New BTR Tough Rake

Jan 31, 2017
by BTR Fabrications  
Press Release

BTR Tough Rake

BTR announces a new trail-building-specific tool; the Tough Rake.

As one of the few suppliers of McLeod rakes in the UK with our Trail Tool, we've taken it upon ourselves to produce a broader range of dedicated tools for building bicycle tracks. First of the new additions is the Tough Rake, which is exactly what the name suggests—a rake that's well 'ard! Just like a spade is a spade, the Tough Rake really is a rake that's tough.

Tough Rake

The new Tough Rake was originally built for sculpting the jump lines of Spooks Trails but has plenty of uses beyond dirt jumps, or even beyond mountain biking...

Tough Rake head

Made for breaking up, moving and packing down soil, the Tough Rake comes into its own when building dirt jumps and trails. Its 40cm wide head takes the hard work out of dragging earth and sculpting contours. The teeth are aggressive enough to bite into and move packed soil, and the straight back creates smooth lines with ease. Once you’ve created the shape you want, the Tough Rake is strong enough to tamp down your creation.

Tough Rake

The head of the Tough Rake is fabricated from high strength, high toughness steel, and zinc plated for longevity. The wooden handle is 30mm diameter and 1.4m long and is secured into the head by a taper and two screws.

The Tough Rake retails for £80, plus £15 shipping to the UK (international shipping available). It's available now from btr-fabrications.com


www.btr-fabrications.com


MENTIONS: @BTRfabrications



Posted In:
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Author Info:
BTRfabrications avatar

Member since Sep 23, 2015
6 articles

171 Comments
  • 189 1
 I'm putting this rake at the top of my list of trail rakes to add to my quiver of rakes for raking.
  • 229 1
 The 90 degree head angle is steep yet raked out at the same time.
  • 73 1
 Are you sure it's not an all-mountain rake? It definitely has the aggressive geometry of one.
  • 11 3
 @stevemokan: naw that thing is the straight up dh model
  • 40 1
 When you get it could you review it? I need to get a ranking of rakes so I know which rake will be best for my raking.
  • 9 0
 These are the freeride rakes to withstand the punishment of sculpting rampage lines.
  • 19 0
 I wonder if it comes with a SWAT compartment? Also, can I duct tape an inner tube to it?
  • 38 0
 @medievalbiking: all these comments are rakist
  • 48 0
 40cm wide rakes ain't dead
  • 12 1
 That rake has Endure written all over it
  • 192 2
 £80 for a rake? I could get a hoe for the night for that sort of money.
  • 26 0
 I dunno. I wish PB would just do a rake shootout so we know how they stack up.
  • 13 0
 @chezotron: they'd probably pick the 29" shaft version
  • 51 0
 I bet this rake rakes uphill like a mountain goat and rakes downhill like a bigger rake.
  • 5 0
 @metaam: but would you regret it the next morning?
  • 7 9
 RAKEdiculously good news for trail building!
  • 12 0
 Raking it in at £80 ago
  • 10 0
 Can I run this rake with oak handle or should I stick to larch?
  • 14 0
 @pioterski: depends on what you want to rake. I would go for a lighter wood if you want to rake Enduro (keep a dropper handle for enduro in mind!). For Downhill raking weight doesn't matter.
  • 11 0
 i'm waiting for the plus sized rake with boost
  • 5 0
 Before buying this rake you should ask yourself, do I really need a tough rake or an all mountain rake will be more suitable for the trails I build
  • 4 0
 How many grams is the head?
  • 16 1
 Looks like a Session.
  • 3 0
 @metaam: Yeah, they must be raking in the cash.
  • 3 0
 @chezotron: The answer to how they stack up? Awkwardly...
  • 2 0
 @Dreiviertel: Thanks for the hints. I will also have to think about the rake angle and reach adjustment before I can fully commit to raking. And I intend to rake this thing hard!
  • 2 1
 I'm not convinced till I see the tamping ratio graphs.
  • 111 3
 Did I really just read a review about a rake?

