The 6 Best Cycling Power Meters from Budget to Premium

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In this article, you will find the best power meters of the most popular types (pedal, crank arm, crankset, spider…), from budget to premium ones suitable for road, mountain, and gravel bikes.

I selected them based on my experience and power meter scoring system, reading hundreds of reviews (including DC Rainmaker and GPLama), discussions, and tests, as well as consulting with professional cyclists and local bike enthusiasts.

If you are new to this area, you can read my guide on choosing a power meter, which will help you determine the type that best suits your needs and the features to consider when purchasing one.

What Are the Best Cycling Power Meters?

Skip to the comparison table…

A cycling power meter can take your training to the next level by providing valuable data to make your workouts more effective and precise.

It’s important to choose a power meter that fits your specific needs. Let me give you a few examples.

Pedal power meters are easy to transfer between bikes and accurate, but prone to damage (on mountain bikes). On the other hand, spider or crankset power meters are less prone to damage but harder to install.

Additionally, there are single– and dual-sided power meters. Single-sided power meters won’t provide data on L/R leg balance or power phase, and are less accurate due to the L/R leg disbalances. So, keep this in mind when making your choice.

Aim for high data accuracy, reliability, and consistency when selecting a power meter.

Before making a decision, read the “How to choose a power meter” section to learn all the necessary details to make an informed choice.

Favero Assioma RS (Best Road Bike Power Meter Overall)

Favero Assioma RS-1 scoring:
Accuracy 5/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 5/5 | Battery Life 2/5 | Price 4/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.5/5

Favero Assioma RS-2 scoring:
Accuracy 5/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 5/5 | Battery Life 2/5 | Price 2/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.3/5

After the success of the Favero Assioma UNO and DUO series, it was only a matter of time before we saw a dedicated version for the Shimano SPD-SL cleat standard. It’s finally here, and the Assioma RS pedals have immediately become one of the top pedal power meters for road bikes. In addition to their reliability and accuracy, they are particularly impressive for their very low weight, which is similar to that of Shimano Ultegra pedals. These are the lightest pedals with a power meter for road bikes.

Compared to the UNO and DUO series, they also have 10 hours longer battery life and a redesigned look. Now, the electronics are fully concealed in the axle. Of course, both single-sided and double-sided versions are available. As expected, the price has increased, but not by much, so the RS-2 remains a better deal than the Garmin Rally and is the best road bike power meter for most people.

Naturally, if you don’t mind the LOOK KEO system, the Favero Assioma UNO and DUO still remain a great choice. You can read my Assioma DUO review here for more info.

TIP: Check out my selection of the best pedal power meters.

Magene PES P505 (Best Spider Power Meter)

Accuracy 4/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 2/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Price 5/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.3/5

For a long time, I used the Magene P505, which is compatible with SRAM DUB BB. The PES is based on the P505 but brings the long-awaited compatibility with Shimano bottom brackets (24mm).

This means it’s super easy to install, and you don’t have to combine Shimano and SRAM components as I did:

PES passed GP Lama’s detailed testing recently, so it is now one of the power meters worth investing in.

It’s fully compatible with Shimano chainrings, and you can choose from multiple crank lengths (165-175mm).

Considering its affordable price, reliability, and ±1.5% accuracy, it deserves its place here.

The only drawbacks may be the relatively short, one-year warranty and the fact that it estimates the L/R balance. It can’t measure it like Assiomas.

4iiii Precision Power Meter (Best Budget Power Meter)

Accuracy 5/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 4/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Price 5/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.9/5

The 4iiii Precision power meter is the best budget option for Shimano groupset owners. They are similar to the Stages Gen 3.

The biggest disadvantage of the 4iiii power meter is that it’s only available for road Shimano groupsets (105, Ultegra, Dura-Ace, GRX, XT, and XTR), which is something to keep in mind when considering your options.

However, the 4iiii provides ±0.5% better accuracy, is more affordable, about 6g lighter, and comes with an extended warranty of 3 years.

You can choose between the single-sided option for the left crank or the dual-sided option for more accurate left/right leg data.

The 4iiii Precision 2 has a much shorter battery life than the Stages power meter. This means that you will need to replace the CR2032 battery more often. However, the 4iiii Precision 3 has an incredibly long battery life of up to 800 hours!

In July 2023, 4iiii introduced Precision 3+, which supports Apple’s Find My feature. This basically makes your power meter an AirTag. To get this feature on the ‘Precision 3’ non “+,” you have to send your crank to 4iiii for a free upgrade.

Aside from these slight differences, both power meters are a great option for beginners looking to upgrade their cycling experience.

Check out this comparison of Stages vs. 4iiii for more info on how these two companies and their power meters differ.

