Redshift Sports ShockStop Pro suspension stem and seat post

Over the winter I got a bit too ambitious and did just a little too much training indoors. I was trying to get into shape for the season and for some reason I thought four to five hours would be a good idea on my stretched out road bike, and soon enough, I had neck problems.

It was an old injury in the disc in my neck and got pretty inflamed and I ended up with essentially a pretty brutal pinched nerve. I took some time off, and did some physio and slowly got back to it. I could still ride inside with relatively no pain, but riding outside with the bumps of the road resulted in some pretty bad pain. After the inflammation reducedI wanted to ride outside again but was worried about any of the vibrations. I did some research into stems and posts and came across Redshift Sports, a Philadelphia-based company that focuses on specialized gear for cyclists.

Redshift Sports was founded by a team of mechanical engineers who love cycling. I tested two of the company’s products, the Shockstop Pro Suspension seat post and the Shockstop Pro stem. I put them on my gravel bike as I wanted to see how it would be on some of the bumpy roads and trails in the Greater Toronto area, but you could also easily put it on your road or mountain bike. The stem is compatible with both drop and flat handlebar set-ups, but RedShift does point out that it’s not compatible with a cruiser-style bar.

Shockstop Pro Suspension Seat post

As mentioned, the injury was the personal reason to look into the product, but it’s not meant to be used by solely people who are injured. In fact, the stem and post are intended to help your body deal with cracks or bumps in the road or trail which can contribute to fatigue and strain. That could be on a road surface where the pavement is less-than-ideal, or in my case, gravel roads.

Redshift claims that this will not only make your ride more comfortable, but fasten, and further. The company says that you will feel refreshed from “the energy that is normally wasted suspending your body as it is converted into forward motion.” It also will help with your bike handling, as you will have better control over any obstacles you face.

Installing the seat post was relatively easy, but there are a few differences due to the nature of the suspension system. Redshift says that to account for the sag of the post from the suspension, you should position your saddle 5 mm higher, and 4 mm more forward. To change the saddle setback there is an allen key bolt that is nicely hidden behind a dust cover.

There are a range of elastomers for both the seatpost and stem. To figure out which one you want is easy. You loosen the internal mechanism in the post and install the elastomers, and then tighten it up and you’re good to go. The seat post has an outer coil and inner coil spring to provide the suspension, along with an elastomer.

Relief in the back

I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to saddle height. Maybe I’m just precious, but if my saddle slips even a bit, I can notice in my knees and back so I was curious to see what happened with the seat height. The post provides 35 mm of travel. You can definitely feel the post “move” when you ride, but it’s a good thing. When I rode on some relatively bumpy trails with some roots, it provided some nice respite. And I didn’t feel wonky at all with the slight deviations in seat height, or setback.

Good on a variety of terrain

Although most of my testing was on gravel and trails, I did have to ride to those locations on asphalt, and was pleasantly surprised. I would purposely ride on sections of pavement where I saw some potholes and cracks in the road, and it definitely smooths out the ride on your backside.

I’ve found before after long rides on gravel that my lower back can be a bit sore, which could be caused by using bigger gears, but also the terrain. I went on some pretty decent rides on bumpy roads and trails using the post, and my lower back never felt better.

Shockstop Pro Stem

The first thing you notice about the Shockstop Pro Stem is this is not your dad’s suspension stem. It’s not a heavy, clunky thing with visible suspension. It’s a sleek and slim stem that you’d never guess had elastomers in unless someone told you. Installing is just like a regular stem. To change the elastomers–which depends on your weight and handlebar type–is straightforward. Redshift does say that different riders may want something more or less than their suggestions for elastomers, and to use their guide as a starting point. Stem length and terrain may factor in your choice and you can always swap out the elastomers for something more or less. To swap them out, you simply loose a bolt and pull upward on the stem. Then, you can remove the elastomer from a pocket, and insert the other one. There are five swappable elastomers to chose from. There’s a grid with weight that will help you determine the size, which ranges between 50-90 mm.

You aren’t supposed to notice play in the stem, but you do notice the absorption when you’re riding. I went over some pretty rough gravel roads on some decent rides and my shoulders and neck felt great after. It’s a stiff stem as well, so that makes for good responsiveness when you’re climbing or sprinting. The ShockStop Stem is available in 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, and 120mm lengths.

The ShockStop Pro stem I tested comes in at 234 g, which is 15 per cent lighter than the regular ShockStop version.

For anyone looking to make their gravel machine a more comfortable ride for those long epic rides, or the all-day bike packing adventures, I’d say give Redshift’s ShockStop stem or post a try. Using them together creates the ultimate set-up to give you relief from the bumps and your body will definitely thank you.

Redshift ShockStop Pro stem, US$250
Redshift ShockStop Pro seat post, US$300