REDSHIFT ShockStop Suspension Stem for Bicycles, Shock-Absorbing Bike Handlebar Stem for Road, Gravel, Hybrid, and E-Bikes
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
20mm of travelJust the right amount of travel to minimize vibrations and jarring impacts, without sacrificing control. | Tunable stiffnessUsing the 5 included elastomers, you have 120 possible setups to tune the stem to your preferred feel and riding style. | Lightweight and sturdyMachined from 6061 T6 aluminum, it’s lightweight, built to last and backed by Redshift 360. | Many sizing options5 different lengths allows for a customized fit. Standard steerer and handlebar clamp size means it fits almost any bike. |
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Better Ride | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Size: | 6 Degree x 80 mm |
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 7.2 x 5.5 cm; 353 Grams |
| Brand: | REDSHIFT |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Redshift Sports |
| Reference: | RS-40-07 |
| Size: | 6 Degree x 80 mm |
The best! It’s not so jarring! Awesome product! But wish it came with shims
Yes it’s expensive but on gravel and off-road it makes such a big difference.
Not tried it much “on road” on my gravel bike but it smooths out all the bumps and buzz from our awful Scottish council roads
This product is great. Easy to install, and instructions were east to understand. It looks great and It provides just the right amount height that I needed and just the right amount of flex during the ride. I was worried that it would be to flexible and make it hard to control the bike,but that isn’t the case. I definitely recommend this item.
I was beginning to wonder if I should have gotten a hardtail MTB instead of my gravel bike. The trails I have been enjoying were quite jarring. Shaking my eyeballs, brain, and joints. I’ve only taken the stem out for a single ride, but I had to rush home to review. I love it. It smoothed everything out just the right amount.
here is no obvious movement which you don’t want when your riding fast – just no shock from all the bumps – suspension but you don’t know its there- brilliant – use highest rated dampers , the softer ones bottom out on rough ground -but simply brillia
Ideale per smorzare le vibrazioni del terreno in ogni situazione. Chiaramente il suo effetto si percepisce di pi durante le uscite in fuoristrada o su strade bianche. Con gli elastomeri settati “da manuale” non ho riscontrato flessioni fastidiose. Personalmente ho preferito comunque un settaggio pi morbido. L’effetto di smorzamento pi percepibile durante la presa alta sulle leve, ma questo potrebbe dipendere molto anche dal tipo di manubrio che utilizzate. Peccato per il prezzo!
Il prodotto di ottima fattura e funziona bene. Montato su una specialized sirrus black top LTD annulla quasi del tutto le asperit dell’asfalto riducendo quindi le vibrazioni alle articolazioni sia polsi che gomiti (cosa ottima). Non risolve il problema dei sanpietrini. Assorbe infatti una buona parte delle vibrazioni ma NON trasforma una city byke in MBT con forcella ammortizzata. Ultima nota…costa un p troppo ma lo ricomprerei.
dario
The lanes where I live and ride (South Pennines) are poorly maintained and wether-beaten – like rough tracks in many places. I ride a gravel bike with 47mm tyres to help even things out. The Shockstop Stem has made things noticeably smoother. I soon got used to this new normal and thought that I might have wasted my money. It was only when I got back on my other bike (also wide tyres) that the ride seemed incredibly rough and buzzy by comparison – my left thumb developed a painful ache – something which had been cured by the Shockstop. Notes: 1) I used a much softer configuration than what was recommended in the instructions. 2) If the device was more affordable I wouldn’t hesitate to fit it to my other 2 bikes. (May be Santa will oblige?)
Having fused vertebra in my neck some dampening on the front of my road bike is very important to me. Although I consider the unit is expensive it works very well, is well made and gives me the comfort I desire without having to move away from a lightweight road bike. Extremely glad I bought it and would recommend to anybody with upper body issues like me.
I bought this product because of good reviews and it also fits my the purpose that I’m looking for. its a bit pricy though but its the only product available out there so no other choice…
Very impressed. As others have said, it’s not a replacement for suspension forks, but it’s much lighter and it really does take the edge off shocks from bad roads, gravel tracks etc, and also smooths out vibrations from stones and cobbles on my rigid frame hybrid bike. I found it gets better with use – after about 100 miles it’s really ‘settled in’ and lost some stiffness, giving a significantly more comfortable ride then when new. Read the instructions before changing the elastomers as it’s easy to damage the unit. The price is high for what it is, but I suppose the inventors need to recoup the development costs.