Stages Gen 3 Power Meter

Accuracy 4/5 | Reliability 4/5 | Ease of Installation 4/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Price 5/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.3/5

Stages and 4iiii are two popular crank arm power meter manufacturers. However, I’ve read many reports recently that Stages’ customer support is worsening. That’s why I decided to favor 4iiii and not Stages.

Stages Gen 3 power meter is available for Shimano, SRAM, or Campagnolo and road and MTB cranks. Therefore, you will likely find a Stages power meter for your groupset.

Stages power meters are also available in a dual-sided option with independent L/R readings. This provides more accurate and detailed data for each leg and can help you identify leg imbalances.

However, Stages power meters are more expensive and around ±0.5% less accurate than 4iiii.

The Stages power meter Gen 3 for Shimano Ultegra R8000 is an affordable and effective option for most beginners and advanced riders. It’s easy to install and use, but you will need additional tools like the Shimano crank cap to replace the crank.

Unfortunately, Stages Gen 3 doesn’t feature auto-zero, so it’s recommended that you set the zero offset manually before every ride.

Other advantages of Stages power meters are the long battery life and low added weight. The claimed battery life is 200h, but the actual battery life is around 180h, and the added weight is only 15g.

Stages is a good option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly, non-Shimano power meter.

Quarq DZero DUB Power Meter (Best Power Meter for Old SRAM Groupsets)

Accuracy 4/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 2/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Price 3/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.1/5

If you have an SRAM groupset, you’ve probably heard about Quarq power meters, which have excellent integration with SRAM groupsets. SRAM acquired Quarq in 2011.

NOTE: If you have a Shimano groupset, check out the Quarq DFour DUB designed for Shimano groupsets.

Compared to the SRM power meter, the Quarq DZero DUB is much more affordable while providing similar features. It can actively compensate for temperature changes, ensuring you always get accurate, consistent data regardless of temperature.

The DZero DUB is a dual-sided power meter that shows your left/right leg power outputs. It will allow you to spot any leg imbalances that you can later consult with a bike fitter or physiotherapist.

Installation of this power meter is naturally more complicated than installing power meter pedals, but even inexperienced riders can do it.

It has a claimed battery life of 200 hours, which is double the SRM power meter. Unfortunately, the battery is not rechargeable, so you will have to replace it occasionally.

The main disadvantage of this power meter is its compatibility. You must use Quarq DZero DUB crank arms and an SRAM DUB bottom bracket.

Power2Max NGeco SRAM

Accuracy 4/5 | Reliability 5/5 | Ease of Installation 2/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Price 3/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 4.1/5

The Power2Max NGeco SRAM is a power meter suitable for MTB and road groupsets. It is also affordable, making it a great choice for cyclists on a budget.

Compared to more expensive power meters such as those from SRM or Quarq, the Power2Max NGeco SRAM has a much longer battery life of 300-400 hours. This means it may last you an entire season, depending on how much you ride your bike.

The default accuracy of the Power2Max NGeco SRAM is ±2%, which is sufficient for beginners and advanced riders who don’t count every watt.

However, for serious cyclists and pros, you can pay for an upgrade to ±1% in the P2M mobile, which is worth considering.

With a system upgrade, the Power2Max NGeco SRAM can also measure your L/R balance, which provides valuable insights.

It is important to note that the power meter measures the total power output of both legs in one sensor, so it cannot measure both legs separately. Nonetheless, it can calculate the L/R balance, assuming that the pulling force on the pedal is almost negligible.

The Power2Max NGeco SRAM also has an auto-zero feature, so you do not have to worry about setting the zero offset before every ride.

Moreover, the power meter actively compensates for temperature changes once you stop pedaling for more than 2 seconds, ensuring that you always get accurate data that is not affected by temperature.

One downside of the Power2Max NGeco SRAM is its limited compatibility. You cannot fit it on SRAM 1X 40T chainrings and SRAM Red cranksets*.

*The 4-bolt 110 Shimano bolt circle diameter (BCD) is available.

Considering its price, the Power2Max NGeco SRAM is an excellent power meter that is hard to beat.

Honorable Mentions

Garmin Rally pedal power meters are a significant upgrade over the previous Garmin Vectors. They are available for Shimano and Look cleats and for road and MTB.

However, they are more expensive than the Favero Assioma DUO and UNO, making them appealing only to Garmin fans and those already in the Garmin ecosystem. I recommend reading my Rally vs. Assioma comparison for more details.

And finally, Wahoo POWRLINK is the only pedal power meter suitable for Wahoo SPEEDPLAY.

Which Power Meters to Avoid?

