Garmin Rally XC110 Power Meter Pedals Review 2026: Off-Road Cleats, Road-Grade Power Data
Most triathlon power meter reviews focus on road-cleat pedals, but the Garmin Rally XC110 is built around SPD-style, recessed cleats instead — the same style used on gravel, cyclocross and mountain bikes. That sounds like a niche choice until you think about T2: walking or running in a recessed cleat is far less awkward than clip-clopping across transition in a road cleat, which is exactly why some triathletes choose this pedal over Garmin’s road-cleat Rally RS models.
Key Specs
- Single-sensing power — measures power and cadence from the left pedal spindle only, claimed accuracy within ±1%.
- Weight — around 444g for the pair, reasonable for a power meter pedal given the sealed, all-metal construction.
- Battery life — rechargeable, up to 90 hours per charge, with a 15-minute quick-charge giving roughly 12 hours of ride time.
- Pedal IQ — Garmin’s smart calibration system, which prompts you to recalibrate based on temperature and usage patterns rather than making you remember to do it manually.
- Upgrade path — starts as single-sensing, but you can add a second sensing pedal later to upgrade to dual-sided power without replacing the whole system.
Why Triathletes Might Choose This Over a Road-Cleat Power Meter
The obvious use case is athletes who train and race on a gravel or adventure bike as a secondary training tool, but the transition-comfort argument is the more triathlon-specific one: SPD-style cleats are recessed into the sole, so you can actually run in your cycling shoes if you need to during T1/T2 without the sliding, clicking mess of road cleats on tarmac. It’s a trade-off — SPD pedals generally offer a smaller platform and slightly less power transfer efficiency than a dedicated road pedal — but for age-groupers who prioritise a clean transition over marginal wattage, it’s a reasonable swap.
Being an off-road-style pedal, the sealed body is also built to shrug off mud and grit, which matters less on a pristine TT bike but is genuinely useful if your “second bike” for brick sessions is a gravel or winter trainer.
Buying Tips
- Make sure your triathlon shoes accept SPD-style two-bolt cleats before buying — most road tri shoes use a three-bolt road cleat system instead.
- If you want power on both legs from day one, budget for the XC200 dual-sensing version instead of buying a single XC110 and upgrading later — it works out slightly cheaper than buying twice.
- Pair with a compatible head unit (Garmin Edge or equivalent ANT+/Bluetooth computer) to actually see the data — the pedals themselves have no display.
Care and Maintenance
Keep the charging port cap seated properly after every charge to maintain the pedal’s weatherproofing, and recalibrate before key sessions even with Pedal IQ active. Clean grit out of the cleat mechanism regularly if you’re riding off-road, as it’s the main cause of inconsistent engagement over time.
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