The roads around Milwaukee are generally in very poor condition, and it they’re not ravaged by the elements they may be concrete, so you have that delightful thump, thump, thump, of the seams between slabs. This stem has drastically improved my quality of life riding around town and long distance. I light up in a smile every time I go over spider webbed asphalt cracks and barely feel a thing. Of course you still feel the medium and large bumps, but it takes the edge off. It feels so damn good I’m half tempted to buy the shock stopping seat post too!
I had an old super light cannondale Mtn bike with an adjustable stem shock, but the bike finally fell apart – since I’m 71 yrs old and dont do trails anymore I changed over to a Trek fx 3 urban bike which I use mainly on pavement/ bike path or hard pack. It has an upright stem with staight bars but, especially with bad arthritis in a wrist, you take a pounding because of the stiff frame, etc., I wish I had installed the RedShock stem two years ago! WHAT A DIFFERENCE – I noticed immediately. It fit perfectly, was very easy to install – directions very clear; it comes with several elastomer shocks to use – I went with the 60 based on the chart, but changed over to a 50 for more shock absorption. Although expensive – you do get what you pay for and it’s worth it to save your wrists & shoulders.
Nifty emplacement stem! Easy to fit and has definitely improved my ride comfo
Die 2 cm Federweg fr Rennradlenker reichen fr Straen vllig aus, hher sind die blichen Kanten meistens nicht. Man gewhnt sich sehr schnell daran, dass beim scharfen Bremsen der Lenker etwas einnickt und beim Einlenken in eine Kurve eine ganz kleine Bewegung stattfindet. Nachteile fr die Geschwindigkeit auf guten Straen konnte ich keine feststellen, auf schlechteren Wegen ist man sogar schneller.
Die Anleitung ist sehr ausfhrlich (englische Fahrrad-Fachbegriffe wie Headset, Stem, Torque etc. muss man kennen) und bei exakter Beachtung jedes Details geht die Montage problemlos vonstatten. Ganz trivial ist sie trotzdem nicht, z.B. muss man fr die Vorspannung der Elastomere ein Anzugsdrehmoment von exakt 2,5 Nm einhalten, 3 Nm wren dann laut Anleitung fr Kopfsteinpflaster und mehr als 3 Nm machen das Gewinde kaputt.
I only have praise for this stem, after installing it for ~1500 mile cycle tour this summer.
I didn’t notice much impact on steering (maybe more apparent on a road bike), and really appreciated protecting my hands from road vibrations.
Well worth considering by anyone contemplating audax or very long days in the saddle. I experienced numbness on my hands after 15 hour ride, and I think this stem would have avoided the temporary nerve problem, sometimes called cycling palsy and it take several months to get completely back to normal.
The price is high, and is really the only downside of the product. If it was not so expensive, I might put these stems on all my bikes!
Outstanding stem. It’s a must for any gravel bike as it totally transformed the ride.
Good product – looking for something to take the edge off riding my CX bike on the rocky trails and this works nicely without much added heft. Simple, effective.
Just as I suspected, after getting one for my bike, my wife had to have a Redshift stem as well. Great investment. Helps avoid numbness. Love these upgrades.
Looks great; works great. Redshift is very concerned that people may think this product is like other companies’ early attempts to make a shock absorbing stem, so they recommend settings that are overly stiff to avoid too much squishiness. But, that’s not a problem. I have set the elastomers to be 2 full levels below what’s recommended for my weight. There is no bounce or brake dip. I have done about 90 miles on gravel of various degrees of roughness and the Redshift Shockstop takes away most of the buzz. My hands and wrists are much more comfortable. I also find that I am able to ride rougher stones than I could before—because the front wheel stays in contact with the road and tracks better. Sure, this stem is heavier than a high-end light stem—about 150 grams heavier. But I knew that when I bought it. Don’t buy if you are a weight weenie. Do buy if you want more comfort. It’s not a suspension with a lot of travel, but it dampens vibrations, absorbs small bumps, and dampens severe hits. Really terrific.
