New RedShift Sports Shocktop Handlebar Stem

[Steve Plattner]

Happy to report that after many months of waiting patiently, Redshift Sports Shockstop is available. I have installed it on my ST-1. Due to weather where I live, I've only had it out on the street for a few miles, but what I experienced thus far was a major improvement over biking without it.

I bought the 30 degree rise version. So, for starters, my handlebars are now up about 1.5" higher and maybe .75" further to the rear of the bike, allowing me to sit more upright (not everyone's cup of tea, but just what I was looking for). I am sure that means a bit more drag, but with an electric bike, even on 60 and 70 mile rides, placing more weight on my seat (Brooks B67 with Thudbuster) and less on my upper body is a small price to pay imho for a far more comfortable ride.

I went out today before another downpour and rode on some local streets I know all too well--this time not avoiding all the usual bumps, small potholes, and seams. With the Shockstop in place, the improvement in ride comfort was substantial--I could feel far less of the grinding, rattling, direct road shock through the handlebars and grips. The handlebars do move up and down slightly and smoothly, and at first that felt odd, but I quickly grew used to it. There is so much less vibration with Shockstop. It really takes much of the wear and tear off your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and back--while allowing you to retain the "road feel" and control you need to feel through handlebars. It's hard to explain, but so far I am highly impressed. It was easy to install--but you do need to have a 5Nm torque wrench--available on line for as little as $10-$15. Shockstop comes with a wide range of elastomers, allowing you to customize the shock absorption level to suit you weight and preferences.

All in all, I highly recommend it. Posting a couple of pictures--side views. Good holiday gift. They sell for about $120.

 

[Steve Plattner]

Here are the two quick shots of the Shockstop.

 

[FOLSOM ELECTRIC BIKES]

I have not had time to install my Shockstop unit. Can you tell me what color elastomers you used for your Stromer?

 

[Steve Plattner]

Depends on your weight and preferences. The instructions have a table telling you which ones should work best for you. I weigh 205 and it recommended using just the blue one. Let me know how you like it.

 

[JRA]

The Flex Stem lives!

Another way to alleviate road vibration at the bars, and the saddle, is to decrease your tires psi. I find that rim width has as much to do with this ability as tire width. A wider rim with the same size tire you run normally will allow you to drop a lot of psi increasing ride comfort and traction.

Some data here:

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/tire-pressure-data-and-details/

 

[Steve Plattner]

I agree tire inflation is important. I tend to pump mine up to 55 on the rear tire, 50 on the front. I weigh 205, so the bike and I with an extra battery are up in the 275-280 lb. range. Any thoughts on what a good lower psi figure would be that would provide a smoother ride but also minimize rolling resistance?

 

[JRA]

I can't suggest a lower psi for you but I can give you an example based on what I personally use and how I arrived at what works best for me.

The only good low psi you can run is what works for you ultimately without pinch flatting all the time. As that article suggests wider tires run at low psi don't do much to rolling resistance especially on an e bike one would assume. I see that stock tires on an ST 1 are 26x2.15 but there is no spec for the inner width of the rim which you can guesstimate by measuring the outer dimension and subtract a few mm for the rim material. I haven't run 26" wheels for a long time but when I did on my mtb I would use in the low 40's IIRC on i19-25 rims for mtb use that also included road riding.

For this type of bike I am using rims that have an interior dimension of 23-25 mm.



Previously rims of this width were used primarily on mtb's with 2.0 tires and up. But fat bikes and now plus bikes and gravel bikes have shown that wider rims can be used for them to achieve lower psi. I first came to this conclusion myself 3 years ago when I ended up with a set of wheels that had i35 rims and after mounting them on my mtb with my 2.1 tires on them and doing the air test as described below I was amazed to see that my new psi was 15 whereas before with the same tire on an i20 rim it was 30.

To that end I use 40-45c tires (1.5-1.6 approx) that I inflate to psi in the low 30's front and rear. I have done this both tubed and tubeless with good results and no noticeable increase in rolling resistance over if I run them at a higher psi but with a marked increase in comfort and traction. Tubeless is generally considered a way to be able to use lower psi as it won't pinch flat but it takes the correct tubeless system rim/tire combo to work properly. It can be done what is called the "ghetto" way but that has never been worth it to me over just using a tube. But now that I am with the tubeless program I find it easy to use and am phasing out tubes altogether. I still carry one for emergency use though!

