The Redshift Shockstop system is a short travel suspension system. Redshift first caught our eye last year with their Arclight City Pedals. Their innovation in high quality components for city, road and gravel bikes have inspired confidence while riding with increased visibility while riding, and a pedal full of grip.

The seatpost has 35mm of travel and the stem uses elastomer wedges to dampen vibration. Fortunately, they are not proprietary fitment components and can be used on almost every eBike. Finding a solution to add more comfort is always a chore, Redshift makes it easy with quality components that do just that.

This minimal black almost futuristic looking seatpost was not something tickling my thoughts as an upgrade for my bike. Having seen, and ridden, some interesting suspension seatpost’s in the past, they never quite seemed like a proper upgrade to make.

Bouncy, heavy, bulky, just a few words that come to mind when picturing a suspension seatpost. At 547g for the 350mm length seatpost it is anything but that. Offered in two lengths and only a 27.2mm diameter, the Shockstop Seatpost can fit into almost every bike with the use of shims available from Redshift or other bike shops.

It has 35mm of travel that by tightening down a bolt on the underside of the seatpost will increase pressure on a spring. The more pressure on the spring will firm up the suspension making it more difficult to move the seat up and down, and vice-versa. Redshift provides a chart to aid in adjusting the pressure or “preload” on the spring by screwing the bolt in to different numbers indicated on the threads of the bolt.

When riding an ebike without suspension, the only flexible part on your bike is the tires to work to your advantage for making a more comfortable riding experience. For the recreational or commuter rider, the seatpost offers that 35mm of suspension absorbing the rough roads and beat up bike paths. Making it more comfortable to ride and more enjoyable.

For the sport rider and tourer, compromising performance of the bike to favor a softer ride is generally not a decision made lightly. Adding 200-300g of weight to your seat post for a cloud-like feeling while riding vs. 1000-2000g for a suspension fork, seems like a lighter decision to consider. With an even lighter “PRO” model available as well.

Tuning the Seatpost to your weight and how you’d like it to feel while riding allows for a very personal feel of comfort. From long days in the saddle, to extremely rough back rounds, taking care of your body and limiting the amount of aggressive impact will allow you to ride further, faster, and limit the amount of fatigue.

Suspension stems share a similar story to that of suspension seat posts, decades of experimentation and products to experience the sensation of handlebar suspension. All of which have evolved over the years to what Redshift has done with the Shockstop Stem.

Albeit, I was suspect to think flex in the stem would lead to some unwanted wandering of my control of the bike. To little surprise, the stem is extremely rigid where it needs to be and compliant in the downward pressure by use of the elastomers.

The stem comes with five different elastomers and well written instructions to use certain elastomers for certain rider weights. Easy enough to follow along to install the elastomers in the stem and install the stem on the bike. On my first ride, a casual commute around town the stem provided an unfamiliar feeling of comfort to my hands. Crossing railroad tracks and blowing through pot holes, the stem absorbed the terrain and dramatically reduced the impact.

With longer rides in mind on more aggressive terrain I packed the rest of the elastomers in with my tool kit and went out to see how different the feel was from a paved road and use different elastomers to soften and firm up the stem.

Hundreds of miles later and chosen elastomers torqued in place, the Shockstop Stem delivers ample suspension-like dampening to the handlebars making for more comfortable and enjoyable rides.

Offered in lengths from 80mm to 120mm and +/- 6 degrees, or a 30 degree option, it has a 31.8 bar clamp and either 1 1/8″ or 1 1/4″ steer compatibility. It weighs 256-278g and has a modern and sleek design with a black finish. With a quick glance it camoflauges itself well enough as a normal stem.

For ~30-50g weight savings, Redshift offers a “PRO” stem for $249.99 which delivers all the same performance benefits of the standard stem.

• The Seatpost add’s 35mm of travel to the seat for a comfortable cloud like feel while pedaling
• Shockstop system weighs less than a suspension fork
• The Stem smoothes out the vibration for a more comfortable ride
• Can move from bike to bike over the years

• The Stem is not a cure-all for handlebar comfort
• It is somewhat expensive for more affordably priced bikes
• Wearing a backpack or attaching a seat bag will require adjusting the Seatpost preload
• Add’s weight for those counting grams

With hundreds of miles and multiple bikes, the Redshift Shockstop System delivered as promised. It became noticeable over time that the fatigue in my hands was prolonged or entirely evaded. Not to say the vibration disappeared entirely, but the amount absorbed was noticeable and my hands didn’t become tired on those longer rides. With stiffer bikes it was even more noticeable riding on rougher terrain, similar to putting the oversized tires to absorb those bumps and chatter, without the performance loss of pedaling larger and heavier tires.

The Shockstop Seatpost has become my first parts swap on any bike to immediately get a softer and more comfortable ride. Being able to dial it in exactly to my weight and know my reference marks for increasing tension when riding with a pack on, has made many bikes we’ve tested more comfortable and enjoyable to ride. Most notably on long extended rides my lower back and seat area have been extremely thankful to see less rigid and jarring impacts take their toll over time. Allowing me to ride further before considering stepping off the bike to stretch out. Equally casual short rides to grab a cup of coffee or run a few errands are made more enjoyable when knowing you’re crossing railroad tracks or unavoidable potholes or construction in the bike lanes.

All in all, for less than $400 I would prefer to make my comfort upgrades with the Shockstop System than a budget suspension fork with minimal adjustability. A tuneable and high quality suspension component comes at a cost, and the expense is seen in quality and performance when comparing budget solutions. Additionally, adding a suspension fork to an eBike requires more work and research to find the correct one, if any, available. We encourage you to check out Redshift and their quality components, and consider the Shockstop System vs. a suspension fork when trying to increase comfort on your eBike.

Stem: $169.99
Bar Clamp: 31.8mm
Fork Clamp: 1 1/8″ | 1 1/4″
Length: 80mm – 120mm
Shop: Redshift Shockstop Suspension Stem

Seatpost: $229.99
Size: 27.2×350 mm | 27.2x280mm
Shop:Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost