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ABOUT THE BURGTEC PENTHOUSE MK5 B-RAGE FLAT PEDALS
Burgtec worked with Norwegian freerider Brage Vestavik to develop the ideal flat pedal to support his hard charging. Taking their Penthouse MK5 as the base, the B-Rage pedal increased in size and grip to deliver uncompromising confidence.
The platform size grows to 112mm x 102mm real estate for your feet. The thickness increases slightly to 18mm at the fattest part, making room for a burlier EN24T steel axle. This also allows for an increase in the concavity, giving 3mm to sink your foot into. The 7075 alloy body spins on a dual Igus bushing and single sealed bearing combo, with an inboard rubber oil seal.
11 stainless steel threaded pins are fitted to each side as standard. Three of these are in the middle of the platform, close to the axle, to maximise bite. They measure at 5mm high and a chunky 4mm diameter to ensure they’re strong enough to survive the abuse.
The result of the burly body, axle and pins is a pair of pedals that weighs in at 513g. But for those who are interested in the benefits, the weight likely won’t matter. The Burgtec B-Rage Flat Pedals are offered in a choice of nine anodized colors, with a retail price of $190.91 / £147.99.
THE DIRT
The flat pedal market features a lot of options that are hard to distinguish, but there was no mistaking the B-Rage pedals from either a looks or a feeling standpoint. From the first time I placed my feet on these gargantuan flats, I just felt…safe. Reassured that regardless of the abuse I threw at the bike, the pedals would keep my feet in place and shrug off any size of impact.
Underfoot, the Burgtec B-Rage flat pedals felt every bit as large as they looked. It inspired immense confidence, offering great lenience for foot positioning and incredible real estate to find following a foot-off event. The confidence in finding a spot on the platform that’ll hold your foot comfortably and securely was equally pleasant for deliberate feet-off tricks and for quick dabs when getting loose.
I experimented with the middle pins fitted and removed from the Burgtec B-Rage pedals. To begin, I pulled the pins from one side of each pedal and rode without consciously selecting a side of the pedal. I enjoyed the more concave feeling the pins-out setup provided, but the centre pins aided in traction when my foot position was less ideal. With either setup, I didn’t struggle for grip with any of a range of flat pedal shoes. Though the threaded pins are relatively fat, they never lacked purchase in the sole. I wouldn’t want to take a glancing blow from the B-Rages, but the fatter pins anecdotally are less damaging to your body when you get it wrong.
The overall feeling with the Burgtec Penthouse MK5 B-Rage Flats was just of sheer comfort for my US11 / EU45 feet. The length of the platform gave notably improved support underfoot, reducing fatigue on longer and rougher descents. This was especially notable when using more flexible shoes, with no drawbacks on stiffer shanked models. The concavity helped to keep the feet locked in, especially notably in super rough terrain and when technical climbing.
The only real drawback was the increased tendency of the thicker bodies to clip the terrain below. They were not an overly wide set of pedals, but when my heel was slightly dipped they ran relatively close to the ground. With no chamfer out front, there’s potentially an increased likelihood of hanging up when hitting a trail obstacle, too. But when keeping them clear of the ground below, the complaints were minimal. Of course, there’s also the addition of around 100g to overall bike weight compared to many flat pedals, but it could be a worthwhile tradeoff.
The Wolf’s Last Word
For a set of pedals to be worth of carrying the B-Rage moniker, they had to be burly, and Burgtec delivered. The result is a seriously surefooted feeling that encourages a full-send mentality. The Burgtec Penthouse MK5 B-Rage flat pedals also offer increased comfort and traction, especially for larger footed riders. They are truly a stellar offering for flat pedal gravity fiends, but aren’t for the fainthearted. 
Price: $190.91 / £147.99
Weight: 513g / pair
Website: burgtec.co.uk / burgtec-usa.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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