“Game-changing” Q36.5 x SRM collaboration promises “the most direct and efficient pedalling system on the market”

They say, “The combination of the new SRM X-Power Direct Pedal and the Q36.5 Unique Pro Shoes offers riders not just greater pedalling efficiency in the form of increased watts but also a more aerodynamic body position.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedal and Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe studio (credit: Q36.5 SRM)

“Furthermore, using a pedal and shoe with a lower stack height also allows for compensating the disadvantage of a shorter crank: the downside of using a shorter crank is that you have to raise the saddle.

“Put simply, the Q36.5 Unique Pro shoes and SRM X-Power Direct pedals give: 

• Greater pedalling efficiency
• More aerodynamic body position
• Better control of the body”

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedal black ©AlexFaedda15 (credit: ©AlexFaedda15)

This is the system that we first told you about last month, and which you might have seen at Rouleur Live. Now it has been officially launched.

> “The most direct and efficient power transfer on the market”: Q36.5 and SRM to launch pedal and shoe combo with ultra-low stack height

Why all the talk of stack height?

Pedal stack height is the distance from the centre of the pedal axle to the surface where your cleat contacts the pedal. Above that, there’s the stack height from the bottom of the cleat to your foot – determined by the thickness of the cleat and the sole of your shoe.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedal on crank ©AlexFaedda15 (credit: ©AlexFaedda15)

What’s SRM and Q36.5’s obsession with stack height all about? Here's their full explanation:

“Together with Oliver Elsenbach of Solestar, SRM and Q36.5 have compiled a comprehensive first analysis of the advantages of a lower pedalling stack height, answering the question of what happens when you have an increased surface of contact between pedal and shoe and a decreased pedalling stack height?

Results of the analysis:

The foot is positioned closer to the centre of the circular pedalling motion. The surface of force transmission between foot and body is larger, which improves stability, reduces shear forces in the shoe sole, and enables more direct power transfer. The rider's centre of gravity shifts closer to the ground, allowing for a more aerodynamic position.

The trend toward shorter crank arms has the disadvantage that the rider's centre of gravity shifts upward (away from the ground). This often leads to a frame stack-height issue – too little stack height – which reduces bike handling and confidence in descent.

For a crank length reduction of 7.5mm (from 172.5 to 165 mm), on average, a saddle height increase of about 65% of that value (approx. 5mm) is necessary.

The average crank-length reduction for the 2025 season in our test rider pool was 5mm.

With the use of the new pedals, the stack height adjustment is on average 4-7mm (saddle lowered). As a result, the saddle height increase caused by shorter cranks is essentially compensated for

Subjective evaluations/feedback by all test riders:

Better seating position on the bike, a feeling of being more "inside" the bike.

More comfort in the shoulder area.

Power transfer: especially under high-intensity loads (climbing accelerations, criterium sprints out of corners), significantly higher cadence at high loads.

The feeling of "more torque"; at high wattages, it feels easier to ride higher cadences.

That’s all according to SRM and Q36.5, of course.

There are three elements to the system: pedals, shoes and cleats...

SRM X-Power Direct pedal

The SRM X-Power Direct pedal is made from die-cast aluminium.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedal Rouleur Live - 1 (1) (credit: road.cc)

“Its innovation lies in the lengthening of the pedal body to reposition the points of engagement in the cleat (and its attending mechanical components) behind the direct point of contact between shoe and pedal, allowing for a 6mm reduction of space between shoe and pedal axle relative to existing marketing leading systems (Shimano) and an increase in contact surface (1,653mm²) area between shoe and pedal,” claim SRM and Q36.5.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedals pair studio (credit: Q36.5 SRM)

The distance from the centre of the pedal to the top of the cleat (the side next to the sole of your shoe) is said to be 9.7mm. That compares with 15.6mm for Shimano SPD-SL.

The pedal spins on a needle bearing “at the position where the highest load is on the pedal body” and a ball bearing, and two seals on the crank side.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct cleat studio (credit: Q36.5 SRM)

The new cleat is held in place by two bolts. The front bolt is in the same place as the one used by other brands (like Shimano and Look) on their road systems. The rear bolt also sits centrally, so it requires an extra hole in the shoe sole, set further back towards the midfoot.

Q36.5's Unique Pro shoe (below) is now available with that new sole configuration, the only model to have it.

Despite the name and the fact that SRM is famous as a pioneering power meter brand, the X-Power Direct pedal comes without power measurement.

SRM X-Power Direct pedals have a claimed weight of 311g per pair (including cleats and fastenings). We weighed Shimano Dura-Ace pedals at 239g, with the cleats and fastenings about 70g, so there's not much in it in terms of weight.

Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe

Q36.5 launched its carbon-fibre-soled Unique Pro shoe back in May.

“The sole offers exceptional stiffness, torsional rigidity and heel cup stability, but above all, with a thickness of 2.2mm it allowed the rider to achieve a total stack height of 17.8mm (average) with Shimano pedals and cleats,” says Q36.5

2025 Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe studio above (credit: Q36.5 SRM)

“With the new SRM pedal, for which Q36.5 is the first brand in the world to offer cleat compatibility, the rider can achieve a total stack height of 11.9 mm, a radical breakthrough in pedalling efficiency.”

Q36.5 says the shoe features an extra-wide metatarsal area. The Unique Pro shoe is available in European sizes 37-48, with white or black uppers, and weighs a claimed 225g (size 42).

2025 Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe sole Rouleur Live (credit: road.cc)

The Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe that’s made to work with the SRM X-Power Direct cleat/pedal is also compatible with three-bolt cleat/pedal systems like Shimano SPD–SL and Look Keo.

2025 SRM X-Power Direct pedal with Q36.5 Unique Pro shoe Rouleur Live (credit: road.cc)

Prices

The SRM X-Power Direct pedals are priced at £550, and the Q36.5 Unique Pro shoes are £550 too.

Replacement cleats, available in three flavours allowing differing amounts of movement, are £40.

For comparison, Shimano's Dura-Ace PD-R9100 Dura-Ace SPD SL Road pedals are £234.99 and replacement Shimano SPD-SL cleats are £20.99 at full RRP. 

www.srm.de
www.q36-5.com