3 day bikepacking trip to Scotland left me with knumb fingers achy wrists, double taped & padded gloves. I got the shortest Redshift 70mm & haven’t looked back since. Total game changer
I’ve fitted these to both my Cannondale gravel bike and my Giant endurance bike and they make a big difference especially in view of the awful conditions of our roads. Also fitted suntour suspension posts to my Giant hard tail mtb and the Cannondale gravel bike. Also a big boost to comfort after a bit of juggling with the spring adjustment to prevent topping and bottoming out. Just subscribed.
Thanks for the video. I was considering buying the seat post and the stem for my flat/swept back barred adventure bike. After watching this I contacted Redshift. Their reply was very comprehensive and honest, and confirms your comments. In essence; although the stem will work with flat bars, it functions best riding on (drop bars) the hoods, and minimal benefit with swept back bars where the hand position is level/behind the pivot point. I’ll still get a stem, but use it on my drop bar bike.
@@martinashwell yep, riding the USE stem now and despite a slight difference in pivot point it’s exactly the same situation. After the main bolt loosened again on this stem after just an hour riding I’d defo go with the Redshift.
I can vouch for the endurance pro seat post. I bought that and the 80mm stem for a reduced price, but then returned the stem. 1) the 70 mm had just come out and that’s the size I really wanted. 2) I felt I was getting too much bouncing in the hoods especially when out of the saddle to climb, but no suspension if I were hammering on a straightaway gravel road
What are your thoughts on the 70mm after a few more weeks? I had bought the 80mm stem, but then returned it. 1) the 70 mm had just come out and that’s the size I really wanted. 2) I felt I was getting too much bouncing in the hoods especially when out of the saddle to climb, but no suspension if I were hammering on a straightaway gravel road
I've got the older 90mm version on three of my bikes (gravel, old CX and my Synapse)....Certainly has made a difference in drop bar comfort when you're in your 60's !!! They just soften the blow on gravel and rough roads (of which there are many around Peterborough)....I don't have achy wrists anymore. I'd have definitely gone for the shorter length stem at 70mm if they were available at the time....
I have the 80mm on my Sonder Camino. It's excellent. Makes a really helpful contribution when on chunkier stuff - yes, it's a tiny amount of movement but it makes a huge difference to how easy it is to hang on when you don't spot a rock or a pot hole. It's nothing like a fork, but a really great way to reduce the vibrations through your hands. Barely noticable weight increase, very subtle, not expensive. I'm a mtber and road rider and this is definitely nudges the gravel further down the mtb level of capability to the point I can't see the point of my XC hardtail any more. A case of a tool for N-1?
I ran mine on a very rigid triban gravel bike (also with an insert in the front tyre so I could run extra low pressure) and it did make that bike bearable for my dodgy thumb joints. When I realised that everything I wanted to ride was better handled or at least neutral on a mountain bike (and that inner bar ends gave me the one position I missed from the gravel bike -with better braking) I put the redshift on my flat bar town bike for a while, with the lightest elastomers (or it did nowt for me as a light rider). When I sold the redshift on (moved to Sheffield and that town bike I was running it on was useless on the hills) it was returned to me with the buyer pointing out that the pivot was notchy. Buyer was right, although I haven’t had the heart, or bike, to test whether it was always that way and with elastomers in it just wasn’t noticeable, or whether it had failed. It sits in its box…
my opinion is if you think you need a suspension fork on a gravel bike then really you need a mountain bike, but suspension stems on a gravel bike make a massive difference
Have been running a Shockstop for a couple of years, setup per their rider weight recommendation but found it too harsh for minimising road buzz so ended up going one level softer. Sorted.
Interesting concept although how much benefit achieved v getting optimum tyre pressure and having decent gloves and well padded bars , sixty two thousand dollar question would you run on your personal bike as a standard fitting. I get a bit of comfort angle but again on a rocky technical section you would just blow through travel, have to contend with bounce and potentially have less direct control. I would have liked to see you review on a proper technical xc route. Maybe the stem would be a godsend on an endurance ride and reduce tiredness, or if you suffer numb hands help with medical ailments. Personally I’m not sold but would like to try as I love other redshift products great quality.