Jesus.
  • 46 1
 I read the whole goddamn thing, thinking "here comes the payoff". Never came.
  • 22 0
 Building jumps is hard, I don't know how much that rake would help. Maybe if it had a backhoe attached to it.
  • 31 0
 I think you read a press release about a rake not a review.
  • 21 0
 @scvkurt03: comments are the payoff.
  • 4 1
 @Kramz: hahahahahaha holy shit yes!
  • 6 4
 Anyone complaining about an article about a rake on Pinkbike needs to dig more trails. Standard garden rakes bend and break really quickly when building trails, that said, this thing is really expensive.
  • 2 1
 @red720: not complaining, just made an observation.
  • 2 2
 @red720: Right, like the wooden handle on this rake will never break because is special. And if your breaking rakes while trail building your doing something wrong, there are other tools your supposed to be using to dig out rocks or cut through roots, not the fecking rake.
  • 3 0
 Cant wait for when they review some hoes. We all love some hoes.
  • 80 1
 Come for the bike shit, stay for the rake reviews.
  • 77 10
 ~ $155 CDN for a fvcking rake? Guess even the gardening companies know what a bunch of stupid suckers mountain bikers are. :/

Even if the thing were titanium with a carbon handle you'd still have to be a fvcking idiot or filthy rich (in which case you're probably not building your own shit 'cuz you've got wetbacks for that cuz') but this a piece of steel ugly welded to another piece of steel with a shitty wooden handle that gon' break at some point. Oh ya, it gon' break. What a fvcking crock. :/

Fvckin' Ripoff rake for rakin' in more dough than dirt, amirite?
  • 9 2
 Perfect comment +1
  • 13 3
 Ah yes but you've missed the crucial thing here. Its not made by a gardening company. And it has a logo cut out of it... so that puts it right at the top of the 'cool wall'. Besides, everybody loves a good tool.
  • 13 0
 youre right it hasnt even got internal cable routing. total ripoff.
  • 17 1
 Needs a dropper handle for this price!
  • 14 0
 Does the price include labourer? Well, it should.
  • 4 1
 @T1mb0: except the tool or maybe fool is the person attached to the other end
  • 3 0
 @dwojo: my Rogue Hoe was about 110 and it works like magic. I find rakes break really fast doing trail work, so I'd be inclined to invest in a good one. Still think it should be about 30-40 bucks less, though.
  • 2 0
 @JesseE: Right there with you man. Got the axe/hoe with hickory handle and it's my favorite tool by far. I could practically build a whole trail with that alone. I also grabbed their version of the mcleod with the sharpened blade and tangs but I don't use it as often. Usually gets delegated to the shaping work. They are both magic when you keep them sharpened too, slicing through roots like butter. I wish they were cheaper but I still think it was still a solid investment. Way better than a friggin $155 rake anyway lol
  • 3 1
 I got one of these a few months ago and it has changed my life. Also, its a quarter of the price of this fancy pants artisnal BTR rake.
www.amazon.com/Nupla-E-FHR-NuPole-System-McLeod/dp/B004UMIHBS/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1485970254&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=macleod+tool
  • 1 0
 @tbubier: those things are really good.
  • 2 0
 @juicebanger: They really are amazing. They so effortlessly shave soil.
  • 1 0
 not made by a gardening company , they make bike frames lol
  • 4 0
 Its super expensive and the welds look like shit
  • 1 0
 @poozank: slag? We got more slag than we know what to do with!
  • 4 0
 Yeah, who welded that? Stevie Wonder
  • 1 0
 Absofuckinlutely.
  • 1 0
 @pigman65: rip off bike frames
  • 10 0
 Yup.. In the same way a plastic recorder is almost as cool as a bass guitar Wink
  • 5 1
 My exact reaction was, this looks like a baby stool version of the Battleaxe. Must be all that soft clay they have over in England.
  • 3 0
 Dude. Thats is a goddamn trail rake. Makes the reviewed rake look like a plastic fork.
  • 2 0
 Yup, large weld bead and bottle opener.
  • 4 0
 Or These built out of heat treated 4130 so they never bend or brake with much better welding quality.
nevercomingbackmtb.com
  • 11 0
 If they are going to talk about tamping ability I'd like to see a pic in the review of what the tamping side of the head looks like. it says there are 2 screws that attach the tool to the handle, but I can't see where they are in the photos. If these screws are on the tamping side of the tool then it's total garbage. If you have ever tried to tamp with one of those bigger heavy mcleods with the black head you will know that having a screw on the tamping side of your tool sucks (collects dirt way too easy and you can't scrape the dirt off once it's there).

