In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
The fact that the Look Keo Blade Power is equipped with power measurement is invisible. The Look pedals look like normal pedals and, at 134 grams, are even lighter than many pedals without power measurement - extreme miniaturisation of the electronics makes this possible.
Look Keo Blade Power: Charging time two hours
Only the two contacts at the end of the axle and the plastic cover of the status LED indicate the electronic inner workings. The pedals are fitted with a permanently installed rechargeable battery, which should provide 60 hours of battery life (140 mAh). The charging port is magnetic. The proprietary plugs have USB-C sockets and fit any USB power supply; the charging time is two hours. Look does not supply a power supply unit, but USB-C ports are a dime a dozen. According to Look, the pedals, which measure on both sides, have an accuracy of +/-1 per cent and are waterproof (IPX7 standard, impermeable in the event of brief immersion). A needle bearing and a deep groove ball bearing are used as bearings. The pedal body and individual parts are interchangeable. The measuring unit and battery are permanently installed in the axle.
The pedals are descendants of the well-known Blade series, whose main feature is that a carbon plate generates the spring tension for locking the cleats. The lightweight spring is a key to the mini weight. But the other ingredients are also weight-optimised. The Look Keo Power Blade have hollow steel axles, a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body with stainless steel supports and weigh 134 grams each. For comparison: the lightest race version of the Blade model without power measurement comes in at 95 grams with a titanium axle.
Crisp clicking in and out of the power meter pedals
Clicking in and out is crisp as usual with the Blade Power. We measured a release torque of 16 Nm, which is a sporty value that rules out accidental release, but also requires a courageous twist of the heel to release the foot. The release torque is not adjustable, but 12 or 20 Nm are also possible by changing the carbon spring plate.
When getting on, it is sometimes annoying that the pedal does not always hang down with the rear. The pedal body is too light to reliably overcome the friction of the seals. This makes it difficult to step onto the pedal blindly.
At 10.8 mm, the height of the Blade Power is 2.3 millimetres higher than the Blade without power measurement. However, this dimension is still so low that the greater height is not very noticeable. The width of the pedal does not differ from the model without measurement technology. The distance from the crank eye to the centre of the pedal is 53 mm.
Look Keo Blade Power: This data is displayed
But now to the essentials: What data do the Look pedals provide? Basically just the power basics, which are also the most relevant data. The data streams show power, power distribution left/right and cadence (also for oval blades; Look analyses the instantaneous values of the rotational movement). Look does not offer any other data for pedalling analysis, such as Garmin's Cycling Dynamics.
Fitting the power meter pedals
Installation is simple: the pedals are tightened using a 15 mm open-end spanner. Look recommends a minimum tightening torque of 30 Nm. With a long pedal spanner, you can easily achieve these values. Checking the torque, on the other hand, is not easy because a special adapter is required for the torque spanner.
After pairing the pedals with the computer - in our case a Wahoo Bolt the pedals can be used within seconds. Plug & Play! However, more effort is required for the best accuracy. Look recommends riding a few short, hard pedals after fitting and only then setting the zero point. That's how we do it. As a reference, we choose a Power2max crank with +/- 1% accuracy. Right from the start, the pedals and cranks deliver extremely similar values. In the range up to 400 watts, Look is 4-5 watts ahead of the crank power meter, whereby the gap tends to narrow towards high power levels. Only in the sprint does the difference increase again slightly, the peak values of the pedals are higher than those of the cranks, but the average values of the sprint are within the 1% tolerance.
Comparison with Favero pedals
For comparison, we also measured the Favero pedals against the cranks. In the endurance range, Favero and Power2max are almost identical, with a difference of only 1-2 watts; in sprinting, the Favero pedals respond more dynamically than the cranks, similar to Look. Of course, we can't say which power meter is the most accurate. However, the cross tests suggest that the proclaimed +/-1% tolerance is maintained.
After removing and refitting the Look pedals with deliberately slightly lower tightening torque, the gap between Look and Power2max increased to over ten watts at 200 watts pedalling power. Keeping the tightening torque sufficiently high is obviously important in order to measure accurately. Starting as hard as possible before the final zero also increases the accuracy. We measured a difference of just under two watts between zeros after 500 watts of pedalling and after 900 watts of pedalling.
Look Keo Blade Power: Test summary
We take the pedals for several rides - both indoors and outdoors - and always come to similar conclusions: The Blade Power work without any dropouts or abnormalities. However, a few hours of riding is not a long-term test. We are also unable to make any statements about the battery life.
After a first impression, the Power Blade stands out from its predecessor Exakt - a pedal that Look developed together with power pioneer SRM - in a positive way: at 999 euros, they are only half the price, assembly has become dramatically easier and the new pedals are lighter and flatter than the old model.
The direct competition to the Power Blade comes primarily from Favero and Garmin. Both pedals performed well in tests. Favero's Assioma has also proven itself in long-term tests over the years as a good and affordable power meter (678 euros), but is somewhat heavier than its Look counterpart. Like the Look pedals, Garmin's Rally costs 999 euros, is heavier but offers more insight into pedalling (Cycling Dynamics). In terms of weight, the Wahoo Powrlink Zero comes into the Look region, but the cleats are heavier; overall, the Wahoo system is therefore heavier.
Look also offers the Power Blade for one-sided measurement. This option costs 659 euros (only the left pedal contains measuring technology). However, TOUR advises against the one-sided measurement, as the accuracy is much worse in one go, as the legs are rarely equally strong and the balance can also change. Measuring devices that do not measure accurately are of little value in the long term.
An MTB version with the same axle but a different pedal body is also available. A three-year warranty rounds off the performance package of the new Look powermeters. Firmware updates and data display are possible via the rather spartan Look Cycle app.
Look Keo Blade Power in the test: strengths & weaknesses
- Plus: Lightweight, accurate, 3-year guarantee
- Minus: Trigger voltage not adjustable, data volume lower than with Garmin
Technical data of the Look Keo Blade Power
- Display: Power/cadence/balance
- Battery life: 60 hours, built-in battery (140 mAh)
- Cleat type: Kéo
- Q-factor: 53 mm
- Weight: 134 g plus 32 g cleats/piece = 166 g system weight per pedal
- Overall height: 10.8 mm
- App: Look Cycle
- Connectivity: BT/ANT+
- Release moment: 16 Nm (measured)
- Freedom of rotation: stiff, 0°, 4.5°, 9° depending on plate type
- Tightening torque pedals: 30 Nm
- Charging cable: USB-C
