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Bikepack Adventures
From roots and rocks on single-track, to unmaintained winter roads and washboard gravel, cyclists are continuing to push the boundaries of what a gravel bike can handle. In this review, Chris is sharing his thoughts on the Redshift Sports Shockstop Stem after several years on continuous use on his gravel bike.
The Redshift Sports Shockstop Stem is a suspension stem that uses adjustable elastomers to provide 20mm of flexion. Coming in lengths of 55mm and 70mm-120mm in 10mm increments, there is a good chance you will find a stem in your desired length. The Shockstop Stem will increase your confidence on rough terrain, particularly gravel roads with gnarly rocks and washboard, ultimately making your riding experience much more enjoyable. While costly in comparison to a normal bike stem, it costs only a fraction of a gravel suspension fork, while still providing many of the benefits.
When Redshift Sports created the ShockStop Suspension Stem, their goal was simply to solve an issue that so many people riding road and gravel bikes must constantly deal with: poor quality roads. When I first moved back to Canada from teaching in Malaysia, it wasn't long before I realized that Canadian roads were not up to the same standard that I had gotten used to while living in SE Asia. It wasn't long before I decided to switch from road biking to gravel biking and finally discovered the wide world of gravel biking. When trying to decide what bike I should get, I came across an Opus Horizon carbon fiber bike that came supplied with the Shockstop Stem. As I read about this new quirky product, I got more and more excited. Before the bike even arrived I had already decided to get the Dual-Position Seatpost, to help offset my position on the bike for riding on the aerobars. It wasn't long after assembling the bike and getting out on a ride that I started to really notice all the ways this suspension stem would help to improve my Canadian riding experience. Hitting washboard roads and loose gravel were going to be a foregone issue that I wouldn't have to worry about anymore.
Redshift Sports was originally founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers that not only happened to be friends but also keen cyclists. As amateur triathletes, this soon to be team of entrepreneurs, were intent on finding a way of making the everyday road bike more comfortable and efficient when competing in triathlons. The development of the Switch Aero System, a combination of quick-release aerobars and a dual-position seatpost, was their first foray into the world of marginal gains. From the beginning, they wanted to take a different approach to product development and create components that would make a meaningful difference to the riding experience. In 2016, the Redshift team released the Shockstop Stem and revolutionized the biking experience of gravel riders around the world. In 2021, a year after I started using some of their products, Redshift Sports became a sponsor of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, giving me access to their various products to test out and make use of.
As one Shockstop Stem was not enough, it was only a couple of years before I decided I needed a second stem to put on my newest bike build. After receiving my new Shockstop Stem in the mail, I couldn't wait to get it opened up to see what it looks like when all packaged up. In the box you get not only the stem, preset with a couple elastomers, but also a small bag with the elastomer removal tool and the remaining 3 elastomers. Initial setup is quite simple. When installing the stem, you must first determine if you want to run it with a +6-degree stack or a -6-degree drop. Next, use the provided instructions to determine which elastomers you need based on body weight and type of handlebar. Naturally, if using drop bars, the pivot point is further out and so you will need stronger elastomers than if you are using flat bars.
Switching out elastomers is not particularly difficult. First, you remove the four faceplate bolts of the stem and remove the bolt that holds the preload wedge in place. Next, attach the provided wedge tool with the 'remove' side facing outwards. The wedge is attached by using two of the faceplate bolts to keep it in place while the longer provided bolt screws into the middle, allowing the preload wedge to be extracted from the stem. Once done removing the elastomers, Insert the desired elastomers based on rider weight and type of handlebars, replace the preload wedge, insert the bolt and tighten to 3.0 N-m. Lastly, reinstall the faceplate and get out for a ride. It's important to bear in mind that when using accessories like aerobars or installing a handlebar bag, it will change the leverage and there may be some sense in setting the elastomers a bit stiffer in order to accommodate this difference.