I feel this is a must-have upgrade for British road riding as I had noticed an immediate reduction in road buzz after installing the Redshift ShockStop Stem, greatly improving my long-distance fatigue levels. In my opinion, it should be considered a priority for your bike upgrade decisions.
Not tried it off-road or on gravel yet as I don’t have that type of bike, but having read reviews from others that have used it on these types of surfaces I made my decision to try it out.
It was a straight swap for my original Giant Connect stem, and easy to install. I chose the elastomer combination as recommended in the instructions based on my body weight which sits right in the middle of the weight range for my chosen elastomers. I am aware these will soften slightly as they bed-in. So may need to review my elastomer combination at a later date.
Es liefert aber tatschlich eine gute, angenehme Federung.
Je weiter der Schwerpunkt der Griff-Punkt an den Lenker-Griffen vorne liegt, desdo besser federt das Produkt natrlich.
Auch die unterschiedlichen Feder-Gummis sind gut.
I have tendon damage in my left hand and found that every time I hit a bump it sent a painful shock through my hand. The shockstop as its name implies has removed most of the pain from cycling for me. It seemed expensive, but I think it was worth every penny.
Worth every penny I spent on this. What an incredible difference this stem made. My favorite GG trail has a few rocky sections and this stem took the edge off the bumps, providing much more control and comfort.
I have a tear in a rotator cuff, and could only ride my Trek carbon fiber road bike a few miles without having severe shoulder pain. I installed this stem last winter, and have now done numerous 30-40 mile rides with NO shoulder pain. At first I thought it wouldn’t do much, because it seems very stiff. But the abrupt shocks of potholes, cracks, and broken pavement are apparently being absorbed, and my shoulder sure can tell the difference! It has made my rides much more enjoyable, and I consider it a good investment.
The only downside — and it’s not something that RedShift could address — is that the mount for my Trek bike computer was built into the Trek stem, so I had to buy another mounting bracket (not cheap!).
It was easy to install and configure. I now have less stress on my hands and forearms enabling me to ride in more comfort, longer.
I Don’t leave many reviews. But the difference in ride smoothness is astonishing. It’s very expensive for an alloy Stem but I wish I had one years ago. After riding with a shoulder injury I was feeling every bump and needed something. This works a treat. Only just had it so time will tell how it lasts.
This stem works as promised by the manufacturer. I have been on several rough rides and notice the vibration dampening effects in my hands and arms. I have never ridden the more expensive gravel bike suspension forks but, for my money, this suspension stem works just fine.
1. Habe ich im Vergleich zum Serienteil 10 mm krzer gewhlt, jetzt sitze ich besser auf dem Rad und auch das Lenkverhalten ist etwas zackiger. Die Federung beeintrchtigt das Lenkverhalten dabei kein bisschen.
2. Das Wesentliche ist aber, da der Vorbau den Schotter fast komplett wegbgelt (in Bremshebelposition) ! Wurzeln, Kanten und Schlaglchern wird der Schrecken genommen, unten “zappelt” das Rad und auf den Hoods herrscht fast Stille. In der Unterlenkerposition ist der Effekt etwas schwcher ausgeprgt, aber immer noch deutlich vorhanden.
3. Wiegetritt ist kein Problem, der Vorbau “geht” nur in die Richtung, die er soll, und auch unter Belastung funktioniert die Federung weiter. Top.
Natrlich ersetzt der Vorbau keine gut eingestellte 80mm+ Federgabel, aber WAS er leistet, ist echt enorm. Elastomer-typisch spricht die Federung bei kleinsten Sten bereits an, und genau das macht die Fahrten mit dem Redshift so entspannend. Das wenige an Zusatzgewicht, was die Sttze und der Vorbau mitbringen (zusammen ca. 500 Gramm verglichen mit regulren Aluteilen) machen sie meiner Meinung nach dadurch um ein Vielfaches wett.