I am a little under you in body weight at 195 lbs. and I have never weighed my bike but it has to be in the 50 lb range. A good test that you can do is to letting a little air out at a time from your standard psi ride around the block each time letting out a little more air and go until the ride starts to feel squirmish. Check that psi with a gauge and as a starting point add 5 psi to it and inflate to that psi which should be pretty close you your lowest possible psi. It is ok to use more in the back than in the front if you feel the difference during your air out testing but I find it doesn't make that much difference once you find your optimal psi for your terrain and riding style.

A good gauge really helps to define this as the ones connected to floor pumps are not all that exact.

 

[Steve Plattner]

I can't suggest a lower psi for you but I can give you an example based on what I personally use and how I arrived at what works best for me.

The only good low psi you can run is what works for you ultimately without pinch flatting all the time. As that article suggests wider tires run at low psi don't do much to rolling resistance especially on an e bike one would assume. I see that stock tires on an ST 1 are 26x2.15 but there is no spec for the inner width of the rim which you can guesstimate by measuring the outer dimension and subtract a few mm for the rim material. I haven't run 26" wheels for a long time but when I did on my mtb I would use in the low 40's IIRC on i19-25 rims for mtb use that also included road riding.

For this type of bike I am using rims that have an interior dimension of 23-25 mm.

View attachment 13103

Previously rims of this width were used primarily on mtb's with 2.0 tires and up. But fat bikes and now plus bikes and gravel bikes have shown that wider rims can be used for them to achieve lower psi. I first came to this conclusion myself 3 years ago when I ended up with a set of wheels that had i35 rims and after mounting them on my mtb with my 2.1 tires on them and doing the air test as described below I was amazed to see that my new psi was 15 whereas before with the same tire on an i20 rim it was 30.

To that end I use 40-45c tires (1.5-1.6 approx) that I inflate to psi in the low 30's front and rear. I have done this both tubed and tubeless with good results and no noticeable increase in rolling resistance over if I run them at a higher psi but with a marked increase in comfort and traction. Tubeless is generally considered a way to be able to use lower psi as it won't pinch flat but it takes the correct tubeless system rim/tire combo to work properly. It can be done what is called the "ghetto" way but that has never been worth it to me over just using a tube. But now that I am with the tubeless program I find it easy to use and am phasing out tubes altogether. I still carry one for emergency use though!

I am a little under you in body weight at 195 lbs. and I have never weighed my bike but it has to be in the 50 lb range. A good test that you can do is to letting a little air out at a time from your standard psi ride around the block each time letting out a little more air and go until the ride starts to feel squirmish. Check that psi with a gauge and as a starting point add 5 psi to it and inflate to that psi which should be pretty close you your lowest possible psi. It is ok to use more in the back than in the front if you feel the difference during your air out testing but I find it doesn't make that much difference once you find your optimal psi for your terrain and riding style.

A good gauge really helps to define this as the ones connected to floor pumps are not all that exact.

Update: Have done 2 25-30 miles rides on a wide variety of surfaces from gravel to rough city streets to concrete and am happy to report that the Shockstop is really making a difference. You still have excellent road feel and control, but the device really takes a lot of the excess vibration out of the handlebars. On most 20+ mile rides in the past, my shoulders and neck would be sore afterwards. That sort of discomfort is a thing of the past. I will be doing a couple of 50-60 mile rides on my Stromer Platinum later this week so will test it then on longer rides.

So far, very good.

 

[smitty]

Happy to report that after many months of waiting patiently, Redshift Sports Shockstop is available. I have installed it on my ST-1. Due to weather where I live, I've only had it out on the street for a few miles, but what I experienced thus far was a major improvement over biking without it.

I bought the 30 degree rise version. So, for starters, my handlebars are now up about 1.5" higher and maybe .75" further to the rear of the bike, allowing me to sit more upright (not everyone's cup of tea, but just what I was looking for). I am sure that means a bit more drag, but with an electric bike, even on 60 and 70 mile rides, placing more weight on my seat (Brooks B67 with Thudbuster) and less on my upper body is a small price to pay imho for a far more comfortable ride.

