Long Term Review: Burgtec Penthouse MK5 pedals

As one of only two contact points between you and your bike as you take on the increasingly rough and technically challenging terrain that makes up so much of the riding here in the Tweed Valley, pedals play an important role in your bike setup. Flat pedals don’t provide the same firm connection to the bike provided by clipless pedals, as such you are far more reliant on the inherent traction between pedal platform and shoe, making a good pair of flat pedals a noticeable upgrade giving you more confidence in your footwork and freeing up headspace that would otherwise be worrying about your feet slipping.

Burgtec have been making flat pedals for 19 years, always striving to design the toughest, grippiest pedals that can be kept running smoothly for years with a full set of spare parts and easy servicing. Now in their 5th version, the latest Penthouse Flat pedals are the lightest and grippiest pedals to date and are used day in day out by Dirt School and Tweed Valley Guides staff.

The Burgtec Penthouse MK5 uses a CNC machined pedal platform measuring 

102mm x 100mm,  giving the MK5s one of the larger platforms on the market. A larger platform gives better support for your foot, eliminating pressure points, as well as increasing the distance between the pins, increasing their mechanical advantage and keeping your foot secure on the pedals.

A concave pedal platform allows the foot to sink into the pedal pins, hugely improving traction and giving a feeling of being locked in to the pedal. The Penthouse MK5s have a platform with 2mm of concave. This means that the central axle of the platform is 2mm lower than the leading and trailing edges of the pedal, enhancing traction even more. 

My Penthouse MK5s, seen here in Toxic Barbie pink, are just over 2 years old now and get ridden at least three times a week. They’ve had their fair share of impacts, and have the scratches to prove it, but they keep spinning smoothly. 

In the two years I have done one full strip down and service on the pedals, replacing the two bushings, bearing and seals, a job that took no more than 15 minutes. I also fitted a new set of pins at the same time to bring the grip levels back to like new. Burgtec pins, unlike other pedals, can fully tighten down against the pedal body, meaning I’ve never had any pins come loose or fall out. With the service complete everything spins as it did when the pedals were brand new, no rattling platforms or squeaky axles to be found. 

With its large, concave platform, the Burgtec Penthouse MK5 delivers heaps of traction in a package that’s built to last and easy to look after.