George Liston - March 04 2022
Burgtec Mk5 Penthouse Pedals Review
| Pros |
|---|
| - Grip like sheep s**t to a downtube - Longevity - Easy Maintenance - Replaceable pins |
| Cons |
|---|
| - Price |
Within the Workshop we have never had a Mk5 Penthouse come in with damage to the body or pins, and it's rare they come in with bad bearings. Trust me, we send plenty of condemned competitors to the recycling bin... These pedals seriously stand out, thanks to Igus W300 bushings (which are the most water resistant) working with a sealed cartridge bearing they are pretty bomb proof. But, if you do need to replace internals the kit's only £19.99, which from experience you could expect to be done every 3 years or so.
Specifications
Specification
RRP £119.99
Weight: 379g (Steel Axle)
Platform material: 7075 Alloy
Profile: 15mm
Platform: 100mm x 102mm
Dish: 2mm (concave)
Pin material: Stainless steel
Axle Material: EN24T Steel
Pin width: 3.5mm
Pin height: 4.5mm
Internals: 2 x Igus W300 bushes, single sealed bearing and inboard rubber oil seal
Colours available: Burgtec Black, Race Red, Deep Blue, Purple Rain, Kash Bronze, Iron Bro Orange, Rhodium Silver, Burgtec Bullion Gold, Toxic Barbie Pink (Available in stores only)
Pedal Geometry
The Geometry of the pedal is a clear winner, the platform actually has a 2mm concave. This concave, along with the pin layout not having any central placements means your foot fits securely in the pedal. Moreover, relatively thin pins which are also threaded bite into the sole better than most competitors, in our opinion. The pins also wind out from the back, meaning if you do manage to bend a pin you can still remove it easily.
As you can see in this image the pins of the Mk5 compared to Mk4 are thinner for better bite
Rising Prices
Due to an increase of costs in the industry the price for consumers has had to rise unfortunately. This could be an off-put for first time buyers. However £119.99 for a pair of these platforms is still a reasonable price.
If that price tag does put you off they also make composite pedals at £44.99 these were desined to mirror the Penthouse on a budget, granted the internals arn't quite as good but they are still completely serviceable. An absolute bargain of a pedal.
Plenty of matching products, to completely change the look of your bike
I've pretty much exclusively rode Mk5s for the last 18 months. The 2mm concave previously mentioned may sound insignificant but it truly works. When your feet are comfortably planted your confidence benefits drastically, from pushing into corners to feeling secure in the air these pedals honestly inspire you.
On the left are Gavin's Mk4 pedals, he has been running these for the last 3 years, he hasn't had to service them yet and has only lost a couple of pins. But Wharncliffe takes no prisoners when it comes to pedals. From this image you can see a clear difference in the Mk4 against the Mk5. The platform has only grown by a few mm but it makes a huge difference to the ride feel. The main platform has also moved further away from the cranks, which was something that was commented on in reviews of the Mk4. Burgtec have listened and improved on any previous issues of the Mk4, no matter how slight the issues were.
The 50:01 boys have been long term advocates of Burgtec. They are built to take the abuse from these guys
Weight
For all you weight watchers out there, as you can see from the below pictures the weight has also been reduced, by quite a significant amount. They also do a titanium axle version which is even lighter if thats your thing.
Weight - Mk5 Penthouse on the left v Mk4 on the right
Verdict
It all starts with good pedals and ends with good shoes, so we have to be honest with you. No pedal is good with bad shoes and no shoes are good with bad pedals. These pedals are more than good in our opinion, they will keep your feet glued to the pedals like marmite to your knife.
Overall we give Burgtec's Penthouse Mk 5s
9.5/10
Admittedly we are no product designers but we honestly don't see how these could improve, from ride feel to looks Burgtec got it nailed!
MEET THE AUTHOR
George Liston
Some say George can recall the bearing code of every bearing invented. Possibly not, but why not test him?
Cykel House's chief mechanic, trail whippet and all round good guy. George loves a decent tech trail at warp speed. He started volunteering at Cykel House when we first opened, he then continued as an apprentice earning the highest CYTECH accredited qualification you can get. Often what he doesnt know, isnt really worth knowing.
Interesting fact - George is a member of the local knitting club and can knock out a banging cardigan
Likes - A tech trail, chicken and flat bar tricep push downs
Dislikes - Cold weather, cup and cone hubs and the meleculour structure of a baked bean
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