I recommend avoiding Shimano power meters (Dura-Ace R9100 and R9200). This is based on several independent reviews (GPLama, DC Rainmaker, and many others).

Although we can see these power meters in the pro peloton, the only reason is that Shimano sponsors the teams.

Their power meters are unreliable; even the pro teams don’t want to use them because professional riders need accurate and reliable power meters.

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Power Meters	Type	Accuracy	L/R Measurement	Weight	Buy	Accuracy	Reliability	Ease of Installation	Battery Life	Price	Weighted Score
Favero Assioma RS-1	Pedal	±1%	Dual-sided	249g (set)	Check Price	5	5	5	2	2	4.3
Favero Assioma RS-2	Pedal	±1%	Single-sided	250g (set)	Check Price	5	5	5	2	4	4.5
4iiii Precision Power Meter	Crank arm	±1%	Single-sided	9g	Check Price	5	5	4	5	5	4.9
4iiii Precision Power Meter Dual-sided	Crankset	±1%	Dual-sided	694g	Check Price	5	5	3	5	2	4.4
Magene PES P505	Spider	±1.5%	Dual-sided	650g	Check Price	4	5	2	5	5	4.3
Stages Gen 3	Crank arm	±1.5%	Single-sided	15g	Check Price	4	4	4	5	5	4.3
Quarq DZero DUB Power Meter (SRAM)	Spider	±1.5%	Dual-sided	125g (spider only)	Check Price	4	5	2	5	3	4.1
power2max NGeco SRAM	Spider	±2%	Dual-sided	160/172g (110/130 BCD)	Check Price	4	5	2	5	3	4.1

List of the best power meters for road and mountain bikes with info about their type, accuracy rate, L/R leg measurement, and weight. The power meters are scored based on this power meter scoring system.

My Verdict

Favero Assioma RS-1 and RS-2 are the best cycling power meters for most non-professional riders. They are easy to set up, accurate (±1%), reliable, and affordable.

4iiii Precision 3 is the best budget crank-arm-based power meter. It’s accurate (±1%), reliable, and has a long battery life (800h). Unfortunately, it’s only available for Shimano cranks, unlike Stages.

And finally, Magene PES P505 is the best value spider power meter for Shimano owners. It’s available with multiple chainring options (or without them) and crank lengths, and it boasts 200 hours of battery life and reliability.

I recommend reading the following section to learn more about power meter features.

How to Choose a Power Meter?

This buyer’s guide is a condensed version of my comprehensive power meter guide.

It offers the most important information about bike power meters, also known as watt meters, to help you make an informed purchasing decision.

I excluded some details to keep this article concise. I suggest reading the full guide to learn more about power meters and their benefits.

Power Meter Type

There are various types of power meters, including pedal-based, crank arm-based, bottom bracket-based, and more.

Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. I summarized them in the table below.

Power Meter Type	Pros	Cons
Pedal	• Easily transferable between bikes • Compatible with almost any bike (assuming you use it with a particular bike type) • Easy to set up • Very accurate • Can measure both legs independently	• Prone to mechanical damage (clipping in, crashes, etc.) • High added (rotating) weight (assuming you have lighter pedals)
Crank Arm	• Low added (rotating) weight • Very accurate • More affordable	• Not easily transferable between bikes (unless both bikes use the same cranks) • Limited components compatibility • Can’t measure both legs independently (unless you use dual-sided crank arm power meters)
Spider	• Low added (rotating) weight • Very accurate • Reliable	• Limited components compatibility • Less affordable • Not easy to set up
Bottom Bracket	• Low added (rotating) weight • Very accurate • Reliable • Protected against mechanical damage	• Limited components compatibility • Complicated installation • Not easily transferable between bikes
Handlebar	• No added (rotating) weight • Easily transferable between bikes • Compatible with virtually any bike	• Less accurate • Require attaching other sensors (speed + cadence) to your bike • Prone to damage when crashing • Can’t detect cadence
Hub	• No added (rotating) weight • Easily transferable between bikes (assuming the bikes use the same wheels)	• Require replacing your current hubs or buying a whole wheelset • Can be heavier than your current hubs

The pros & cons of power meter types compared
Sources: powermetercity.com, GC Performance, discussions with pro cyclists

What type of power meter is best?

Pedal power meters are among the most popular power meters for amateur cyclists. They are popular because they are accurate, versatile, easy to set up, and transferable between bikes.

However, pro and serious cyclists mostly ride crank arm and spider power meters because of their low added rotating weight, data consistency, and reliability (and brand sponsorships).

Compatibility & Versatility

Compatibility and versatility are critical factors when choosing a power meter, especially if you have multiple bikes and want to use one bike watt meter on all of them.

