Kinekt 50° Comfort Stem vs. Redshift 30° ShockStop Suspension Stem

[GizmoEV]

I wanted to compare the new Kinekt 50° Comfort Stem to the Redshift 30° ShockStop Suspension Stem. I had already purchased the Redshift stem when I found out about the new Kinekt stem. After feeling the benefit of the Redshift stem on my Pedego Avenue, I wanted to check out the Kinekt for my Wife's Avenue. Since I didn't find any comparisons online, I decided to bite the bullet and order one. Below is a side-by-side comparison on centimeter grid paper. Due to the camera perspective, the Kinekt doesn't look like it is lined up on a line so I drew lines to show the vertical dimension measured from the bottom of the steering tube clamp and to the center of the handlebar clamp.

I haven't ridden with the Kinekt yet because I have a broken hand. Hopefully I can test it out by the end of November. If anyone is interested in more about these stems, just ask and I'll post more after I get to ride again.

 

[6zfshdb]

I like the added height and reach of the Kinekt but how stiff is the action? The Redshift I have lets you use a single elastomer for a very soft flex. I find this works well for reducing high frequency vibration. Serious shock load is handled by my bikes suspension forks, not the stem.

Is the Kinekt adjustable to be as soft as the Redshift with a single elastomer?

 

[GizmoEV]

The Kinekt comes with three different springs. I have one yellow elastomer the Redshift. I'll Have to compare the different springs and report back. There is also an optional elastomer plug of some sort which can be put inside the spring.

 

[m@Robertson]

I have three of the Kinekt stems across my little fleet, and they are excellent. Not this new 50mm riser but their original version. Mine are the 90mm with the 30-degree rise, which is a pretty close competitor to the Redshift. This is the one I have:

I use the bumper extension thingie. Thats the extra-responsive elastomer plug mentioned above. My bikes are all lean-over where I am putting my upper body weight onto my handlebars and the elastomer plug is one of the two upgrades I am using to keep the bars from bottoming out on me (*ahem* I have a larger upper body than I used to in my 20's when I was cycling for reals every day). I also am using an extra strong spring recommended to me by Kinekt (stronger than the strongest one in the retail kit... but it may be included in currently sold units. Its the orange-striped one). The idea being I want the bars to stay suspended and not bottom out unless I hit something on the road. I am not using these with a suspension fork. I'd say that something like this only serves a purpose if you do not have front suspension (i.e. a fork).

Like their seatpost, the stems I own at least are made to the highest quality standards. They had better be given the price.

This Kinekt stem with these upgrades has a higher capacity for absorbing shock than the Redshift does. My concern with the Redshift was survival of the elastomers over the long term. But I'm putting the stems to a much higher level of abuse, what with the lean-over and no suspension. It sounds like you are looking for the reverse, and this new 50mm version is clearly aimed at upright-riding-position riders. Still, I like them so much I plan on swiping the one on my Envoy, which I am going to try and sell, and putting it on the new bike I am building.

 

[SC00CHB00CH]

I've owned both as well testing them on my bike. I prefer the Kinekt 30 degree high rise system. I used the stiffest spring and added the optional damping plug. The added plug fits inside the provided spring/s. You don't have the feeling of bottoming out. The nice thing with the Kinekt system is you can try all 3 spring strengths. I found the 1st two springs to be too soft for me. I used the stiffest spring and then added the optional damping kit.


This little bike (see picture) was really rough hitting bumpy trails but adding the front stem really helped the hands a lot. I also like the Wolf Tooth Silicone Mountain bike grips, the fat paws , combined with the front stem really helped with the bumps. I did get an orange spring in my kit when purchased from Amazon. The quality of materials even the screws were more robust than the redshift system. The redshift had cheap low quality screws. Just from experiementing with both types of stems installing/uninstalling them the redshift screws were getting soft and the black coating was coming off. Not so with the Kinekt system , nice heavy duty screws provided with the kit. It's a heavy stem though so keep that in mind but well machined and the metal just feels more robust.

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Stem Lower Spring Guide

Stem Lower Spring Guide is now added to all Stem Models and sizes! Designed to add to any of our Stems to provide a firmer ride for those riders who want the feel of more rigid stem while still getting the comfort of our suspension system. Easy to add to any of our stems. Works with all springs.

cirruscycles.com

 

[AvalancheRun]

@GizmoEV curious how they worked out for you. I’m about to run the same test!

 

[AvalancheRun]

I find this works well for reducing high frequency vibration. Serious shock load is handled by my bikes suspension forks, not the stem.

Funnily enough I found the Kinekt stem with medium spring did nothing for this type of vibration. I swapped out for the softest spring and maybeee a tiny improvement? My bike is actually more comfortable with the normal stem, surprisingly. It's a very upright bike though (Gazelle). The Kinekt left the geometry virtually unchanged so I don't think that was a factor either.

Will be trying the RedShift next. I have their seatpost and it is amazing.

 

[GizmoEV]

@GizmoEV curious how they worked out for you. I’m about to run the same test!

