Flex series - Comfort for MTB: The Redshift Shockstop Pro suspension stem in the 2024 test
Jan Timmermann
· 19.01.2024
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It is not without reason that suspension forks have become established on mountain bikes. Even for gravel bikes, there is now a selection of suitable softeners. Suspension filters vibrations and bumps out of the ground so that the rider is less fatigued on rough terrain. However, on long tours over rough tracks, even a suspension fork is sometimes not enough to prevent body fatigue. The Redshift Shockstop Pro suspension stem promises less strain on hands and arms - regardless of whether you have a suspension or rigid fork. Using a joint, the part reacts to impacts from the ground and dampens vibrations with the help of an elastomer system.
Can suspension in the stem really bring a performance advantage in 2024 or will the traumas of the spring-loaded control centres of the 90s be reactivated in the end? Visually and functionally, retro parts, such as the Grivin Flexstem, have mostly been flops. On the other hand, plastics have developed considerably in recent years and even in the latest car bodies, elastomer mounts continue to filter road bumps or engine vibrations out of the system. Perhaps this now also works in bicycles? Especially in city, gravel and unsprung mountain bikes, the up to 20 millimetres of suspension travel could provide more comfort. BIKE gave the modern Redshift Schockstop Pro stem a chance and asked for a detailed test in the lab and in practice.
What the Redshift Shockstop Pro should be able to do
The Redshift Shockstop Pro aims to bring more comfort to the cockpit of city, gravel and mountain bikes with rigid forks. The suspension stem should work equally well with drop bars and flat bars. However, MTB handlebars with a large backsweep reduce the effect. The Redshift is only available with 31.8 mm handlebar clamps. A reduction to smaller diameters is possible via an adapter. Five different lengths between 80 and 120 millimetres are available. For mountain bikers, the version with a six millimetre rise is likely to be much more interesting than the 30 millimetre version.
The special feature: The Shockstop can be used both positively and negatively and is therefore also recommended for sporty bikes. It can be used with both rigid and suspension forks. However, it is only approved for use on easy trails. In the Pro version, which costs 289.99 euros and weighs 220 grams (80 mm, BIKE measurement), the stem comes with titanium bolts and a discreet black finish. If the price is too high for you, the standard version is at least 70 euros cheaper but also 15 per cent heavier.
Figures, data & prices 2024: Details of the Redshift Shockstop stem
- Price: 289,99 Euro >> available at Amazon
- Weight: 220 g (at 80 mm length, BIKE measurement)
- Spring travel: 20 mm
- Adjustment range: <61 to >98 kg via five elastomer hardnesses
- Handlebar clamp: 31.8 mm
- Available lengths: 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mm
- Special features: suspension stem, Pro version with titanium hardware, mountable with positive and negative rise
Unlike the Vecnum Freequence stem the Redshift model does not work with a multi-jointed parallelogram, but with a single joint damped by either one or two elastomers. Up to 20 millimetres of suspension travel should be possible with this system. The damping can be adapted to your own body weight and personal preferences via interchangeable elastomers inside the stem. Five different hardnesses are included in the scope of delivery.
What we noticed: While the setup on gravel bikes is possible in steps of ten kilos of body weight, flatbar riders have significantly fewer options. When used with a drop bar, the combination of two elastomers determines the vertical stiffness of the stem. A single elastomer is sufficient for flatbars and riders weighing less than 98 kilos. The special tool required for replacement is included in the packaging.
Tested: Redshift Shockstop Pro stem 2024
We tested the Redshift Shockstop Pro stem on a hardtail with a rigid fork and 740 millimetre wide flat bar. In the shortest 80 millimetre version we chose, the stem also fits unsprung MTBs. Firstly, the elastomers have to be adapted to the handlebar shape and rider weight. Thanks to the instructions, this can be done in just a few minutes. The wedge that clamps the elastomers in the stem can be easily removed with the enclosed removal aid. For an 82-kilo rider, the choice falls on a single 60 mm elastomer. As with a conventional stem, installation on the bike is quick and easy.
Once installed, however, disillusionment sets in: When stationary, the suspension movement is barely noticeable. Even on the first few metres of gravel road, there is no wow effect. In the interplay of tyre and handlebar flex, the effect of the Shockstop seems to be completely lost. Does the part work at all?