The Redshift Sports Shockstop Stem is designed around a single pivot, using elastomers to provide the necessary flexion to absord the impact from ruts and bumps. The technology isn't new and has been around for a long time on folding bikes such as the R&M Birdy to provide rear suspension. The Shockstop Stem is available in a large variety of lengths, ranging from 80-120mm in 10mm increments. It has recently been redesigned and is now also available in 55mm and 70mm lengths. Crafted from 6061 T6 aluminum, the stems typically weigh double that of a regular non-suspension stem and can handle a maximum rider weight limit of 300 lbs. (135kg). While the original 80-120mm lengths can be used with both drop bar bikes and flat bar bikes, the newer 55mm and 70mm stems are designed to be used with drop bar only. Technical specifications also state that they are intended for on and off-road riding and drops less than 15cm (6").
Their is also a Shockstop Pro Suspension Stem that has a more premium finish and weighs 15% less than the regular Shockstop Suspension Stem. It incorporates titanium hardware and utilizes weight-reducing CNC machining to take away as much unnecessary weight as possible.
The first time I rode my gravel bike, I was in awe at how comfortable a fast machine could be. This definitely wasn't something I was used to. At first, I attributed it to the huge 45c tires I was using, compared to the 25c tires I previously used on my road bike. However, it was more than that, and I wouldn't truly appreciate it until I installed a regular bike stem on my gravel bike. As the old adage goes, "you don't know what you've got until it's gone." Everything was a little bit rougher, and washboard was something to really watch out for. Reinstalling the Shockstop Stem, the difference was noticeable immediately and it was quite amazing how it ate up the bumps of rough paved roads, washboard, gravel and even helped smooth out flowy singletrack trails. Things were smoother and I wasn't getting sore wrists and shoulders while riding on paved roads.
In my experience, this is especially noticeable on road and gravel bikes where the tires are smaller and can’t absorb as much impact from ruts, rocks, washboard, etc. Adjusting the stem’s suspension is as simple as taking off the faceplate, using an Allen key to remove the bolt that hold the elastomers in place and then putting in whatever you want the new setup to be. In my case, I found that because I use aerobars, I needed to have a bit stiffer suspension, as the leverage made me “heavier”.
One common misconception I've heard from people is that they seem to think that the movement of the stem would create instability when trying to ride fast and potentially affect the rider's ability to safely control the bike. However, this isn't the case and any movement of the stem while riding is nearly imperceptible. On my first 100km ride, I felt fresher, with less tiredness in my arms, back and neck. This allowed me to go further and ride faster, while the Shockstop Stem absorbed the impact of imperfect roads, helping keep my muscles feeling fresh. Also, if you are the type of rider that gets numb hands and sore shoulders after a day of gravel riding, this stem might just be the perfect addition to your bike.
Redshift has also released some accessories such as the computer mount and the utility mount that attached to the faceplate of the stem.
Having cycled over 25,000km over the past 4 years, with the vast majority of it being on a gravel bike with a ShockStop Stem installed, I can without a doubt claim that the Redshift Sports Shockstop Stem has been a game changer for my style of riding. From the rough chip sealed roads of the Yukon territories, the unpaved shoulders of Ontario’s roads to the region's best bikepacking routes, the ShockStop Stem does an excellent job of reducing the fatigue that can accumulate in the shoulders, arms and wrists over several hours, days or weeks of cycling.
As I got used to the Shockstop Stem, I stopped worrying about the conditions of the roads I was riding and began to truly appreciate the scenery and world around me. While riding on the aerobars, I no longer had to fear that the washboard I was about to ride over may cause me to lose control. I would just tighten my grip a little and enjoy the 'massage' as I careened over the rough stuff.
While I have been fortunate to have Redshift's support over the past few years, I have never received money from them for promoting their products and the only benefit is that they do send me products to use when I request them. I feel it is important to mention this, although it has not impacted my opinions on their products, as those opinions were well established long before Redshift became sponsors of the podcast.
However, one of the benefits of having Redshift Sports as a sponsor is that they have also provided me with a discount code for people to use when buying their products.
By using the code BPA15, you get an instant 15% discount on checkout, which is never too bad a thing.