I'm making all this fuss because I HATE tamping. Seriously, you can throw me in the dirt pit all day to fill buckets, but f*ck tamping with a tool that gets clogged all the time.
  • 1 0
 you can see the screw on the right side in the first picture.
  • 1 0
 I was looking for these screws too. I think they screw in from the side of the handle, as you may be able to see in the top picture. Which, if this were actually true, isn't ideal. I'd rather see them use a clamp, like a seatpost clamp. Maybe a dual bolt clamp to keep it from twisting. So yeah, the screws may not be on the tamping side. But it's got a big hole underneath where the handle goes, so it is going to collect dirt anyway. They probably had to, to avoid residual stresses from welding. But it isn't great from a tamping point of view.
  • 2 0
 @mikkel: I can see what might be the head of 1 screw in the first pic. I can't see where the other one is. All I'm saying is if you make tools that are multi-purpose, don't put a nut/bolt on the end you want the user to tamp with. Rogue mini mcleod with long fiberglass handle is my favorite...
  • 2 0
 I thought the same... the following photo (and others) can be found in the BTR album:

www.pinkbike.com/photo/14365552
  • 5 0
 Say 'tamping' again. Say 'tamping' again, I dare you, I double dare you motherf****r, say 'tamping' one more Goddamn time!
Wink
  • 3 0
 @bigtim: tamping
  • 2 0
 @Oinkideas: that's some lame head.
  • 15 0
 Looks like a session...
  • 12 0
 I'm waiting for the Sram 12 tooth enduro rake to come! It'll be a gamechanger!
  • 11 0
 Gotta wait through the 10- and 11-tooth generations first. These things don't engineer themselves!
  • 12 0
 No womens specific rake?

Rake culture.
  • 10 0
 The pole diameter should be made the same a handlebar so that lockon grips could be fitted....

Oh and a bottle cage (for stubbies).
  • 7 1
 Maybe if it had a trigger finger actuated air/spring telescoping post, with sensus lock on grips and a SWAT storage compartment for my A-team lunch box, and a built in 3 axis gimbal to record epic pov trail building seshs....all for $35, then I just might be nevercomingback from trail building.....
  • 7 0
 The pole should hollowed out and have cone piece thread, so it can be a giant Gandalf pipe.

"You'll shall not pass....until you get a hit of this sh1t"
  • 8 0
 check out never coming back trail tools, i dont know if he ships internationally, but he makes a damn good mcleod
  • 2 0
 I don't rate Mcleods at all. The rake end ends up bent because the prongs are too long and the mattock end just isn't a mattock! I get when people say its a 3 in 1 tool. However its best just to take 3 decent tools up in the first place (Spade, Mattock, Rake). And because I have about 10 tools the mcleod never gets used. I was stupidly sold on the idea of a mountain bike tool.
  • 2 0
 @Small-Tales-Epic-Trails: the Manitou version is pretty good...
  • 1 0
 @Kiwiplague: I'll upload a pic of mine later, see what you think. No one ever used a mcleod when I worked up the Wairoa. There was a good reason for it.
  • 9 0
 Kashima coated too! I bet I'll get raked over the coals for this one.
  • 4 0
 At the local MX track before practise, we have an "Emu Parade" and everyone picks up rocks etc... One day I had light bulb moment and thought why don't we just all use rakes for this sh1t? I took a rake and then the next round a few more people bought their rakes, now everyone rocks up with rakes.