I went out today before another downpour and rode on some local streets I know all too well--this time not avoiding all the usual bumps, small potholes, and seams. With the Shockstop in place, the improvement in ride comfort was substantial--I could feel far less of the grinding, rattling, direct road shock through the handlebars and grips. The handlebars do move up and down slightly and smoothly, and at first that felt odd, but I quickly grew used to it. There is so much less vibration with Shockstop. It really takes much of the wear and tear off your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and back--while allowing you to retain the "road feel" and control you need to feel through handlebars. It's hard to explain, but so far I am highly impressed. It was easy to install--but you do need to have a 5Nm torque wrench--available on line for as little as $10-$15. Shockstop comes with a wide range of elastomers, allowing you to customize the shock absorption level to suit you weight and preferences.

All in all, I highly recommend it. Posting a couple of pictures--side views. Good holiday gift. They sell for about $120.

thank you for the pics...very helpful

 

[Saskwatch]

Thankyou Steve for posting about the shockstop, very interested in this product. Did you have any problems with any control cables being stretched to tightly with the extra rise on the 30 degree option?
Thankyou in advance,

 

[Steve Plattner]

Hi, glad to be of help. I didn't have any problems even though the 30 degree option probably raises the handlebar height by 1-1.5" (guessing). I was concerned about that too, but the 30 degree model has worked out perfectly. I guess the Stromer gearshift and brake cables are generous enough in length to compensate for the extra height. Good luck.

 

[smitty]

Happy to report that after many months of waiting patiently, Redshift Sports Shockstop is available. I have installed it on my ST-1. Due to weather where I live, I've only had it out on the street for a few miles, but what I experienced thus far was a major improvement over biking without it.

I bought the 30 degree rise version. So, for starters, my handlebars are now up about 1.5" higher and maybe .75" further to the rear of the bike, allowing me to sit more upright (not everyone's cup of tea, but just what I was looking for). I am sure that means a bit more drag, but with an electric bike, even on 60 and 70 mile rides, placing more weight on my seat (Brooks B67 with Thudbuster) and less on my upper body is a small price to pay imho for a far more comfortable ride.

I went out today before another downpour and rode on some local streets I know all too well--this time not avoiding all the usual bumps, small potholes, and seams. With the Shockstop in place, the improvement in ride comfort was substantial--I could feel far less of the grinding, rattling, direct road shock through the handlebars and grips. The handlebars do move up and down slightly and smoothly, and at first that felt odd, but I quickly grew used to it. There is so much less vibration with Shockstop. It really takes much of the wear and tear off your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and back--while allowing you to retain the "road feel" and control you need to feel through handlebars. It's hard to explain, but so far I am highly impressed. It was easy to install--but you do need to have a 5Nm torque wrench--available on line for as little as $10-$15. Shockstop comes with a wide range of elastomers, allowing you to customize the shock absorption level to suit you weight and preferences.

All in all, I highly recommend it. Posting a couple of pictures--side views. Good holiday gift. They sell for about $120.

Here is a very long and detailed review that contains a number of interesting sidelights, along with pics and video of the Redshift Sports Shockstop for those who might be interested...http://www.elessarbicycle.it/shockstop-stem-by-redshift-sport-review/

 

[Velome]

Here is a very long and detailed review that contains a number of interesting sidelights, along with pics and video of the Redshift Sports Shockstop for those who might be interested...http://www.elessarbicycle.it/shockstop-stem-by-redshift-sport-review/

I just added the Shockstop to my Trek XM700+. What elastomer (s) do you have installed?

 

[Over50]

I added the Redshift Shockstop to my non-electric Spot this past weekend. I've only a short test-ride to base this on but thus far I deem it money well-spent. The angle has helped take the pressure off of my hands (didn't need a suspension stem to accomplish this I realize) but the cool thing is that the suspension effect is only lightly perceptible with the elastomer for my weight installed - enough to dampen some vibration but it isn't spongy. What an improvement to the bike!

 

[dfgarci17]

In addition to the flex stem (happy it's working well for you!), I would recommend Baramind flex handlebars. For me, the combination of the handle bars and a flex seat post handles all but the most terrible of pot holes.