Expect a rigid V springy stem V suspension fork comparison test on some chunkier terrain soon. And don't forget they run a 90 day free trial if you wanted to see whether you like it or not. I'd be interested to hear your feedback for sure
@@Grandadgreyhair I think it's wrong to think of this as having travel like a conventional suspension fork and more like having oodles of "compliance" in a rigid fork. I run the elastomers as recommended for my weight and I don't feel much bounce or rebound, it is simply that when I hit something with an edge, I'm not having my brain rattled like I did without it. Might feel odder for someone coming from a purely road background, but if you're accustomed to travel, you don't really notice the movement, only the comfort.
The Vecnum is really great, way cheaper and less maintenance than a squishy fork, but takes the sting out of cobblestones and bad gravel stretches (I have mtbs for trails). Brother Big Bro with Tumbleweed Persuader bar. Haven’t tried it on long Bikepacking trips, that will be next year.
I have a proprietary stem on my Lapierre ECrosshill which is a shame as would have liked a Redshift stem as my carpal tunnel syndrome is made worse when riding gravel than when I'm smashing my way down rock gardens at Bike Park Wales.
3 day bikepacking trip to Scotland left me with knumb fingers achy wrists, double taped & padded gloves. I got the shortest Redshift 70mm & haven’t looked back since. Total game changer
I’ve fitted these to both my Cannondale gravel bike and my Giant endurance bike and they make a big difference especially in view of the awful conditions of our roads. Also fitted suntour suspension posts to my Giant hard tail mtb and the Cannondale gravel bike. Also a big boost to comfort after a bit of juggling with the spring adjustment to prevent topping and bottoming out. Just subscribed.
Thanks for the video. I was considering buying the seat post and the stem for my flat/swept back barred adventure bike. After watching this I contacted Redshift. Their reply was very comprehensive and honest, and confirms your comments. In essence; although the stem will work with flat bars, it functions best riding on (drop bars) the hoods, and minimal benefit with swept back bars where the hand position is level/behind the pivot point. I’ll still get a stem, but use it on my drop bar bike.
@@martinashwell yep, riding the USE stem now and despite a slight difference in pivot point it’s exactly the same situation. After the main bolt loosened again on this stem after just an hour riding I’d defo go with the Redshift.
I can vouch for the endurance pro seat post. I bought that and the 80mm stem for a reduced price, but then returned the stem. 1) the 70 mm had just come out and that’s the size I really wanted. 2) I felt I was getting too much bouncing in the hoods especially when out of the saddle to climb, but no suspension if I were hammering on a straightaway gravel road
What are your thoughts on the 70mm after a few more weeks? I had bought the 80mm stem, but then returned it. 1) the 70 mm had just come out and that’s the size I really wanted. 2) I felt I was getting too much bouncing in the hoods especially when out of the saddle to climb, but no suspension if I were hammering on a straightaway gravel road
I've got the older 90mm version on three of my bikes (gravel, old CX and my Synapse)....Certainly has made a difference in drop bar comfort when you're in your 60's !!! They just soften the blow on gravel and rough roads (of which there are many around Peterborough)....I don't have achy wrists anymore.
I'd have definitely gone for the shorter length stem at 70mm if they were available at the time....
I think that's where they really win, just softening the edges off stuff that would get jarring and tiring otherwise.
I have the 80mm on my Sonder Camino. It's excellent. Makes a really helpful contribution when on chunkier stuff - yes, it's a tiny amount of movement but it makes a huge difference to how easy it is to hang on when you don't spot a rock or a pot hole. It's nothing like a fork, but a really great way to reduce the vibrations through your hands. Barely noticable weight increase, very subtle, not expensive. I'm a mtber and road rider and this is definitely nudges the gravel further down the mtb level of capability to the point I can't see the point of my XC hardtail any more. A case of a tool for N-1?