I haven't actually had a chance to ride with the Kinekt stem on my wife's bike. It actually makes her bike too tall to fit under the canopy on my pickup so I'm thinking of either getting her the RedShift stem or the regular Kinekt like shown in poste #4 above.

One thing I notice about the RedShift stem is that it rotates the bars a little rather than keeping the bars at the same orientation as the Kinekt does. With relatively straight bars, this isn't an issue and some people might not notice at all. It is something I expected and notice but it isn't annoying and I generally don't think about it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Funnily enough I found the Kinekt stem with medium spring did nothing for this type of vibration. I swapped out for the softest spring and maybeee a tiny improvement? My bike is actually more comfortable with the normal stem, surprisingly. It's a very upright bike though (Gazelle). The Kinekt left the geometry virtually unchanged so I don't think that was a factor either.

Will be trying the RedShift next. I have their seatpost and it is amazing.

Elastomers are better for rapid vibration but it is eventually the tyres to damp the oscillation.

 

[AvalancheRun]

Elastomers are better for rapid vibration but it is eventually the tyres to damp the oscillation.

I switched over to the RedShift stem and also having a hard time feeling any positive difference over OEM stem unless the front suspension fork is locked out. Reducing preload on the fork makes all kinds of difference depending on the level.

I think you’re totally right about tires. Thinking back to fat tire bike tests and the Gazelle Avignon (bigger tires) they were a little smoother over course surfaces. Anyways, this was an experiment that will likely end with the stock stem.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I switched over to the RedShift stem and also having a hard time feeling any positive difference over OEM stem unless the front suspension fork is locked out. Reducing preload on the fork makes all kinds of difference depending on the level.

I think you’re totally right about tires. Thinking back to fat tire bike tests and the Gazelle Avignon (bigger tires) they were a little smoother over course surfaces. Anyways, this was an experiment that will likely end with the stock stem.

How much could you safely deflate your tyres? Often dropping as little as 7 psi does wonders!

 

[Djangodog]

I found that the Redshift stem did fairly well when it came to taking the harshness out of gravel roads, but the benefit was less than I had hoped for. I also have some neck and back issues due to a serious motorcycle accident, so I wanted to raise my bars a bit, (not upright, but up enough that I could bend my arms more and not have to crane my neck all the time). I also found that the Redshift gets awfully stiff in the cold weather.

Long story over, I bought a Kinekt 30 degree stem. I got my first ride on it today, (32 degrees Fahrenheit). My neck and shoulders were more comfortable, but the bars are still low enough to allow me to ride out of saddle efficiently and I can still get low when I want to). The Kinect’s shock absorption felt much better than the Redshift, (I believe part of that is because I have more bend in my elbows and less weight on the bars).

I put about 3,000 miles on the Redshift and it did fine, but I think that except for the increased weight, the Kinekt stem is superior. Time will tell.

 

[Catalyzt]

From the Impossible Questions Department:

* Can anyone estimate how much weigh the Kinect seat post adds compared to a typical eMTB seat post?

Thinking about one for the Marin-- if I ever get over this damn COVID and get back to work on it. I'm recovering well, but I'm really trying to go zero stress (from riding or wrenching) until I am 95% recovered or more. Seen too many people relapse by getting too much activity (mostly physical, but also mental) before they're recovered.

 

[BlackHand]

From the Impossible Questions Department:

* Can anyone estimate how much weigh the Kinect seat post adds compared to a typical eMTB seat post?

Thinking about one for the Marin-- if I ever get over this damn COVID and get back to work on it. I'm recovering well, but I'm really trying to go zero stress (from riding or wrenching) until I am 95% recovered or more. Seen too many people relapse by getting too much activity (mostly physical, but also mental) before they're recovered.

Kinekt has several models ranging from 510g to about 660g. They recommend the XR for ebikes if you are over 150lbs, which narrows it to 607-627g for the 350mm post. A standard seatpost is maybe 200-300g?

Kinekt Active Suspension Seatpost

Please note that all fees (Shipping, Taxes, Duties, Etc.) associated with international returns and exchanges are the responsibility of the customer. Kinekt suspension seatposts smooth out the ride, no matter what type of bike you choose, or what type of terrain you are on, increasing...

cirruscycles.com

 

[Catalyzt]

Kinekt has several models ranging from 510g to about 660g. They recommend the XR for ebikes if you are over 150lbs, which narrows it to 607-627g for the 350mm post. A standard seatpost is maybe 200-300g?

Kinekt Active Suspension Seatpost

Please note that all fees (Shipping, Taxes, Duties, Etc.) associated with international returns and exchanges are the responsibility of the customer. Kinekt suspension seatposts smooth out the ride, no matter what type of bike you choose, or what type of terrain you are on, increasing...

cirruscycles.com

Thank you.

I am 150 pounds, so I could actually go with the LR. Apparently not the CR, supposedly not good for eBikes-- I have a CF seat, though not a CF seatpost (I could remedy that) though I notice the CR does not have the greatest reviews. If I could make the CR work, the weight penalty might be as little as half a pound.

I am so not there yet-- so many other things I need to do first-- but good to know.