I'm going to get me one of these 'Pimpin rakes' now.... Ohhhhh yeah....
lol
  • 4 1
 I can vouch for the BTR rakes. Some of the major bikeparks in Wales use these for trail building and maintanence for a reason. Strong reliable and a really good do it all in one tool. People are questioning the price but it's a quality piece which lasts. I would rather spend that little extra for something which could potentially last me for years worth of constant trail building.
  • 3 0
 www.benmeadows.com/fire-rake_s_170604/?gclid=CjwKEAiAq8bEBRDuuOuyspf5oyMSJAAcsEyW8GruBGosSA9Giwgauqc7P6YS-UqJ0KINtKe1wEOS8hoCi0zw_wcB&CID=BMPL10&s_kwcid=AL!3210!3!55826731978!!!g!130342887898!&ef_id=WCsnnQAABUWkMDxZ:20170201184628:s


Tools needed are dependent on local terrain. Dry, sandy, dusty, rocky vs. Wet, woody, weedy, rooty, rocky. I'm in the latter. After building trails for, say 20 years, I've got it boiled down to the following tools...


Traditional fire rake. Not only does it rake and move soil well its an excellent cutting tool for brush, roots, branches - if you keep the blades sharp. Blades can be sharpened and replaced.

Cutter mattock. Heavy weight flavor.

Folding saw. Corona is my favorite. Fits in side pocket of my Carhartts.

Hand nippers. Goes in the back pocket.


Other than than, special jobs might require the chain saw and shovel.

Rogue tools are nice. I have a few. This BTR rake looks nice, but pricey and does little more than old fashioned garden rake. A tried and true fire rake is far more versatile.
  • 1 0
 The distance from the blade edge to the center axis of the handle isn't deep enough for real brush clearing. A traditional McLeod will work circles around this toy.
  • 1 0
 @KNOLLYBIKES: You are right that there are better tools for real brush clearing, especially when the duff is very deep. The biggest plus of the traditional fire rake is that it does a number of things very well and is not too bulky. A goal with tools is to carry one in each hand, so less is better. Nippers and folding saw go in the pocket.

I've used a McLeod many times before and its a great tool, but rather bulky and not as versatile as the fire rake, for the type of terrain we have. I've found the McLeod better for moving a lot of bulk - soil, deep duff, leaves,... Our terrain is shallow soil with a lot of rock, weeds, shallow duff, and lots and lots of roots and thin shoots from beech. The fire rake is better at cutting in that terrain and you are able to take a more surgical approach with a shorter, easier swing. Cutting 10,000 sucker roots and shoots from beech trees with a McLeod will wear anyone out.

The cutting edges on the fire rake don't take the brunt of the hit when raking. The tips of the tines take the blow. So, the cutting edges remain sharp, and there V shape creates a trough that grabs and cuts very well.
  • 5 0
 Wooden handles look and feel nice n all but i'm forever breaking them, Fiberglass for the win!
  • 1 0
 I've broken a fiberglass handle once. Aluminum handle once. And wooden handles too many times to tell lol. Then again, I was working for a landscaping installation company at the time, and literally shovelling and wheelbarrowing 20 tons of sand and crushed rock a day by myself. Either way, fiberglass for the win for sure!
  • 2 0
 @therealtylerdurden: Haha yes mate i'm 2 shovels, a rake and a pick axe down from last season all wood handles! The earth at my trails is more stones than dirt though!
  • 5 0
 That's a pretty ugly weld to put all over a press release. Let me buy the thing first then find out it's got ugly welds.
  • 3 0
 That handle should be carbon made with 35mm diameter. How do you guys want to sell it, when it doesn't meet new bike industry standards ?
  • 6 0
 Pinkrake.com
  • 3 0
 What about the NCB (Never Coming Back) mcleod shovel? It costs more, but its a SoCal based made in USA company, and its WAY nicer.