Die Montage war in der Beschreibung vorbildlich erklrt, die Auswahl der Elastomere passte auch (ich, 75kg, habe 50/70 eingebaut bei 90mm Vorbau und -6 Einbauposition, die 40/70 Kombi, die ich wegen des kurzen Vorbaus angedacht hatte, war mir zu weich). Die Verarbeitung ist vorbildlich. Abweichend vom Produktbild bekommt man schnere (finde ich) Klemmschrauben.
Alles in allem bin ich richtig glcklich mit dem Teil und empfehle es jedem, der auch nur gelegentlich seinen Renner/Cyclocrosser/Randonneur oder Gravelracer ber auch nur moderat schlechten Belag steuern mchte. Ein echter Peacemaker fr die Handgelenke!
This was not cheap but it does appear to take road or gravel buzz out of bars over small bumps. I use on flat bar so there is less flex. Could probability reduce the inserts to give slightly more comfort but will stick to recommended set up for now
Federleistung ziemlich gut ohne dabei im Wiegetritt beim Graveln einben zu mssen. Individuelle Federstrker sehr gut justierbar durch die Elastomere.
Sternabzug gibt es fr die mitgelieferten >Chrom/Silber< Schrauben. Sieht bisschen bld aus und ich hoffe der hersteller schickt die abgebildeten schwarzen nach. Kaufempfehlung.
Update Jan 2022:
Using a torque wrench set to 2.5 – 3 nm for the wedge bolt is critical. I ‘winged it’ originally, went to install lesser elastomers and discovered that had I not originally over-tightened this bolt in the first place there is much shock absorbing movement. A good product got even gooder and my shoulders appreciate it.
Purchased the first one for my gravel bike – even though I run fairly low pressure 700×38 & 42 tubeless tires, the washboard roads were giving my shoulders a beating. I saw the ShockStop on a friend’s road bike and he gave it high marks. I’ve put several hundred miles on the bike since the Shockstop and it works great. I switched it over to my road bike for a 66mi test ride, and works nice on that also. So, order #2 just went in today. (Plus, when I had questions on the elastomer values I got direct email contact with the engineer and one of the founders of the company who addressed my emailed questions – I was very impressed.
This is the greatest thing EVER…… I ride on suburban streets with a few pot-holes & jarring bumps here and there….. The cushion-y response of handlebars makes me feel like I’m floating on a cloud. …. Great videos too…. study them on Redshift site for proper way to install. …… I have my shock-stop installed on a cruiser bike…. works fine… i just needed shims* plus a Threadless Size Converter adapter* ….. it all fits together and ticks like a watch. ….brilliant product.
Thanks!!!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AO5FME/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Profile-Designs-Threadless-Size-Converter/dp/B0028N14GQ/ref=pd_day0_468_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0028N14GQ&pd_rd_r=2MCDPV649V1KF32EEBEN&pd_rd_w=wxekm&pd_rd_wg=EMteK&psc=1&refRID=2MCDPV649V1KF32EEBEN
Well made and does reduce the vibration on rough roads but is expensive for what it is. I’ve set mine up using the softest elastomers to give the most comfortable ride, I found that following the recommend setup for my weight and the type of bike gave very little movement in the stem.
Funktionsweise:
Es werden unterschiedlich harte Polymerelemente in den Vorbau gesteckt und per Schraube vorgespannt. Das sorgt dafr, dass man nach unten eine leichte Dmpfung hat und nach oben einen steifen Vorbau. Das funktioniert eigentlich ganz gut, man muss nur am Anfang zwei, drei Mal nachspannen, was ein wenig “nervt”, aber okay. Da der Vorbau nur Spiel nach unten hat und ansonsten komplett spielfrei konstruiert ist (wenn die Vorspannung stimmt!), gewinnt man sehr schnell Vertrauen in das Bauteil und meiner Meinung nach beeinflut der Vorbau nicht das Sicherheitsgefhl. Im Wiegetritt bleibt der Lenker stabil, es sei denn, die Vorspannung der Dmpfungselemente ist nicht korrekt eingestellt, dann kommt ein leichtes Spiel nach oben dazu. In dem Fall muss man die Vorspannung im Vorbau nachziehen. Meiner Meinung nach ist das konstruktionsbedingt und akzeptabel.
