For many cyclists, the idea of pedal-based power meters is very appealing. Easily transferable from one bike to the next, the pedals allow for the use of any wheel combination and multiple bikes. Xpedo attracted a lot of attention when they introduced their first power meter pedal at the Taipei Show called the Thrust e. Now offering more information including price, riders can decide if the Thrust e is right for their power needs…
Weighing in at 175g per pedal without the battery, the pedals should be very close to the claimed weight of 385g per pair with the batteries installed. Each pedal uses a removable but micro-USB rechargeable battery which should provide around 120 hours of use per charge. The 6061 forged aluminum body runs on a chromoly spindle with 3 cartridge bearings.
The pedals are designed around Xpedo’s Thrust 7 cleats (0 or 6 degree float) but are also Look Keo compatible. ANT+ compatible, the pedals offer a +/- 2% accuracy and must be recalibrated every time they are installed on a bike. Fortunately the calibration seems fairly simple and includes first putting just the shoe on the pedal to zero out the weight, and then positioning the crank at the 12 0’clock position to calibrate the axle orientation for cadence.
At $1100 for a pair the pedals might not be as cheap as many were expecting, but they still are priced low enough to give many power meters a run for their money. For now…
