on meters: www.dcrainmaker.com/

[@EndUser-yu7gg]

... yeah ... I'll still take a pedal i can change a single battery out of vs an internal battery that pretty much is a toss when it dies... yeah I know they will last a long time and life will slowly reduce blah blah blah... but to me if I on a multi day bike trip I don't need a proprietary cable either ... but I also already have vector 3's so teh conversion kit is a no brainer to me so I have road style and SPD style ... hazza ... best of both worlds for me and I can switch between my bikes and get power ... I hate losing the larger single side SPD I had before that my boot goes to, but I honestly didn't have an occurrence where I needed the flat base ... though it does also mean I have to use my boots as I lost platform that let me use the side which my street shoes could use but oh well... I am training for a XC MTB race and I want my cadence and power as my muscle memory for when I going to hard is not as good as just looking at the screen

[@horststorkebaum6475]

Hey Ben, enjoyed the video, thanks! Hadn't heard about the sloppy cleat retention of the Garmin Rally pedals so far. 😒 Have you noticed that SRM has changed the pedal body of the X-Power to Look's X-Track design? Maybe that's worth mentioning.

[@ilanpi]

I'm doubling down on my assertion that weight limits on mountain bike pedals is ridiculous. In fact, this component is one of the last candidates for having a weight limit. This is shown by the fact that these pedals can be used as power meters, and therefore the force (torque, stress) applied to the pedals is just power/cadence (60 Watts/rpm = 1 Nm of torque). Since (lightweight) professional riders have much higher power than heavyweight amateurs and unlike road professionals, do not pedal at very high cadences, it follows that the force (torque, stress) applied to the pedals by professionals is significantly higher than any overweight amateur. Note that being over the weight limit certainly implies that the rider is an amateur. Note as well that overuse damage to a component is due to the force (stress) applied to the component.

[@StealthElectronVIP]

The issue is not power but torque breaking the strain gauges. I guess technical limitations of pedal specific gauges mean they need to have a weight limit. I have broken both pedal and crank meters. Only crankset-hub meters seem unbreakable

[@ilanpi]

Hello! I had a very bad experience with Garmin pedals concerning customer relations. Garmin pedals have a weight limit, which doesn't make any sense to me since a lightweight professional rider under the weight limit produces more strain on the pedal than an amateur over the weight limit. I called up Garmin and got some very unhelpful person who didn't know anything and was patronizing. Basically, Garmin does not allow any contact with their technical team. I compare this to Assioma which systematically puts me in contact with their R&D. My latest query was whether the pedals could be programmed to display negative power, that is, during eccentric cyclic as when you resist pedaling on a track bike. Right now, power is displayed as zero on my track bike. They said they weren't planning on adding that feature. To sum up, I don't buy equipment from a company that doesn't respect its customers.

[@cbdane]

Horrible sideview camera angles. 😕 Why wouldn’t you look at your audience?