The Magene PES P515 is a competitively priced, spider-based power meter offering reliable accuracy and broad compatibility after user calibration, though it requires careful installation and may have minor connectivity or support issues.
Pros
- Competitive price point ($299-£250 range)
- Excellent repeatability and precision after calibration
- Easy installation as direct replacement for Shimano cranksets
- Good stiffness comparable to Shimano Ultegra
Cons
- Requires user calibration for optimal accuracy (reads 4-5% high out of box)
- Proprietary crank interface limits upgrade options
- Some compatibility issues requiring spacers on certain frames
- Potential creaking or loose play if not properly installed
Key Facts
- Spider-based power meter with 24mm steel spindle
- 110mm 4-bolt BCD compatible with Shimano chainrings
- Claimed accuracy of ±1% with active temperature compensation
Reviews & Ratings
The reviewer mentions the Magene PES P515 Power Meter Set briefly as part of Magene's product lineup, noting it's an entry-level power meter with an attractive price point.
AI Summary
Pros
- Attractive price point
- Good entry into power meter business
The reviewer tests and reviews the Magene PES515 power meter, which is a spider-based power meter that comes with a PES crankset. They detail the unboxing, installation on a bike with a Shimano groupset, and extensive testing against other power meters. The reviewer notes the initial accuracy was off by 4-5% compared to their reference pedals, but after applying a calibration offset in the app, it showed excellent precision and repeatability. They conclude it is a very affordable option that requires some user calibration to achieve accuracy.
AI Summary
Pros
- Super affordable at $299 including cranks and shipping
- Excellent repeatability and precision
- Natively compatible with a 24mm axle and four-bolt Shimano spacing spider, making installation super easy
- Uses a rechargeable battery (compared to coin cell batteries)
- Plug-and-play with existing Shimano chainrings, improving shifting performance
- Includes a standard 24mm aluminum crankset
- Has Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity
- Claimed accuracy of +/-1% and battery life of 330 hours
Cons
- Not lightweight; carries a weight penalty (total weight with chainrings ~653g)
- Initial accuracy required calibration; it read 4-5% higher than reference pedals out of the box
- No longer the cheapest power meter on the market due to new competitors
- Requires user calibration to match other power meters, not ready out-of-the-box for those expecting perfection
- Uses a USB-A charging cable instead of USB-C
The reviewer purchased the Magene PES P515 power meter crankset from AliExpress for £225 to improve their winter training. They were greatly impressed with the results and found no downsides. The reviewer found installation straightforward as a direct replacement for their Shimano Ultegra crankset. They tested the power meter's performance against Wahoo Powrlink dual-sided pedals and found the data to be accurate, consistent, and reliable, though it read slightly higher. The crank stiffness was comparable to Ultegra, and the shifting performance of the chainrings was very good, nearly matching Shimano's gold standard. The reviewer concludes it scores really well, especially considering its significantly lower price compared to competitors.
AI Summary
Pros
- Cost just £225 (significantly cheaper than competitors)
- Greatly impressed with the results
- Found no downsides
- Very nicely presented
- Looks good
- Very high quality machining
- Easy to install (straight swap for Shimano)
- Stiffness is as good as Shimano Ultegra (no difference when sprinting or climbing)
- Shift performance of the chainrings is very good and the same as Shimano
- Power data is accurate, consistent, and reliable
- Tracks very closely with Wahoo pedals during testing
- Consistency of data is very good
- Provides accurate and repeatable power readings
Cons
- PES branding is quite bold and could be an issue for some people
- Not the best branding
- Initial concerns about the non-drive side crank arm having only one pinch bolt (vs. Shimano's two)
- Reads a bit higher than the Wahoo power meter pedals used for comparison
- Doesn't look terrible, but not amazing
The Magene PES P515 Power Meter is an updated version of the P505, featuring minor improvements including slightly reduced weight (approximately 25g lighter), improved accuracy (1% vs 1.5%), better T47 bottom bracket compatibility, and active temperature compensation. It maintains the same price point as its predecessor. The power meter uses a 24mm steel spindle, 110mm 4-bolt BCD, and is compatible with standard road bike bottom brackets (68mm-86.5mm). Users report mixed experiences with compatibility, installation, and customer support.
AI Summary
Pros
- Good value for money with competitive pricing around €250-£250
- Improved T47 bottom bracket compatibility compared to P505
- Active temperature compensation for consistent readings
- Compatible with various chainrings including Shimano, Stone, and aftermarket options
- Works well with ANT+ connectivity (better than Bluetooth in some cases)
Cons
- Proprietary crank interface limits upgrade options to Magene cranks only
- Compatibility issues with some BB386 and T47 frames requiring spacers
- Poor customer support and communication from Magene
- Region locking issues with Chinese market versions not working overseas
- Shipping delays and inventory issues from official stores
- Potential creaking issues that develop over time
- Bluetooth connectivity issues with some devices
Magene P515 : a nice powermeter, works well on my Wahoo Bolt and my Coros Pace. 250€ with coupons
The reviewer discusses the Magene PES Crank P515 Power Meter extensively, highlighting its updates from the previous PES505 model. They mention its compatibility with Shimano standards, improved accuracy, lighter weight, longer battery life, and support for T47 and BB 386 bottom bracket standards. The reviewer compares its data accuracy against their indoor smart trainer and finds it to be reliable, especially during sustained efforts. They also note the importance of proper installation to avoid loose play issues.
AI Summary
Pros
- Improved power accuracy (±1%) compared to previous version (±2%)
- Lighter weight (625g for the spindle)
- Longer battery life (330 hours)
- Fully supports T47 and BB 386 bottom bracket standards
- Uses Shimano standard chain rings (110 BCD)
- Available in various crank arm lengths (172.5, 170, down to 160 or 165)
- Competitive price point ($299 USD)
- Reliable data accuracy compared to smart trainer
- Includes clear installation instructions and spare parts (rubber washers)
Cons
- Some lag in data recording during high-torque efforts compared to smart trainer
- Previous version had compatibility issues with T47 bottom brackets (now fixed)
- Some users reported loose play over time if not installed properly
- Chain rings provided by Magene have inferior shift quality compared to Shimano chain rings
My short experience with P515.
Sale via Ali from the EU shop went very well, delivery took 3-4 days more then expected. Crank looks very good, marginal heavier than the 105. Assembly was also no problem, I ordered it with the QED chainrings. Installation on my Lightcarbon LCR017 was not a big problem, I did however have to add a spacer on the drive side because otherwise there would have been play between the two arms. First 100k tour was also problem-free, recording in. Compared to the power meter pedals seems to be lower in the numbers, maybe still needs to be calibrated. What I also noticed is that the QED chainrings are louder than my 105 crank.
I hope this can help you a little.
Best regards.
Where to Buy
Magene PES Crank P515 Power Meter 4 Bolt 110BCD 24mm Cadence Pedal Balance Ant Steel Spindle Crankset Chainring for Shimano Sram - AliExpress
Magene PES Crank P515 Power Meter 4 Bolt 110BCD 24mm Cadence Pedal Balance Ant Steel Spindle Crankset Chainring for Shimano Sram - AliExpress
Magene PES P515 Leistungsmesser-Set, 4 Bolzen, 110 BCD, 24 mm Trittfrequenzpedal, Balance, Ameisenstahlspindel, Kurbelgarnitur, Kettenblatt für Shimano Sram - AliExpress 18
Questions about Magene PES Crank P515 Power Meter 4 Bolt 110BCD 24mm Cadence Pedal Balance Ant Steel Spindle Crankset Chainring for Shimano Sram
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