The first finding of the test is that the stem is just one link in the comfort chain. For example, comfort on the bike can be influenced very efficiently and inexpensively with a good tyre/rim combination in a tubeless setup. Changing to better damped grips or handlebar tape is also much cheaper than a suspension stem. However, if the optimum compromise between riding characteristics and comfort has already been found elsewhere in the chain, products such as the Redshift Shockstop also make sense for mountain bikers.
The first outing on a flat root trail does not yet provide absolute clarity about the advantages of the suspension stem. Although the same elastomer setting is also recommended for riders 20 kilos lighter according to Redshift's official weight table, the suspension effect is only minimal. At first glance, the Redshift Shockstop Pro rides like an ordinary stem. Our tests under laboratory conditions confirm the stiff response behaviour of the suspension stem. In the recommended setting for an 80-kilo rider, we were only able to measure a deflection of 5.51 millimetres (spring force: 142.21 N/mm).
The understated character of the Redshift Shockstop stem also has positive aspects - and not just visually! Despite the articulation, the rider never feels disconnected from the bike. The steering precision is at a good, high level. Even under heavy loads when pedalling, the Redshift remains stiff and does not sag. What we criticised in an initial test in 2021 in situations where the front wheel is lifted, there was still a hard bump when rebounding, in 2024 there was no longer any sign of this. Redshift has made improvements and there is no need to worry about hard bottom-outs.
Even downhill, the firm suspension has advantages. The single-pivot design changes the cockpit geometry while the stem moves through its travel. In the worst case, the handlebars would tilt downwards and, as with the infamous sprung stems of the 90s, create a rollover feeling. However, as the Shockstop only works in a minimal range, this horror scenario is reliably avoided. On most descents where a rigid fork hardtail is taken, the change in geometry is not noticeable at all. Only on really steep, rough terrain can the moving cockpit slightly influence the feeling of safety - but the effect remains limited.
So is the Redshift Shockstop Pro just a heavy stem for a lot of money? Not by a long shot! We did several comparison laps with a classically stiff and suspension stem. While the effect was still inconspicuous immediately after switching to the suspension model, it became increasingly apparent after a good 30 minutes of riding through varied terrain over gravel and easy trails. In fact, arms and hands tire more slowly with the Shockstop than with a conventional stem. Even if the front end still twitches wildly when riding through potholes and rough gravel, the rider feels less jarring in the long run. The promise that the Shokstop should reduce bumps by up to 70 per cent according to the manufacturer seems overstated. However, the longer the tour, the clearer the advantage.
The calming effect is particularly noticeable on fast bumpy descents. It is as if the system takes the first hard edge off roots, stones and small steps. However, the suspension stem cannot and will not replace a suspension fork. However, it is not so much the rough impacts as the fine vibrations that the Redshift filters out of the ground. In the staccato of a trail descent, the rider primarily perceives acute impacts via the system of rigid fork, frame, stem, handlebars and grips. Over the course of an entire MTB tour, however, it is also the many small vibrations that can wear the body down. This is where the Redshift Shokstop offers a small but significant increase in comfort. All in all, even with the suspension stem, an unsprung mountain bike has hardly any noticeable suspension reserves, but fatigue sets in noticeably later.
Conclusion on the Redshift Shockstop Pro stem in the test (2024)
Anyone who struggles with numb hands and tired arms on long rides should take a closer look at the Redshift Shockstop Pro. Although the suspension stem on the hardtail does not work miracles, it can be an important piece of the puzzle in the search for more comfort. The part shows its vibration-damping effect above all over long distances. Over short laps, the advantage of the high-priced minimal suspension in the stem is hardly noticeable. On the other hand, the natural look and handling are impressive despite the single-pivot design. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE test editor
Pro
- Hardly any visual difference to conventional stems
- Positive and negative mounting possible
- Also approved in combination with suspension forks
- Vibration damping over long distances
Contra
- Spring effect only minimal when used with flat bar
- On steep descents, a slightly tilting front can increase feelings of insecurity
More on the topic: Comfort & bike
Jan Timmermann
Editor