Fazit:
Insgesamt sehr hochwertig und stabil konstruiert, stellt der Shockstop Vorbau einem steifen Rad etwas mehr Komfort an der Vorderhand zur Verfgung, was mir persnlich sehr gut gefllt. Leider ist das Teil sehr teuer, ich verstehe nicht, was daran 170 EUR kosten soll. Daher ein Stern Abzug.
I was sceptical at first, but I can promise you this relieved a lot of stress on my neck and numbness in my hands. Wasn’t too keen on the price but this is a great product. I have 2 bikes, an S-Works epic mtb and an S-Works Tarmac for road biking. After installing this on my road bike I would say that the front suspension( although it doesn’t have the same travel ) is equally comfortable (compared to my mtb on road of course)
Fitting was relatively easy and the suggested elastomers for my weight are spot on. The transformation was noticeable immediately and the front of the bike absorbs abrupt jolts such as drain covers and potholes smoothly. I definitely feel less discomfort after a long ride.
There was no noticeable change in the acceleration or cornering which was good as I’d feared it may have degraded it somewhat, especially with the extra weight. However as I have a gravel bike with wider tyres it may be a different experience when fitting to a very lightweight fast road bike.
Overall I’m pleased with my purchase and can recommend buying.
I bought this after my wife broke her elbowa which meant she was feeling a lot of vibration on her road bike. Surprisingly easy to fit. Works really well.
I’m very happy. It sort a lot my problem with pain in hand.very comfortable
This thing really works great. I set up my stem for a bit softer then the recommendation in the instructions.
The stem just a bit softer is great on my gravel bike. Takes the hit out of ride in wash board sections & really helps out my neck & shoulders.
I am very picky, especially about bike parts. Very happy with this purchase. I was worried that it would be to spongy or would take out some of precision in the bikes handling. Neither is true.
I have ridden about 100 miles with the unit installed on my fat bike (no suspension). This stem takes out just enough of the sharp jolts to make it much more pleasant. Very happy and saves me from buying an expensive fork I did not really want.
UPDATE
I have ridden about 5,000 miles on this unit. Actually worn out the orginal frame two weeks ago and moved it onto the replacement frame.
Zero complaints.
Works as advertised.
Compared to my stock stem, this is a lot more comfortable. Installation was easy. Just make sure you have spacers, just in case. Figuring out the elastomers to use is easy. Just make sure to follow the directions, when changing the elastomers, or you can wreck the stem (the bolt inside). The stem is obviously going to be heavier, but it isn’t too bad. The comfort level is very nice. The stem actually moves a little from the elastomers absorbing bumps and shocks while you ride. Doesn’t change how you ride, though. Still corner and turn with the same confidence. I have a joint condition and this stem helps a lot.
Takes the sting out of wrists when riding on gravel but not bouncy on road. Have arthritis in thumbs and for me it’s made a very worthwhile difference. Definitely recommended.
Just finished my first ride after installation on my gravel bike. Man what about difference. The trails were definitely much smoother and I found my body wasn’t as fatigued compared to my last ride on the same trail. As previously stated in other posts, follow the install instructions. It is not as hard as it sounds, but you do want to make sure to not strip the pre-load screw
I was a little disappointed since I was hoping the stem would be just another gizmo that doesn’t work as advertised. I could play with it for a few days, return it, and save the $149. But unfortunately it works very well in smoothing out bad pavement and shallow potholes. Because the bike rolls more smoothly, I experience less fatigue. While it doesn’t smooth out bad roads like a beach cruiser, the softer ride is really noticeable. (I don’t grimace every time I see broken pavement.) While I’m not happy about the added weight (it’s heavier than a carbon or light alloy stem), the weight penalty is worth the benefit. It’s a keeper.
Er dmpft wunderbar kleinere Unebenheiten wie Kopfsteinpflaster oder Waschbrettfeldwege ab.
Auch ein Schlagloch ist fr die Handgelenke und Schlutern nicht mehr so ein “schockierendes” Erlebnis.
An meinem Rennrad mit seinen 28mm breiten Reifen, bei 7-8bar ist der Vorbau sehr gut aufgehoben.
