New Garmin Rally power meter series with SPD compatibility – Garmin announces Vector 3 power meter successor
Hot on the heels of the Wahoo Speedplay (read review here) and the POWRLINK ZERO power meter, Garmin follow suit and present the successor to the Vector series – the Garmin Rally family. The highlight of the three new models has to be the off-road worthy, SPD compatible Rally XC power meter pedals. In our gravel bike buyer’s guide, we discuss choosing the right pedal for your gravel bike. The large range of shoes with SPD cleats that can also be used for the occasional hike-a-bike is an undeniable advantage of the SPD system. Unfortunately, until now power meter pedals hadn’t catered to that fact. That’s unfortunate given that power meters can provide much more information than a heart rate monitor, making them an interesting proposition to more than just gravel pros. Newbies can also benefit from precise measurements to get feedback during long rides and maintain a suitable power output without pushing themselves too hard. On top of that, we see the pedals as almost predestined for bikepacking use. When it comes to covering huge distances day after day, it’s important to ride at the right intensity and not exceed your limits.
The new Garmin Rally series in detail
The Garmin Rally series is available in three different models, each with either single-sided or dual-sided power measurement. The Garmin Rally XC100 pedals have an SPD mechanism, measure power in the left pedal, weigh 444 g and cost € 699. The Garmin Rally XC200 pedals offer dual-sided measurement and cost €1,199. If you already have Garmin power meter pedal axles you can also purchase the pedal body as a conversion kit for € 249. All Garmin power meter axles are compatible across Garmin’s power meter pedals and easy to swap out. Alongside the SPD pedals, Garmin also offer a power meter for the LOOK KEO cleat and, also new, the SPD-SL cleat. The Garmin Rally RK100 pedals for the LOOK Keo system offer left-sided measurement, weigh 326 g and cost € 649. The Rally RK200 dual-sided power meter costs € 1,099, while the pedal body conversion kit is available for € 199. The Garmin Rally RS100 and RS200 are compatible with the SPD-SL system and also cost € 649 for single-sided and € 1,099 for dual-sided measurement. Likewise, the conversion kit costs € 199.
The pedals have a Q-factor of 53 mm which can be extended to 55 mm with spacers. A unique feature is that the pedal axles of the Rally are identical to the previous Vector 3, making the new pedals backwards compatible. That said, the new Rally axles are claimed to offer improved battery life thanks to updated data transmission. Nonetheless, the battery duration for the new power meter is also quoted as 120 hours, which is the same as the claimed run time of the Vector 3 power meter.
The pedals transmit data via ANT+, Garmin’s proprietary but open standard, as well as Bluetooth, and will last for 120 hours of use. The power meter can be used with a variety of platforms including the Tacx Training app, Zwift, TrainerRoad and your home trainer. Data can be uploaded to the Garmin Connect portal or exported to Strava and TrainingPeaks. Additionally, the pedals are embedded into Garmin’s ecosystem and can communicate with compatible Edge bike computers and the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.
The 100 models provide left-sided power and cadence measurement only. The 200 series dual-sided power meters can provide more detailed analysis in Garmin’s Cycling Dynamics like left/right balance or power phase. The dual-sided power meter can also determine the time spent in or out of the saddle, providing even more detailed analysis of the efficiency of your ride.
The new Garmin Rally series will be of particular interest to gravel enthusiasts. Finally, there’s a long-overdue option for an SPD-compatible power meter pedal. The high level of compatibility between pedal bodies, the old Vector 3 axle and all current home trainers and apps, demonstrates that Garmin want to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. We’re excited to measure our performance on the gravel bike and provide you with a full review as soon as possible.
For more information visit garmin.com.
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Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Garmin
About the Author
Rudolf Fischer
In his previous life Rudolf was a dab hand at promoting innovation, putting his brain behind big-ticket patent assessments that easily ran into six-or-seven-plus figures. These days, the self-confessed data nerd’s role as editor at DOWNTOWN and E-MOUNTAINBIKE is no less exciting. Given his specialism in connectivity, Rudolf’s often placed on the front line of future mobility conversations, but he’s also big into testing new bikes–both on the daily as a committed commuter and intensively for our group tests. The business economist graduate is as versatile as a Swiss penknife, and that’s no hyperbole. Away from two wheels, his background in parkour means he’s a master of front, side and backflips, plus he speaks German, English, French, Russian and a touch of Esperanto. Japanese remains woefully unmastered, despite his best home-learning attempts. Good to know: Rudolf’s sharp tongue has made him a figure of fear in the office, where he’s got a reputation for flexing a dry wittiness à la Ricky Gervais... interestingly, he's usually the one laughing hardest.