Do some homework pinkbike!
  • 3 0
 what does made in the USA have to do with anything?
  • 3 0
 150$ for a wooden stick and a piece of plasma cut ( high toughness steel) and it looks like it is from a fire poker set from 30 years ago... i think i will pass
  • 4 0
 All that effort to make a trail tool and they didn't even throw an integrated bottle opener on it? WTF?
  • 2 0
 To hell with it...I'm buying mine now before there's another Executive Action banning benefits from the world's collective wisdom, or at least before everything I buy has to be MIA.
  • 1 0
 Feel bad for BTR. deserved or not, it must suck to do a press release and have half the folks rip on your product while the other half turn your release into promotion - complete with links! - for other companies products. man its tough out there.
  • 1 0
 Have any of you ever actually priced a commercial grade landscaping rake? They're over $100 US. They're ok for trail building but this tool looks perfectly designed for trail work it's a great quality tool, made to take abuse,and made in the U.K. What's with all the complaining about the price?? My fellow countrymen are so strange. On the one hand an entire demographic complains that all their jobs went to China, then they run out and buy all the cheap goods from the place that supposedly took all their jobs. It's then followed up by the mentality that somehow quality should be inexpensive. I don't get it. I really don't.
  • 3 0
 Any trail builder who is willing to spend £80 on a rake should probably work less and dig more.
  • 4 2
 my McLeod rake was 80 canadian. has countless hours under its belt and is 4 seasons old and still ticking. why would i need to spend over double on this one?
  • 31 3
 To support Little Britain post Brexit.
  • 15 0
 @MTB-Colada: drop the monarchy. save millions lol
  • 2 1
 @makripper: They bring in a vast amount more than they cost. Yay for tourism!
  • 2 0
 @jezzah: has anybody actually done the calculation on that? I think it's a headline circulated to keep us quiet. Tourism might just cover their shopping bill for the week.
  • 2 0
 @ThomDawson: Well this is off topic. A quick google later.. "The British tourism agency has reported that the royal family generates close to 500 million pounds, or about $767 million, every year in tourism revenue." versus "The annual report states that the monarchy costs the UK approximately £35.7 million per year". So the big issue with Buckingham palace undergoing a 300 million restoration isn't so bad.
  • 1 0
 @jezzah: I wish you hadn't told me so I could go on ignorantly bashing the freeloaders. I bet they've had those figures doctored, or more likely just plucked them out of thin air Razz
I wonder how much of that £36M is Ferrero Rocher, couldn't they just make do with cadburys buttons like the rest of us?
Fair play on the leg work though dude!
  • 1 0
 @ThomDawson: Oh it's probably complete and utter bullshit!
  • 1 0
 @ThomDawson: Apparently they have, www.businessinsider.com/the-queen-and-the-uk-royal-family-contribution-to-the-uk-economy-2015-9. But they are counting all the people going to historical sites, which, honestly, I would have gone to anyway, current royal family or no, so that first number at the top is a bit suspect to me.
  • 1 0
 @pcmxa: yeah, we could just get rid of them and turn their ridiculous homes into museums. Probably work just as well if not better at attracting tourists.
  • 5 1
 That rake will change the geometry of trail-building all together.
  • 2 1
 hmm..
woulda 80 Pounds for a rake is a little bit too expensive?
can you get 5-6 rake with some DIY + leftover steel form junkyard + free wood handle picked from the forest?

i guess its like 'high end' rake or something.
  • 3 0
 Thank you Pinkbike, for putting out review that generate awesome comments. Yours sincerely, HerrDoctor Sloth
  • 3 0
 NCB trail tools!! Local socal small business with much more functionality. Really deserves a look. nevercomingbackmtb.com
  • 1 0
 Yep, im buying one. $250 w/2 heads. Was gna go with trailboss but same is $380.
  • 2 0
 only builders will appreciate this. looks nice. but from my experience with this kind of wood handle, they doesn't hold up the beating...
  • 1 0
 Heavy duty tarmac rakes are the way to go, mines over 5 years old gets used every weekend pretty much, never bends and I'm not gentle with it, often use it for benching if I only bring the rake with
  • 3 0
 These are the best you can buy. 4130 and no booger welds...
nevercomingbackmtb.com
  • 1 1
 This is clearly a rip off of my 'annhiarake' from 3 years ago:

www.pinkbike.com/photo/10627244

wheres mah royalties?!?!?!?!?!?!

but tbf the build quality is top notch, whereas mine left more than a little to be desired. mk2 should be better and lighter (mines about 7kg in total)
  • 2 0
 McLeod Fire Tool - the original, old ass design, much cheaper, stronger fabrication

