Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals 2023 deniz merdano 7
Review

Crankbrothers' New Stamp 1 Pedal

Photos Deniz Merdano (unless noted)
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I don't remember how long I rode on the original Stamp 1 pedals from Crankbrothers, but I'd be surprised if it was more than a single ride. I was quite sure that they weren't going to work out for me because they had a fatal flaw but I still gave them an honest shot.

If you ride flat pedals, grip is everything. You may or may not want the maximum grip you can derive from a shoe/pedal combo, but you undoubtedly need your own personal sweet spot. Anything less and everything may as well go in the bin. Or maybe on your grocery getter. I don't remember where mine ended up, but I definitely didn't give them to a serious mountain biker.

crankbrothers_stamp_1_large.original

The first generation Stamp 1 pedal was a rare miss for the "new and improved Crankbrothers." As you can see by the photo, the housing for the axle is very close to the same height as the pins. Photo - Cam McRae

crankbrothers stamp 1 pedal diagram 2

Crankbrothers learned from their experience with the original Stamp 1. The new one has no spindle bulge problem.

Bring on Gen. 2

The flaw was in the design of the central housing that holds the axle, as well as any bearings or bushings. Crankbrothers decided to attempt a composite pedal that shared internals with some of their aluminum pedals which meant they needed to accommodate a cartridge bearing of a significant diameter. A composite pedal requires a thicker bearing seat than an aluminum one, which is what caused the bulge.

In practice, the bulge puts a large portion of your weight on a slippery surface and doesn't allow the centre pins to dig into your shoes. Worse still, it leaves less force pushing into the other pins. This one-two combo clearly didn't work for a significant amount of riders, sending CB back to the DB.

stamp 1 pedal diagram 1

Crankbrothers suggests that larger foot sizes should choose larger pedals. As a guy with size 11/44.5 feet, it's more about foot placement

The higher end Stamp 7 and Stamp 11 pedals spin entirely on Igus bushings and the 7s have been durable and smooth running. The bushings are also serviceable and replaceable and the Gen. 2 Stamp 1s include the same bushings. In the press release from CB we were told these bushings are "fully serviceable" but I have since received word that the bushings are indeed replaceable.

A specific Stamp 1 Gen. 2 service kit will be made available shortly but until that time, as long as you are able to reuse your bolts (which seems likely), the kit for the Stamp 7 and 11 will work perfectly. This is in the unlikely event you need to service your pedals in the first weeks of use.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals 2023 deniz merdano 3

Big pedals for big feet? Not so fast there.

The Gen 2s take a unique approach to pin placement. CB tells us that there are 10 pins per side but in actual fact, there are 10 pins per pedal, because they thread directly through one side and out the other, until the point where they extend equally out of each side. Only one of the two sides of each pin accepts a hex key but in the event of any damage, there should be lots to grip on from one side or the other. A benefit of this is that rather than having a short threaded section in the pedal, it extends through the entire thickness of the pedal body which should make them more robust and resistant to bending, or being pulled out. So far these have been flawless in that regard.

crankbrothers stamp 1  teardown 4

There are ten very long pins in each pedal. You can see one attached to the tool in this photo. They thread right through the pedal body, protruding through each side, in essence making two pins. The outside pins are longer than the inside ones for those who prefer a concave pedal. If I can get my hands on another set of pins I will switch them around because I have come to prefer a convex shape. Photo - Cam McRae

The 180 Second Teardown

I'm guessing it took me that long, but maybe even less time. The axle is held in place by two bolts that thread into steel inserts that drop into recesses in the pedal body. The bolts press a plate against the side of the pedal, which holds the axle firmly in place. Once you remove the two bolts with a 3mm hex key, the axle pulls out easily. Unless your bushings are worn, all there is to do is clean, re-lube, and slap it back together. It couldn't be easier.

Sizing Up: Large or Small?