An meinem Touren Randonneur mit 35mm breiten Reifen bei 5-6bar bringt er kaum etwas.
Allerdings verleitet der Vorbau ab und zu etwas schneller zu fahren als fr das Fahrrad gut wre 😉
I have two road bikes, a Sequoia and a Diverge. The diverge has a future shock. When I commute the 15 miles to work on the Sequoia my fit bit records about 5k steps. When I ride the diverge, I get about 1k. I assume this is due to jarring, shaking hands to relieve numbness, and vibration. I put on this stem last night and rode the Sequoia. Now I get the same results on both bikes. Much more comfortable ride.I would highly recommend this product to any rider seeking a more comfortable commute.
Only cons are the price and the weight for a stem – but compared to other suspension solutions, it’s cheap and light.
I can’t thank Redshift enough for coming up with this – makes a huge improvement in comfort.
I’ve been using a thudbuster seat post on my racebike for years now, so I was curious if the same comfort was possible to achieve on the wrists/arms/shoulders.
And yes this suspension stem is incredibly comfortable. I used a softer elastomer than advised for my weight and I notice it moves up and down a bit when I pull the handlebars while riding, but even that does not bother the stabilty or control at all. I will test with the different elastomers and tension a bit more, to find the ideal setup, but I’m already convinced.
The only downside for weight weenies is that it adds +/- 200 grams to the bike, but I didn’t notice.
Works well, just be clear what you expect. My road bike would jar my hands and wrists over bumps and expansion joints to the point of nearly losing my grip on the bars. The shockstop provides just enough movement to soften the shock but does not affect the feel of the handlebars otherwise. Don’t expect the shockstop to insulate the bars from the feel of the road like a suspension fork. Not it’s purpose.
BUT beware when using on long Alpine descents and taking corners at speed because the slight flex in the bars means that you lose the close contact with the road. And you lose a little power when pulling on the bars to climb.
I will continue to use on long flat rides but change back to tradition stem for long climbs and long descents.
Noticeably diminishes road vibration and shock. Not as much as a full front suspension fork but it does make a huge difference.
My bike has a flat straight handlebar. Used a single elastomer that was the second level of firmness. This was much softer than recommended on instruction sheet, but a call to the company confirmed that was OK for flat handlebars.
Had to quit riding my road bike a couple years ago due to arthritis in my wrists. Even though my bike has a carbon fiber frame the harsh shock from road bumps went right into my wrist. I purchased this and installed. It was like night and day. Most of the shock is absorbed in the stem. Back riding my road bike again:)
Riding now the fixed front fork can no longer pass all its vibration to me and because I am more comfortable I reduced my time on a regular trail ride I do. Yet to do a really long ride but I’m certain other parts of me will be wanting to stop long before the arm vibration.
Eases the rattle in the elbows and wrists.
Perhaps a little ‘Toppy’ at the price, to be honest … but … all in all … a worthwhile purchase.
Seitdem hatte ich keine schmerzende Hnde mehr, obwohl ich das Ding bis an Limit belaste, wenn ich ber Waldwege fahre. Ich wrde sogar behaupten, es erhht meine Geschwindigkeit – durch das glattgebgelte Straengefhl: Kaufempfehlung!
Awesome one you figure out which rubber shocks to use you really need to try different ones to see which one is good for you! I have a Jones H bar on my bike and they are not recommended for it but I put the two lightest ones and it still helps alot! I ordered the seat shock as well they are not inexpensive but they make a great product!
Two days later I bought another for my wife, and she loves it too. There are several roads around our house that we used to avoid before, that now are fine.
I don’t notice the motion of the stem while I’m riding. In fact, sometimes I can’t quite tell that it’s moving at all. There is no “dipping forward” while braking that I can tell. I set the elastomers to a weight class one lower than recommended, in order to get a softer ride. Before this I was considering getting a Specialized Roubaix to avoid repetitive stress in my arms and wrists, but for my needs, this is just as good.
I have read all of the reviews prior to purchase, and out of desperation decided to give the redshift a try.
I would like to address some of the reviews that i have read.
