Crank Brothers Stamp 3 Pedal Review

Crank Brothers has been making pedals for SPD and flat shoe wearers now for years with its most popular products being the Eggbeater, for the clipped in crew, and the 5050 for us flat pedal warriors.

The Crank Brothers range now includes a newer flat pedal model called the Stamp. The Crank Brothers Stamp isn’t a single set of pedals though, but rather an entire range that is made up of four models in two sizes, plus a special edition Danny MacAskill set.

We featured all of the new Crank Brothers Stamp flat pedals back in August, and David posted his review of the Stamp 7 pedals here. Now it’s the turn of the slightly more affordable Stamp 3 to get their review time.

Like all of the Stamp range, the Stamp 3 comes in both large and small platforms, and although I have spent most of my time on the larger pedal I’ve also ridden the smaller for this test too.

The footprint of the large Stamp 3 is 114x111mm (Small is 100x100mm) which is the exact same platform size as the more expensive Stamp 7, only the Stamp 3 has a much thicker 16mm profile.

Coming from a Spank Spike with a platform profile of only 12mm, the Crank Brothers Stamp 3 pedals look extremely thick, and I initially thought that this thicker body might cause issues on the trails with additional rock strikes, but this hasn’t been the case at all.

Visually, the difference between the Stamp 3 and Stamp 7 ends at the thickness and colours, but take a closer look and you’ll find more details that make the 3 a more affordable pedal.

Firstly, the Stamp 3 is a heavier pedal. A pair of the blue Stamp 3 weighs in at 455g, whereas a pair of Stamp 7s weighs only 375g. As both forged pedals are made of 6061 T6 alloy and use steel 435 Chromoly axles, we can assume the additional weight is purely down to using more material.

There will also be a slight difference in weight due to the differences in bearings between the pedals. The Stamp 3 uses Igus LL-glide main bearings and Enduro cartridge outer bearings without a grease port. The Stamp 7 has Igus LL-glide bearings throughout and the convenience of an easy to access grease port.

Remarkably those are the only changes between the two pedal models, and even at this lower price, Crank Brothers is confident enough to give the Stamp 3 the same five-year warranty as its more costly variants.

As David mentioned in his review of the Stamp 7, I also found that the mud shedding capabilities of the pedal aren’t quite as good as I expected. Although there are massive cutouts in the body, the small ledges left in the forging process gives mud and dirt somewhere to sit.

I initially tried the Small Stamp which is designed for riders with shoe sizes ranging from 37-43 and while they felt good I was on the very limit of the size range. I ended up on the Large version which has been designed for shoe sizes 43-49 and instantly felt much more comfortable and confident. The large platform also feels like it give a little more manoeuvrability too as your weight is spread over a slightly larger area.

For riders with smaller feet then the fact that there is a small Stamp 3 option is great, the smaller platform would also make them a good choice for young riders who take their riding seriously.

The 10x M4 grub screws offer plenty of grip, but not that ‘stuck on’ feeling that other pedals have. It will be up to your personal preference if this is a good or bad mark against the Crank Brothers pedal, but I personally prefer the ability to change my foot position and adjust my stance on the move.

If you like a pedal with a concave design you’ll have to rely on adjusting the pins to get the feel you’re after. Some of the Singletrack crew found it necessary to screw the central pins all the way in and even use longer pins on the outer edges to get the level of grip and comfort they were after. I personally got on with the standard pins at an equal level across the platform, but again I like a bit of movement.

Conclusion

I’ve been running the Crank Brothers Stamp 3 for five months and in that time they’ve been hammered in the Alps during the Kona Process launch, ridden in mud, snow, and rain, and just recently survived a full day of uplift at Revolution Bike Park and they are still spinning smoothly.

If you’re after a large pedal with a huge warranty and offers the right balance of grip and maneuverability then the Stamp 3 is a great choice. If the thickness and overall weight is a concern then consider the Stamp 7. Younger riders or those of you with petite feet also have the option of going for the Small Stamp 3.

Review Info