INTERBIKE: ShockStop Suspension Road Stem, It Works!

Earlier this month, we presented a first look at the ShockStop suspension stem designed specifically for road bikes from Redshift Sports. Now, we’ve finally had a chance to get our hands on one… although, admittedly, it was on a display rig at the Interbike trade show. Still, the demo rig was set up to simulate some rough hits due to major imperfections in a road surface, and Redshift Sports even had a standard, fixed aluminum stem on hand for a direct comparison. Thanks to its single-pivot design that Redshift likens to the rear end of a mountain bike, as well as a pair of internal elastomers, the ShockStop stem definitely helps mitigate the effects of a big hit to the handlebars. And although Redshift assured us that this flexible sensation at the stem will not adversely affect your bike’s handling characteristics, we’ll hold off final judgement until we can get a test sample on our own bike, in real-world conditions.

The ShockStop stem features a single-picot design with internal elastomers. It's not yet available in red, but its creators have high hopes for future colorful iterations. — The ShockStop stem features a single-picot design with internal elastomers. It’s not yet available in red, but its creators have high hopes for future colorful iterations.

Still, the suspension stem has been around in concept form for several decades, going back to such examples in the early 90s as when Bianchi created a suspension stem for its pro rider to use at Paris-Roubaix. And Redshift admits that their design, as a concept, is nothing new. “It’s absolutely in the spirit of what other manufacturers tried to do a long time ago,” says Redshift’s Erik de Brun. “But we believe we’ve been able to implement the idea properly with modern technology and contemporary aesthetics. Now, top ProTour sprinters probably won’t be looking for anything like this, but the vast majority of cyclists will most likely find the effects of the ShockStop surprisingly to say the least, and will find it to improve their over ride quality and experience.”

The ShockStop stem utilizes two elastomers t help dissipate road vibrations. Its creators at Redshift Sports say that the final production stem will ship will several different elastomers so that customers can fine-tune their suspension quality.

The ShockStop stem can currently be preordered via Redshift Sports’ Kickstarter campaign, with the stem going for $99–Redshift says that the US retail price of the ShockStop will go up to around $140 when it goes fully on sale to the public. Now for some of the highlights:

Aluminum construction
Weight: 238 grams (size 90mm)
Sizes: 90mm-120mm in +/-6-degree and 30-degree
Suspension: single-pivot with customizable elastomers
Price: $99 (currently on Kickstarter; $140 MSRP)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redshiftsports/shockstop-the-shock-absorbing-bike-stem