First impressions, I was worried about how it would look, yes it’s square, but it looks good, I have seen a number of square stems on bikes, and I personally think that it looks smart, also it looks like a normal stem.
Installation can be very tricky and cross threading the bolt that holds the elastomers in place is easy to do, read the instructions and be careful and you should be alright.
First mile down the road, I found the suggested combinations of elastomers for my weight a bit to bouncy when climbing out of the saddle or sprinting, so I went up to the next harder combo of elastomers and found it much better.
Some one said that it does nothing, maybe if you ride on smooth roads you won’t notice any difference, if you ride on UK roads you will notice quite a difference, don’t expect the kind off difference you may get from the SEATPOST, but given that we are talking about a stem with small elastomers in it performs efficiently, the difference is about the same as going from a 23mm front tire with 100 psi to a 28mm front tire with 70 psi in, a good move by the way.
Pot holes and patchy roads feel quite a lot softer, there remains a small amount of feel which is nice.
Unexpected bonuses other than comfort.
The front wheel seems to bounce less on fast descents over patchy roads allowing faster descents.
The bike feels a lot more stable and safer at quick decents as well.
The front wheel should also last a bit longer, as some of the force placed on it should be taken up by the flex in the stem.
The company claim to stand by their product as do most companies, this one really does, I had a small issue with the first one that i ordered, and the replacement was sent out before I even sent back the first one, communication was quick and friendly, my email was answered within an hour despite the time difference, the team really exceeded expectations, as did the product.
I would describe this stem as a must have for any one cycling in the UK or anywhere where the roads are rough, especially if you are middle aged like me or doing long rides.
Well done Redshift
Michael Kerschoff
Bottom line – this is one of the best things you can do to make your bike more comfortable.
I like how the elastometers can be switched out to really dial in what you need. The product includes a guide to get you started, takes your weight and type of handlebars (drop vs straight) and makes a suggestion of which elastometers to use. My bike has drop bars, so I started with the suggestion for my weight. I found that this was still a little too stiff because I don’t put as much weight on my hands as I would a more aggressive road bike. So I went down a notch and it is perfect.
The range of movement is a bout a centimeter, and if I’m not actually paying attention to it I don’t notice that the stem is moving when I’m riding. It isn’t enough movement to feel unstable. But the stem practically eliminates the lower end of vibration and makes all the little bumps and cracks in the road completely disappear. And the big potholes and road damage, the stem removes that heavy jaring that used to hurt my wrists. I can certainly still feel these big bumps, it just removes their violence.
I’m really glad I bought this stem, it has seriously smoothed out my ride and has made my bike much more comfortable. I highly recommend it to anyone who rides on anything worse than pristine roads. It is a relatively inexpensive upgrade that really pays off.
This is a fantastic product. I have a pinched nerve in my neck that was getting aggravated every time I biked. I thought I was going to have to give up cycling. Then I heard about this product and decided to give it a try. Since it has been installed, I have had zero issues with my neck. It absorbs the bumps of the road and I have had no issues with control as other riders reported. I would highly recommend this product.
The thing to be mindful of is to make sure your bike store knows how to handle the stem. I had one bike store ruin the set up in doing a minor adjustment to the alignment of my handle bar. I had to go to another store to have them re-install the shockstop.
The only downside to this item has a 100 gram penalty over a similarly size Zipp stem and considering how well it works, I’ll take the penalty. After using it for a number of Grasshopper Adventure Series races (70 miles plus on mixed surface) on a carbon gravel bike, I notice I finished fresher and with less arm hand and fatigue than on previous races. It’s best at taking out road buz and can absorb bumps but does not feel squishy or flexible in any way.
Pay attention to the setup instructions, they are good and well written but you’ll want to make sure you set it up for your weight and prefered +/-6 direction.
I would recommend it to a friend.
I even liked it on the roads, as most UK roads are pretty rubbish these days, and when I did get onto better roads at high speed the bike felt just as stable as it did without it. Unless you’re a racer that needs to save every gram then I’d strongly recommend one of these. If you have a gravel bike or ride on uneven or potholed roads then you really need to get one.
