What it is: A 105mmx105mm flat pedal developed by ANVL components (Transition's component brand) with double concavity and 10 pins in each side.
Thoughts:
These are the third generation ANVL Tilt flat pedals, a completely new design compared to the previous version. As with other reviews, I don't like to rehash what others said and the PinkBike review covered these really well, so I'll just add my thoughts.
I ran these for about 6 months and found them to be very grippy, comfortable, and reliable:
These photos are taken after about 3 months of use, the pedals don't look much worse now aside from a bit of wear on the finish.
What I did appreciate was the durability. Having blown 3 sets of pedals in 2018, it was nice to have a pedal that held up really well for the riding here and without dying on me. I think it's attributable to the larger bearings used in the Tilt vs the others I ran. The other pedals I broke ended up with exploded bearings, which damaged the pedal body. One set of these was due to the difficulty of maintenance.
I also appreciate the ease of disassembly, I had another set of pedals recently that required me to grind down a tool just to open them up and grease the spindle. Everything is easily accessible with the Tilts, which is very nice.
I think these are the best value you can buy in aluminum pedals at the moment, at $100/set they are cheaper than most other options, they are durable, provide great grip, and the profile works well for most riding. My only wish is they were a little longer and wider, but despite being on the smaller side, they gripped very well.
The thickness of the pedal may contribute to pedal strikes, so you'll have to learn to manage your pedal strokes, but that's true of most pedals on the market these days and I don't think the thickness of these is anything abnormal. If you come from a thinner pedal, though, you can expect to strike a bit more until you get used to their location. So who would I recommend this to?
Anyone looking for a flat pedal that isn't something like the Pedaling Innovations Catalyst, especially if you are newer to flat pedals or looking for an inexpensive, but grippy and well made set of pedals. These were the best 'traditional' flat pedals I've used in recent memory, especially for the price.
They worked well with all the shoes I tried, even non-riding shoes, although a bit on the heavy and thick side, they worked well with just about everything I ran them with.
I did find the pedals a bit on the small side, although they worked for me, riders with a wider stance may find themselves struggling to find a good position.
Comparisons:
vs. Deity TMac : The TMac pedals have a wider platform, but that's about where the benefits end. The TMac pedals are thicker, with a square front edge that tends to snag surfaces during pedal strikes, they are also almost $70 more than the ANVLs and their spindles appear to be made of soft material that bends easily. I didn't find out that I had bent mine until I sold them to a friend and Deity wanted to charge me for a new spindle. Not a good look for a $170 pedal. The grip on the ANVL is comparable or better, the tapered leading edge of the Tilt helps with pedal strikes, and Transition support is better than any other brand I've dealt with. Unless you need the super wide platform of the TMac, don't waste your money, I'd go with the Tilt.
vs. OneUp Aluminum : The OneUp pedals are considerably thinner, use a rather innovative pin design, is a bit lighter, and have a longer platform that provides support for those with bigger feet. That said, the lack of significant concavity in the OneUp means it grips slightly less that the Tilt. I also found the OneUp pedal bearing design to be fairly weak, mine exploding and destroying the pedal body in a few months of riding. That said, OneUp replaced them no questions asked. So the Tilt is more durable, grips better, and is from a similarly supportive brand, but is thicker and heavier. I think it'll come down to the amount of pedal clearance you desire vs grip.
vs. Pedaling Innovations Catalyst : The Catalyst is a pretty interesting pedal and I'm not sure it's really a valid comparison, but I'll do it anyway because I'm sure someone will ask. The Catalyst provides a more ergonomic foot position especially for riders with larger feet, there are also claims of power increase and support for folks with flat feet. I found the Catalyst more comfortable, but the grip of the Tilt is somewhat better (esp. with the stock Catalyst pins). I think it'll come down to whether you want a traditional flat pedal like the Tilt or something a bit more innovative that may or may not work for you like the Catalyst. I doubt that's helpful, I liked them both, but some people just won't get along with the Catalyst and some will get considerable benefits from the Catalyst, it's very subjective compared to other traditional pedal designs. I'd say try the Catalyst and if they don't pan out, a traditional pedal like the Tilt would be my second choice.
Pros:
Very good grip with most shoes
Good value at $100/pair
Various color options
Good bearing/spindle life
Tapered edge helps mitigate impacts from pedal strikes
The center of the pedal doesn't seem to clog excessively with mud or snow
Cons:
A bit on the thick side compared to some other options, which will lead to slightly more pedal strikes
Smaller platform than some other pedal options in the same category makes the pedal a bit less comfortable