The first time I tried a set of large pedals - Stamp 3s I believe - I expected to be impressed, considering I wear size 11/44.5 shoes. Instead I was deflated. Because I ride downhill with my heels pushed a little forward rather than placing the ball of my foot directly over the spindle, my ideal pedal allows me to drape over the pins. With a large platform that is either flat or concave, this wasn't possible despite my flippers. As soon as I tried the smalls, I was in business so that's what I chose to test here.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals 2023 deniz merdano 8

If the shape looks familiar to you, it's because the new Stamp 1 mimics the aluminum Stamps, only using a composite material.

Trail Time (Grip)

The long single pin extends beyond the pedal body significantly in both directions, giving your shoes a lot to dig into. I easily found my descending sweet spot and it remained easy to get to every time. Grip was very good indeed. In fact, if these were the only pedals I could ride for the rest of my days, I'd be okay with that.

I normally prefer a slightly grippier shoe than Crankbrothers sells with larger diameter pins like these. On OneUp or Look's new aluminum pedal, both of which feature thinner pins, CB Stamp shoes work great for me, while my Specialized 2FO Roosts become too sticky so I can't move my foot if it shifts during some rough play. With the Stamp 1s, I can happily ride either shoe and have sufficient grip, but without getting stuck in one place.

The combination of long pins with a larger diameter works a treat for me. Obviously I need to see how they are after some time on the bike, particularly to determine the longevity of the igus bushings but also to see how the pins take a hit. So far they are keeping me pretty happy.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals 2023 deniz merdano 1

I was happy to have lots of friction between pedal and shoe in this instance.

Trevor Hansen's Thoughts (Size Large)

The Crankbrothers Stamp 1s are my new favourite pedals. The combination of the larger platform, the grippy feel created by the concave design, the light weight and the price make these the best pedals in my quiver (OneUp alloy and Race Face Atlas are the others). I like the spacious platform on the large model that I tested. Measuring in at 114 x 111mm, this extra space allows my size 9.5 shoe to hit several sweet spots on the pedal without having to adjust while riding. When I did not hit the sweet spots, most adjustments required me to unweight to move my shoe to a better position. This could also be because the grip from the SlipNot compound on my Specialized 2FO DH shoes is so tacky.

The replaceable pins survived the 22-ride test period without any breaks or bends. The pins are wide enough and dull enough to avoid major leg gashing while still providing major grip. The Stamp 1 design looks like it will make maintenance a simple task when the time comes.

The Stamp 1's 15mm height is slightly more than my other pedals but I did not notice any more pedal strikes than with my OneUps or Race Face Atlas pedals.

-TH

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals 2023 deniz merdano 6

A little Sunshine Coast goodness.

To Composite or To Alloy?

Composite pedals have some distinct advantages over aluminum. Even when they get a little bit clapped out, the material dulls the sound of loose bearings or bushings, while aluminum pedals can sometimes be mistaken for nickels and dimes banging around inside a tin can. That same advantage applies to pedal strikes as well, where a dull thud is more often heard than a sickening clack. There is also a significant price advantage, and pedals take so much abuse they can almost be considered a wear item, rather than a long term investment, depending on the terrain you ride.

A big downside to plastic platforms can be that once a pin pulls out it is often impossible to replace. More pedals now come with some steel insert or nut that makes for a replaceable and sturdy interface, but not all. Crankbrothers' solution to this, with large(er) diameter pins that thread all the way through the composite body, may turn out to be a revelation. It seems these will be very sturdy indeed.

Add heaps o' grip, two sizes, 320-350 grams per pair, quality igus bushings, a good shape and a slick servicing procedure and it seems to me these will be a winner, all for 60 USD.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1

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Comments

Bli33ard
+1 Cam McRae

I recently looked into flats as I haven't used flat pedals for some time, but I knew I wasn't spending a lot on what is a sacrificial part.  These newly-refined pedals look OK at a reasonable price, and while the pin setup ingeniously solves any issues with plastic pedals, I would lean towards something with "real" pins, not set screws. So I went with the world's greatest pedals of course, the MEC Transit! Shoot, now only$30, I just paid $40. Heavy and basic but in my sweet spot, they're indestructable yet disposable. While I do lust for OneUp Oil Slicks, like, no, maybe on a show bike. Maybe even these, if I want to shed the extra 140 grams! Best thing about the new CB pedals is they went back to the drawing board, made them better and you certainly can't fault them for that. Oh, and sizes.