@@DanRoddy thanks for the feedback, Camino is a great bike for rowdier stuff so a natural home for this stem
I ran mine on a very rigid triban gravel bike (also with an insert in the front tyre so I could run extra low pressure) and it did make that bike bearable for my dodgy thumb joints. When I realised that everything I wanted to ride was better handled or at least neutral on a mountain bike (and that inner bar ends gave me the one position I missed from the gravel bike -with better braking) I put the redshift on my flat bar town bike for a while, with the lightest elastomers (or it did nowt for me as a light rider).
When I sold the redshift on (moved to Sheffield and that town bike I was running it on was useless on the hills) it was returned to me with the buyer pointing out that the pivot was notchy. Buyer was right, although I haven’t had the heart, or bike, to test whether it was always that way and with elastomers in it just wasn’t noticeable, or whether it had failed. It sits in its box…
@@joelstewartinstruments thanks for the intel. I’ll keep testing it and check for notchiness as it gets older
my opinion is if you think you need a suspension fork on a gravel bike then really you need a mountain bike, but suspension stems on a gravel bike make a massive difference
@@MTBstuart that’s a very good summary I reckon
I had a Girvin Flex stem on my old Kona Kilauea in 1995 lol
@@JittyLaRoot and with all due respect that’s actually quite late to still have one 🤣🤣
@ hahaha it may have been earlier. Been too long hahaha good video as usual though Guy 👍
Me too. I remember it made me much faster because I could actually see to pick a line. Faster than my brakes iirc 😂
Have been running a Shockstop for a couple of years, setup per their rider weight recommendation but found it too harsh for minimising road buzz so ended up going one level softer. Sorted.
@@altern8tive interesting
Interesting concept although how much benefit achieved v getting optimum tyre pressure and having decent gloves and well padded bars , sixty two thousand dollar question would you run on your personal bike as a standard fitting. I get a bit of comfort angle but again on a rocky technical section you would just blow through travel, have to contend with bounce and potentially have less direct control. I would have liked to see you review on a proper technical xc route. Maybe the stem would be a godsend on an endurance ride and reduce tiredness, or if you suffer numb hands help with medical ailments. Personally I’m not sold but would like to try as I love other redshift products great quality.
Expect a rigid V springy stem V suspension fork comparison test on some chunkier terrain soon. And don't forget they run a 90 day free trial if you wanted to see whether you like it or not. I'd be interested to hear your feedback for sure
@@Grandadgreyhair I think it's wrong to think of this as having travel like a conventional suspension fork and more like having oodles of "compliance" in a rigid fork. I run the elastomers as recommended for my weight and I don't feel much bounce or rebound, it is simply that when I hit something with an edge, I'm not having my brain rattled like I did without it. Might feel odder for someone coming from a purely road background, but if you're accustomed to travel, you don't really notice the movement, only the comfort.
I ordered a Vecnum Freequence stem for my rigid commuter/ bikepacking mtb. Redshift is inferior for flat or alt bars, and even curly bars.
@@MilchreismitZimt yes they don’t recommend it for flat bars. You enjoying the Vecnum?
The Vecnum is really great, way cheaper and less maintenance than a squishy fork, but takes the sting out of cobblestones and bad gravel stretches (I have mtbs for trails). Brother Big Bro with Tumbleweed Persuader bar.
Haven’t tried it on long Bikepacking trips, that will be next year.
@@MilchreismitZimt Excellent, Ill try and get one in on test
I have a proprietary stem on my Lapierre ECrosshill which is a shame as would have liked a Redshift stem as my carpal tunnel syndrome is made worse when riding gravel than when I'm smashing my way down rock gardens at Bike Park Wales.
Love it
I reckon a Cannondale Headshock would work very well on a gravel bike
@@Andy-co6pn yes it would, they went with a short travel lefty instead though