Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally: Which Ones to Buy?

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This is my comparison of Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally pedal power meters.

I’ve been using Assioma DUO for more than a year now. I use them as a baseline for most power meter and smart trainer tests. They have proven to be highly accurate and reliable among cyclists worldwide.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test Garmin Rally’s in-depth yet. But I did the research to explain their differences, pros & cons, and help you decide which one to choose.

The main difference between Favero Assioma and Garmin Rally is that the Favero Assioma power meter pedals have shorter battery life (50h vs. 120h) and are compatible with the LOOK Keo cleat standard. Unlike Rally, there are no SPD or SPD-SL conversion kits for Favero Assioma, only DUO-SHI spindles for SPD-SL with a longer Q-factor. On the other hand, Assioma are more affordable than Garmin Rally.

Continue reading to learn more.

Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally: The Basics

Here is the summary of the main differences between Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally.

Let me now explain them in depth.

Favero Assioma Lineup Explained

Favero Assioma’s lineup is simpler than Garmin Rally’s. They come in the following options:

• Favero Assioma UNO (single-sided power meter for LOOK Keo)
• Favero Assioma DUO (dual-sided power meter for LOOK Keo)
• Favero Assioma DUO-SHI (dual-sided power meter spindles for Shimano SPD SL)

You can also buy an upgrade pedal later if you have UNO and want to get the DUO.

Garmin Rally Lineup Explained

Garmin Rally are a little more complicated than Assioma. They include:

• RS100 and RS200 pedals compatible with the Shimano SPD-SL cleat type
• RK100 and RK200 pedals compatible with the LOOK Keo cleat type
• XC100 and XC200 pedals compatible with the Shimano SPD cleat type

The number ‘100’ means the power meter is single-sided, while the ‘200’ is dual-sided. To decide which one to choose, read my comparison of single-sided and dual-sided power meters.

But that’s not all. You can also buy conversion kits to make XC200 from the RS200 and vice versa (all combinations are possible).

Additionally, Garmin sells upgrade kits to make dual-sided power meters from single-sided ones like Favero.

Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally Features Comparison

Below, I compare the main features of both power meters more in-depth. 

Physical Dimensions & Weight

Both pedal power meters differ in their design. Garmin wins here because their Rally pedals are sleeker and look better integrated than Assiomas. See the following pictures:

The weight depends mainly on the pedal type you choose. For example, Rally XC100 are heavier than Rally RK100 or RS100. The weight of Rally pedals ranges from 326g up to 455g.

Favero Assioma pedals are lighter. They weigh 299g. If you use the DUO-SHI spindles (198g) with the Shimano Ultegra pedals body, you get to a weight of around 315g.

The Assioma’s Q-factor is 54mm, and Rally have 53mm (55mm with provided 2mm washer). So, basically the same.

But the Favero Assioma DUO-SHI have a Q-factor of 64-65mm. So this will affect how far away your legs will be and your cornering ability.

Then, there is the stack height. It goes as follows:

• Favero Assioma: 10.5mm
• Garmin Rally RS: 12.2mm
• Garmin Rally XC: 13.5mm
• Garmin Rally RK: 12.2mm

For comparison, PowerTap P1 pedals have a stack height of 14mm.

So, depending on your sensibility for minor changes, you may need to compensate for the saddle height.

Ease of Setup

Pedal power meters are popular thanks to their ease of setup and use. 

Assioma pedals come with an included 8mm hex wrench. However, for Rallys, you will need a 15mm pedal wrench, which is not included.

Double-check the crank arm length in the app to ensure accurate data once you pair them with the dedicated apps and sensors.

Setting up both power meters is easy (much easier than spider power meters, for example), so it’s a draw here.

Data Accuracy & Reliability

I’ve already reviewed Favero Assioma DUO. My testing didn’t show any significant issues. I use Assioma DUO as a benchmark for other non-pedal-based power meters and smart trainers tests.

You can also check out this review by Shane Miller, who came to a similar conclusion.

Based on multiple expert reviews and reviews in online stores, the Garmin Rally have lower customer satisfaction.

If they work, they work well, but it seems many units simply don’t provide the required results.

You can read many discussions of people online that their Rally pedals are not reliable. This is manifested, for example, by connection drops or inaccuracy.

You won’t find as many complaints when you do the same research for Favero Assioma.

Another thing worth mentioning is that Favero Assioma doesn’t offer platform center offset metrics like Rally, which can help reveal your bike fit issues.

Battery Life

It is tempting to declare Garmin Rally winner because they have more than twice as long claimed battery life. 

However, the catch is that its battery is not rechargeable. This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest downsides of Rallys, considering their price.

So, whether you prefer longer battery life or convenience, you can lean toward Assioma or Rally.

I prefer the convenience of recharging the battery and not paying additional operating costs, although marginal ones.

Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally Pros & Cons Summary

I summarized the pros & cons of both power meters below.

Favero Assioma vs. Garmin Rally FAQ

My Verdict

Based on my experience, the winner for most road cyclists are Favero Assioma DUO because of their unmatched price-value ratio, accuracy, and reliability. 

Their only downsides are the LOOK Keo compatibility and shorter battery life. But thanks to the rechargeable battery, it’s not a big issue.

However, Garmin Rally with the conversion kits might be a better choice if you want to use a power meter on different bikes (e.g., on a road, gravel, and MTB).

But as always, it also depends on your riding style. For example, mountain bikers might prefer crank or spider power meters because they are less prone to rock strikes than pedals.

Favero Assioma also can’t match Garmin Rally’s number of options and convertibility. But remember that the Rally conversion kits are not exactly cheap, so the overall price for having two power meters is pretty high.

Do you agree with my take on the Garmin Rally vs. Favero Assioma? Let me know in the comments.

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