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_
  • 2 0
 Expensive, but looks great on top of a dentist's Audi. Me, I'm still rockin' a pile Craigslist garden tools in the back of my old-ass Subaru.
  • 3 0
 At £80 that companies going to be raking it in.
  • 1 0
 shop.vallfirest.com/en/gorgui/multifunctional-tool-gorgui.html There is no better rake on the market than the Gorgui! If you try one you will never go back!!!!
  • 1 0
 Hey dude, could you give me a quick Review of the Gorgui. I might buy one for hometrail workovers. Thanks
  • 2 0
 that rake is weak, what a joke. If you want a solid do it all trail tool check, nevercomingbackmtb.com
  • 4 0
 Metric sizing.
  • 2 0
 it´s a shame most riders never of those things"trail... tools!??"
they think goats open up the trails...
  • 3 1
 Just ordered mine to help out with the BDS tracks! Looking forward to using some elbow grease..
  • 2 0
 way too expensive, I can build the same thing in my garage in an hour for 1/4 of the price tops
  • 2 0
 I don't give two shits about the rake, but I clicked this article just to read the comments. Wasn't disappointed!
  • 2 1
 If more people in fact used this tool, we wouldn't see stupid comments around here so often. Now, get off the computer and go build a jump!

#nodignoride
  • 3 0
 ...I don't see water bottle mounts...
  • 2 0
 If i work real hard and dig deep can i get sponsored by the rake federation?
Sincerly team Tool.
  • 1 0
 And doesn't even come with a bottle opener?... Or Free Beer to make up for the cost of it being significantly more than my McLeod
  • 1 0
 If that's tough you should see my custom McCloud made from twelve millimetre plate. I do like the hole for locking it up out in the bush.
  • 3 1
 That weld are 30 buck's, tops..
  • 1 0
 The handle is 30mm in size? I wish it was more of an enduro rake, like around 27.5 in size
  • 3 1
 I better rake in some money for this bad boy
  • 3 0
 Warranty?
  • 3 0
 Not Enduro enough
  • 2 0
 Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ........
  • 1 0
 For a minute there I thought Shimano had just released a new XTR Rake......
  • 2 0
 I will wait for the boost version
  • 1 0
 If you really build trails, this is nice. Expensive, but I've broken tools before and it's not fun.
  • 1 0
 My Dad has been making these for years. Sells them for ~50 bucks. He's located in Vernon, BC.
  • 1 0
 Hey! Don't sell me short. I ask 60bucks.
  • 2 0
 Looks like TRUMPS gold plated wig detangler !
  • 1 0
 hmm 80 quids a bit pricey but if they decide to make a kashima colour factory version for 90 im in.. Smile
  • 1 0
 How much trail and rake do you think we will get with that headangle?
  • 1 0
 this is a dumb idea , what was wrong with a normal rake ...
  • 1 0
 Renthal color match perfect :O
  • 1 0
 Kinda steep for a rake...you can get a whole trail set for that. .
  • 1 0
 aww cool a rake tbh it looks great for trail building though
  • 1 0
 BTR would like to announce to it's latest team member... Pigsy!
  • 1 0
 Does it come in 29" and free from animal testing
  • 1 1
 "Hey let's look at Pinkbike and see what is new in bike world"

Rake review Blank Stare
  • 1 0
 Fiskars Pro digger, the choice of the uk's real trailbuilders.....
  • 1 0
 These are the best comments I've ever read on this site
  • 1 0
 Should be stainless steel.
  • 1 0
 Can I get a narrow wide version for extra leaf retention?
  • 1 0
 how much trail can one rake before it needs servicing
  • 1 0
 Have we already the 1st of April?
  • 1 0
 You cant cut roots with it :/
  • 1 0
 But there are other mpdels of this enterprise. But their products are a bit pricy.
  • 1 0
 Can you fit lock on grips onto the handle?..
  • 1 0
 Almost
  • 1 0
 Nah
  • 1 0
 how much!!!!!!
  • 1 1
 Make Rakes Great Again.







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