Compatibility refers to whether a power meter is compatible with your bike’s components, such as cranks, bottom bracket, and frame. Versatility refers to the ability to use a power meter on multiple bikes.

For example, road bike pedal power meters are compatible with any road bike and are easily transferable between bikes due to standardized pedal threads. Conversely, spider or bottom bracket power meters are less compatible and versatile.

Data Accuracy & Consistency

All bicycle power meters have a claimed accuracy rating in percentage, such as ±1%. Most power meters today have an accuracy rating between ±1% to ±3%.

If you are not a pro or data accuracy enthusiast, a super-accurate power meter may not be necessary. Power variations are not as significant in lower power zones. Refer to the table below.

Accuracy Rate / Power Output	250W	500W	1000W
0.5%	248.8-251.3	497.5-502.5	502.5-1005
1%	247.5-252.5	495-505	990-1010
1.5%	246.3-253.8	492.5-507.5	985-1015
2%	245-255	490-510	980-1020
2.5%	243.8-256.3	487.5-512.5	975-1025
3%	242.5-257.5	485-515	970-1030

Power meter accuracy for specific accuracy rate (0.5%, 1%…) and power output (250W, 500W, 1000W)

It would be best to look for a data-consistent power meter. This means that it measures data consistently across multiple conditions, such as on different bikes, in varying temperatures and altitudes, etc.

Data consistency is crucial for effective training and tracking your overall progression. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not always provide consistent data, so it is best to rely on in-depth reviews and data analysis.

You can learn more about this topic in my Power Meter Accuracy and Consistency article.

Left/Right Leg Measurement

NOTE: If you use a single-sided power meter during single-leg drills, you get zero power readings for the opposite leg.
Read the pros & cons of dual and single-sided power meters if you don’t know which one to choose.

Dual-sided power meters can provide valuable information, but knowing how to use that data is important.

Some cyclists may be concerned about their left-right leg balance. However, there’s no need to worry if your imbalance is around 48:52 and you don’t experience any issues.

If you do experience discomfort or pain and you notice a significant left-right imbalance, it’s a good idea to seek advice from a professional such as a bike fitter or physiotherapist.

To learn more about this topic, I recommend this article by TrainingPeaks or watching the following video by TrainerRoad.

Weight

Certain power meters have a greater rotating weight than others. For instance, pedal power meters are heavier than crank arm power meters.

Depending on your preferences, weight can be a factor to consider when selecting a power meter.

If you choose a crank arm-based power meter that adds 10-25g, you probably won’t detect the difference.

However, some spider power meters can add hundreds of grams (compared to your current components), so keep that in mind.

Battery Type & Battery Life

*Power Meter City tested the battery life of single-use and rechargeable power meter batteries and found that single-use batteries lasted 230 hours on average. In comparison, rechargeable ones lasted only 140 hours.

If you ride for 7 hours a week, and the battery in your power meter lasts for 140 hours, you can ride for 4 months without recharging or replacing the battery.

So, the battery life of a power meter shouldn’t be a big concern when you’re buying one. However, if it is important to you, the chart below shows the battery life of the power meters mentioned in this article.

Zero-Offset vs. Calibration

Automatic zero-offset is common on advanced and higher-end power meters.

You can learn more in my in-depth article on zero-offset vs. calibration.

Q Factor, Spindle, and Stance Width

It’s important to distinguish between the Q factor, spindle width, and stance width when buying power meters.

Pedal power meters don’t affect the Q factor but may affect spindle and stance width. Crankset power meters may affect the Q factor depending on your current crankset.

If power meter pedals have a wider spindle width than your current pedals, it could cause bike fit issues. Always double-check the spindle width of pedal power meters before buying.

To learn more about choosing power meter pedals, read this article.

Brand

Depending on your preference, the brand may or may not play a role when deciding what power meter to buy.

What Power Meters Do Pros Use?

The following table summarizes the power meter brands that pro cycling teams use.

Team	Power Meter
Alpecin – Deceuninck	Shimano
Arkéa – B&B Hotels	FSA
Bahrain – Victorious	Shimano
Cofidis	Look
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team	Shimano
EF Education – EasyPost	Power2Max
Groupama – FDJ	Shimano
INEOS Grenadiers	Shimano
Intermarché – Wanty	Shimano
Lidl – Trek	SRAM
Movistar Team	SRAM
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe	SRAM
Soudal Quick-Step	Shimano
Team Jayco AlUla	Shimano
Team Picnic PostNL	Shimano
Team Visma | Lease a Bike	SRAM
UAE Team Emirates – XRG	Shimano
XDS Astana Team	Shimano

An overview of World Tour cycling teams and the power meter brands they use in the 2025 season.

Power Meters FAQ