This is where the ShockStop shined. The added comfort enabled me to maintain greater speed than I would have otherwise This was especially evident on quick downhill segments of washboard. All of this and without any affect on my steering or control. The product really takes the edge off and doesn’t hinder slow slogs up challenging climbs or full out efforts in the drops.
LIKE SO MUCH THAT I JUST ORDERED ANOTHER ONE FOR MY OTHER BIKE. I WORKS VERY GOOD. I MAY BE ABLE TO CHANGE IT TO 5 STARS AFTER I GET LONGER RIDES BECAUSE SO FAR I HAVE ONLY RODE 75 MILES AT 1 TIME. IT IS ADJUSTABLE SO THAT MAKE IT A BETTER DEVICE.
To have a super rigid bike suddenly soaking up the poor roads and bumps is a revelation. Amazing.
The unit is adjustable with different combinations of elastomers that provide different tension settings. I use the factory set of installed elastomers. Movement of the stem is never more than 1/2 inch and that is a really big hole, mostly it is much, much less. It is almost imperceptible. You will notice some movement of the stem during a standing climb but soon get used to it.
This is a great upgrade for any serious rider. Weight penalty is apprx. 100 grams more than your existing stem which is replaced.
The ShockStop makes riding much more comfortable with no loss of performance or control and helps to minimizes numbness in your hands.
After moving to New York City from the west coast, I was really suffering riding on the poor roads. The potholes, tarmac seams and debris was killing my hands and taking the joy out of road riding. I put the widest tires that would fit on my bike and got a Selle Anatomica saddle. Those helped a lot but my hands were still getting numb.
I was skeptical about the ShockStop and thought it would be too flexy but I was wrong. The effect is subtle. I really don’t feel any movement unless I hit a bigger pothole so I forget that I even have the stem. The big difference is that the hand numbness and shoulder fatigue are gone. I’m sold.
It’s incredibly well engineered – sturdy (albeit adds a little weight over a regular stem) but the key advantage is the suspension components. For years I’ve found on a ride that my arms and shoulder fatigue very easily, especially with high tyre pressure and lots of potholed or badly/wobbly roads found in Britain. Winter months even worse when things are a bit colder and harder.
The ShockStop’s Elastomers mean I can customise the feel of the suspension to my heart’s content, and while the recommended configuration for my weight is higher, I actually run a “softer” configuration to smooth things out. Less fatigue means I can go faster for longer and come back from a ride without feeling like an elephant has stamped all over my shoulders / arms. I’ve tried adjusting form, increasing core strength, padding on bar tape and gloves but the ShockStop is the only thing that’s really helped.
Their customer service is also excellent – I’ve had a problem recently when changing elastomers where in my excitement of using cheap/worn tools I’d stripped the bolt head and thread. I asked Redshift about a new bolt and where I could find one – and instead they went above and beyond helping me and shipped me a new unit in record time.
Cannot recommend them or Stem enough – if you value your comfort while out and about, especially on longer endurance/audax type rides – you need to get a ShockStop!
Cons:
– Weight, it’s a bit heavier than a standard stem.
– A bit more complicated than a standard stem and the bearings will eventually wear out (still good Feb 2019).
Pros:
– Very robust and well engineered – aside from oiling once, no maintenance but yet remains silent in operation with no signs of any bearing play.
– No impact on bike handling or pedalling efficiency – even with slightly softer pre-load than recommended (to make things a bit easier off-road) I am unable to detect any downside.
– Works – it is noticeably more comfortable. Some tracks can now be ridden at a speed that previously would have either had me in the ditch or seeing double.
– Enables riding bumpy sections faster – maybe placebo but Strava times, particularly when paired with a ThudBuster LT (not so high quality), are noticeably faster.
In summary
On a bike, your backside and your hands are the two points of contact that aren’t designed to take frequent large impacts, and both suffer when they do. Having this installed has added minimal weight and made zero impact on handling and pedalling efficiency while it has made things noticeably more comfortable.
This stem was the first upgrade I made to my new Ibis. It remains the first upgrade I would make to any non-suspension bike I intended to use off-road. If you currently ride on rough tarmac or off-road on a bike with no suspension, then I can highly recommend the RedShift ShockStop as an excellent comfort enhancement.