Review: Redshift Sports Short ShockStop Stems

Image courtesy of Redshift Sports

Today Redshift Sports has introduced a new variant of their ShockStop Stem. Many newer gravel bikes are starting to employ a geometry that uses a longer reach/top tube and this requires the use of a shorter than typical for a gravel bike stem. Redshift has a solution for these bikes in their new, "Short" ShockStop Stem offerings. 

To do this Redshift had to come up with a new design internally to allow for the same travel (20m) as their other stem offerings have. This new design allowed Redshift Sports to have new 70mm and 55mm stem offerings which still look like a Redshift stem on the outside, just shorter. 

The new shorter stems join the currently offered range of stems which start now at 55mm, and goes from there to 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, and 120mm. Currently only the new short stems feature the new internals.

The ShockStop Stem retails for $189.99 USD.

Note the plastic insert as indicated by the blue arrows

What It Is: The new design for the shorter stems relies on a cartridge that holds the elastomers on one side and butts up against the handlebar on the other. This cartridge slides out easily and elastomers are marked clearly for proper insertion. There are extra elastomers provided, as there are with the other design of ShockStop Stems, which can be mixed and matched for different weight riders and ride feel preferences. It should also be noted that these elastomers in the new short design are different and not interchangeable with the previous design elastomers. 

Here you can see the cartridge with the elastomer from the side. There is a second elastomer beside the one you can see here as well.

In this new design elastomer changes are easier as all you have to do is remove the stem faceplate, move the handlebar, extract the cartridge, exchange elastomers, and then reverse the disassembly order to reassemble the stem. No longer do you have the long bolt to deal with as with the earlier design. Remember, this short stem design is only in the 55mm and 70mm options. 

Again, outwardly the new stem looks the same, just stubby! I received the 55mm version and decided to install it on my Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3. The stem weighed in at 197 grams, so spot on with Redshift's claims. The assembly was easy. No different than any other standard stem, but of course, now I have up to 20mm of vibration eating travel.

The Shock Stop 55mm stem installed.

 First Impressions: I did not quite know what to expect with this new design and that in such a tiny package. What I found out right away was that this stem feels very much like a ShockStop stem. Captain Obvious? Perhaps, but this isn't a typical ShockStop stem either. It just looks like one. 

So Far... So good - for now. We will see after some more riding, but these new shorter options from Redshift Sports seem up to the task and familiar in feel. Honestly, the simplicity of this new version's cartridge-style elastomer carrier would beg the question: "Will the rest of the line see this design carried over?" In my opinion, it is a lot less fussy to deal with and would , perhaps, encourage experimentation with elastomers being that there is much less chance for stripping the long bolt the older design uses. 

Beyond the design though, these newer, short stems should provide more modern geometry gravel bikes and bikepacking rigs that use drop bars the ability to have a vibration damping device in the Short ShockStop Stem.

 Stay tuned for an update to this review coming in a few weeks or so.