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Power meters track how hard you pedal. They record performance data that can then be used for performance diagnostics and to understand your own performance. This can have a positive effect on your training progress. We tested 4 power meters.
SRM Origin
- Design: Crank spider powermeter
The ninth generation of power meter pioneer SRM has a modular design: The measuring spider can be combined with bottom bracket shafts in 29 mm (SRAM DUB) or 30 mm. There is also a choice of different blades. This means that (with bottom bracket swap for Shimano) all common groupsets can be covered - SRAM AXS-compatible cranks are also available. Our test sample has very light Cybrei carbon cranks (160-175 mm) and aluminium blades. This puts the system weight at a very good 652 grams. In a cross-comparison with Favero pedals, the SRM power meter shows identical values in terms of watts, from easy pedalling to riding at the limit. For the first time, SRM has dispensed with the magnet for recording the cadence. This means that egg sheets can now also be correctly analysed with SRM, and installation has also become easier. The internal battery is charged via a magnetic plug. The power meter is picky when it comes to connectivity; among our test devices, it was only able to connect to the SRM PC8 computer, but according to the manufacturer, it should be compatible with all ANT+ and BT computers.
- Price: 2299 Euro (with cranks)
- Weight: 652 grammes
- Crank length: 170 mm
- Chainring: 52/36
+ light, precise, modular
- Connectivity
Sram Red AXS
- Design: Crank spider powermeter
577 grams for the power measurement crank of the Red groupset is unrivalled in its lightness. The price to be paid for the weight: the measurement technology is permanently installed in the double chainring. This saves Sram screws and interfaces. However, the consistent lightweight construction can be expensive. If one of the rings is worn out, the whole unit goes in the bin. If this bothers you, you will find an alternative in the Force AXS crank, where the spider and chainrings can be separated. The power comes from a button cell. In the test, the power meter showed values around 4 to 5 per cent higher than two pairs of Favero pedals used for calibration. We can therefore say with a good degree of certainty that the Red power meter exaggerates discreetly. Sram specifies +/-1.5 per cent accuracy. Apart from that, the data quality is good.
- Price: 1375 Euro (with cranks) >> available here
- Weight: 577 grammes
- Crank length: 172.5 mm
- Chainring: 48/35
+ Extremely light
- Accuracy out of specification, one-piece "disposable" powermeter
Shimano Dura-Ace 9200
- Design: Crank powermeter, double-sided
Shimano offers its top-of-the-range Dura-Ace groupset with an optional crank power meter. Good in principle: The cranks are an important part of the design language and, together with the corresponding blades, ensure outstanding shifting comfort. However, although Shimano goes to great lengths to determine the deformation of the cranks by means of 24 subsequently applied strain gauges, the raw measurement signal is still faulty, with the small blade in particular showing excessive values - around 13 watts offset in our rides. The values can only be corrected by pairing them with the circuit so that the power meter knows when the small blade is in use. After the correction, the deviation on both reeds is halved and the Dura-Ace now shows less power than the reference unit. The signal filtering could also be improved. There are occasional dropouts. The magnet for recording the cadence is also no longer up to date, meaning that the cadence cannot be resolved very finely. However, the measurement is temperature-stable.
- Price: 1449 Euro
- Weight: 738 grammes
- Crank length: 172.5 mm
- Chainring: 52/36
+ Invisible integration, very good switching function
- Usable values only with software tricks
Sram Rival DUB Wide
- Design: Crank power meter, one-sided
One of the cheapest ways to retrofit a power meter is to measure on one side only. Sram offers left-hand cranks with a shaft for this purpose, with the power measurement invisible in the aluminium shaft. Power is supplied by a AAA lithium battery, which should last 400 hours and can be replaced by the user. The Rival power meter performed flawlessly in the test. The fact that there are measurement deviations of 13 watts on average is due to the one-sided measurement. In principle, the crank measures precisely, which we were able to confirm by pedalling on one leg. The left-hand Rival crank for retrofitting is available in lengths from 160 to 175 millimetres, market prices are around 220 euros. Sram charges 380 euros for the complete crankset. The single-leg upgrade is also available for the Force groupset (compatible with single and double drivetrains, 367 euros).
- Price: 274 Euro >> available here
- Weight: 359 grams, left crank arm with shaft
+ Measures left leg precisely, long battery life
- One-sided measurement
This is how we tested
For this test, we relied entirely on numerous comparison rides - both indoors and outdoors, with two to three devices running in parallel. A Wahoo Kickr smart trainer was used for the comparison in order to be able to compare under controlled conditions. In addition to performance in the endurance range up to 400 watts, we also tested starts and sprints up to 1,000 watts. A "majority opinion" crystallised in the cross-comparison: The Spider power meter from SRM and several pedals from Favero display identical values for one to three watts. These are almost identical to a Power2max device that has long served as a reference. We had four pedals from Favero for comparison that were within one to three watts of each other (in the 150-400 watt range) - that's amazingly accurate. Pedals that have been in use for years show the same values as new devices. An accuracy of +/-1 per cent seems plausible.