Reply

BarryW
+1 Cam McRae

Great review Cam (and Trevor!).

I ride clips so composite really isn't in the options. But my wife rides flats and right now is on these:Entity PP20 Flats and she really loves the grip, probably similar to these. I am torn though on once these wear out. Should I go the 'investment' route and get something like a Wolftooth Waveform that I can rebuild forever for her? Or just get the next composite pedal for a 1/4 the price and it'll likely last until we're done riding? (Assuming rebuilding/servicing as required.)

I really like items to be long lasting, and serviced to increase their life, and plastic is fairly high on my list of 'things I want to reduce in my life'. But based on Cams review and the long thru-pin design I'm not sure these could be incredibly long lasting for a lot less coin. @AndrewMajor?

Discounting any bling factor, which is for sure higher with alloy pedals, why would a rider choose to not ruin a good composite pedal? And how long of a lifespan would these last any one of us? For my wife I would guess a decade before she wanted to upgrade just based on liking ragged, not likely being and whose in the function department. But she's a gentle rider and not a real hard charger. Her bike is worn from crashing, not riding  ;-)

But she's still happy to go riding so I'm a lucky man!

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cam@nsmb.com
0

Thanks Barry. Sounds like you've got things figured out.

Reply

BarryW
0

I was hoping Mr. Major would weigh in here in the sustainability question. 

Mostly how long do composite pedals like this last the average NSMB rider? It seems an important data point in the discussion.

Also, I'm curious about your preference for a concave pedal even with a mid-foot position Cam, have you explored convex designs different than the v1 of these in either flat or convex?

Reply

monsieurgage
+1 BarryW

Hi Barry, life long flat rider and clip dabbler.

For your wife, it sound like bling will be more bike jewelry than performance enhancing or maintenance  cost reducing.  IF she uses her composite for ten years without issues and loves the grip then why change.

BUT, Wolftooth is serious about their right to repair.  Any little part can be bought individually on the cheap, shipping is another matter.  This is great if, like me, you go through pedal bearings and bushings faster than solid steel axles.  Once a year my bike pedals get a tear down and it is annoying to buy axle kits when two plastic bushings and two bearing would do. (SIDE NOTE PSA): Chromag and NSB, get on board you fools.

The pins. Everyone, look at your pins.  Are they mangled?  Are they mangled on both ends?  Let's assume yes because most of use are not so compulsive as to only ride and crush one side of the pedal.  You want the screw head recessed and protected into the body of the pedal.  These pins will get crushed and you will be picking the Allen head receptacle into shape or taping them out in one year.  Ask me how I know.

So in the end.  Performance gain and cheap/easy once a year rebuild on pedals or nice bike jewelry which just looks and feels good.  Sounds like a classic win for the rider loss for the pocket book either way depending on how you want to justify the bike budget.

Happy riding.

Reply

cam@nsmb.com
0

I believe I said I prefer convex pedals actually. Maybe I transposed those at some point though?

This was in a caption; "The outside pins are longer than the inside ones, for those who prefer a concave pedal. If I can get my hands on another set of pins I will switch them around because I have come to prefer a convex shape."

I've ridden and enjoyed Canfield Crampons, OneUp Aluminums but I can't think of any others I've ridden. A small pedal under a larger foot feels a little like a convex pedal to me because your foot can fold over both sides. Canfields are some of my favourites and the Ultimates last a very long time.

Reply

stinhambo
0

I wonder how these rate against the Deity Deftrap pedal. I don't include the Wah Wah 2 because they're impossible to get in Australia.

Reply

PKMzeta
+1 Cam McRae

I'd sooner try these than the Deftraps. Ran a pair of Deftraps for a while. Grip was excellent but the large platform, square edges, and non-chamfered leading edge led to more pedal strikes than I've ever experienced with previous pedals including Race Face, OneUp, and Chromag. Their service ended when I bent an axle in a not particularly hard pedal strike.

Reply

stinhambo
+1 Cam McRae

I run Deftraps and I can attest to the number of corner pedal strikes! They're a good pedal generally but I think I'd like to try something new.

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