Redshift ShockStop Suspension Stem +/-6 Deg

I purchased this in May 2017, and it has been a constant fixture on both of my gravel/all-road bikes since then (initially a 2015 GT Grade Carbon and for the last year an Ibis Hakka MX). Both bikes and stem have seen substantial hard usage off-road on some of the roughest tracks you might imagine (The photo is from an Exmoor crossing, Google "riding ridgeway foul weather" for more on another particular soggy adventure).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 summaryOn 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.

I really love this thing! On Monday I rode 60k on my gravel bike (GT Grade Carbon) without this fitted on a mixture of road, gravel and single track, then today I fitted it and rode the exact same route in the same conditions. The difference is like night and day, the front end is so much smoother, my arms are less tired, and when I did hit a root or pot hole I got a dull thud instead of a bone jarring whack. I was also definitely faster on the rougher terrain. It's the front suspension you want for adventure riding, without the 2kg weight of a suspension fork.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.

I have just done a 70mile 115km ride on the worst UK roads Imaginable with the stem fitted.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 RedshiftMichael Kerschoff

This is genius. If you need suspension, look elsewhere, but if you want to lose road rumble, soak up bumps and holes up to around 1cm deep and round the edges off of everything else you hit on the road, I recommend this. I use it on my commuter hybrid with flat bars, but I can see it would be great on a road bike with drop bars as well. My only concern, having used it for a week or so, would be how long the elastomers or the wedge that hold it in place will last. That may say more about me than the product, though. Time will tell...