REDSHIFT ShockStop Suspension Seatpost for Bicycles

Product Information

If you love dropper posts but also want to maximise your ride comfort, there are actually two suspension options available, and a third in the works (Redshift). There is also a model that is rigid at the highest and lowest positions of the dropper, but offers ~10mm of travel when you set it anywhere in the middle (Bike Yoke Divine SL). But it’s not perfect. It’s a spring-based suspension setup after all, so the saddle will move down and up on a bigger hit, and you really need to fine-tune the effect to get the most from your rides. And the installation could be a bit more user-friendly – but that’s a minor thing. The gravel road with fast, repetitive bumps narrows the difference between an elastomer seatpost and a spring seatpost despite the variation in suspension travel. This is because the bump force is lower on gravel roads, which means that the spring post is likely only using half its travel anyway. Measure your current seatpost from the clamp collar to the saddle rail and refer to the chart above to choose your preferred size. Suspension seatpost are popular with endurance cyclists who are riding many hours per day and are looking for the extra comfort from the rough sections. You can go out and buy a new titanium or carbon gravel bike which will be super comfortable. But if you already have a modest bike but are looking for extra on bike comfort you don’t need to go out and buy a new bike. You can buy aftermarket suspension seatposts which work well to add extra comfort.

The Redshift sestpost has a lot of moving parts so there is always a question of long-term reliability. Mine was bushings, even with the little bits of space around the elastomer all filled in with bar tape off-cuts it would still happen. One thing I really liked about the Kinekt is the saddle rail clamp. It has two simple screws to tighten and adjust the saddle. There’s a spring that keeps tension to separate the lower and upper plate. This self-fixes the nuts into place so you don’t have to hold them while loosening or tightening the plate into place. A nice touch. Are you looking to add more comfort to your ride? If you ride a rigid gravel bike for example and want some more suppleness. You could reduce the tire pressure and even change over to suspension gravel forks. But a cost effective way is to install a suspension seatpost. And finally, the air seatpost improved things a bit (6% improvement) but clearly requires a higher bump force to activate than other suspension seatposts.And what about long-term durability? Well, those elastomers definitely won’t last forever, although several years of regular use should be expected at the very least – and hopefully Redshift will keep replacements on hand for a long, long time. A bigger question mark is the pivots since they’re wholly exposed to the elements and much more difficult to replace, although Ahnert says that really hasn’t been an issue. My verdict is that perhaps suspension seatposts are better suited for MTB/shorter rides where the constant variance in saddle position isn't such a big deal. Perhaps when seated and pedalling for long distances on a road-oriented gravel bike, the bobbing and movement just puts extra strain on knees? John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

I've mentioned this before, but I'll recap: I love gravel bikes because they remind me of the rigid mountain bikes I was riding around on when I was a teenager. For me it's all about using your elbows and knees as the suspension as you hone your bunny-hopping skills for potholes and tree roots while keeping the bike upright on a surface that is moving around beneath you. Disfunctional_Threshold : I have the Syntace P6 Carbon Hi-Flex seatpost. I've never been able to detect any flex in it at all. Don’t get us wrong, the linkage and post are very active but now on a smaller and more refined stroke. Shifting your weight around on the saddle doesn’t offer the big dip that we would get on the original sprung version. For us, this makes it a better fit for someone looking for just a bit of relief from either a harsh or overly stiff bike. It’s also a solid option if your frame doesn’t have room for extra rubber and pneumatic relief.

It costs virtually the same as the Redshift, but again is a lot lighter. The downside is that you can't adjust it for rider weight to get that perfect ride feel. Conclusion A suspension seatpost allows you to take bikes with narrow tyres on much rougher terrain than you normally could. Obviously, this isn’t an ideal situation, but you’d be surprised how off-road you can go on 38mm tyres! The CF Allroad Pro feels less like competing suspension seatposts offered by Redshift and Cane Creek and more like you’re running a higher-volume rear tyre. Less chatter and vibration makes its way from the road to the rider, with minimal movement to distract you from the task at hand. Rather than using a full-suspension bike (for comfort), you can fit a suspension seatpost to a hardtail and enjoy similar levels of comfort without the extra weight, price and complexity. 4 Reasons To Not Use Suspension Seatposts The Cane Creek eeSilk is less than 100 grams heavier than a high-quality aluminium seatpost. Damping determines the speed at which a seatpost will move over repeated bumps. A seatpost that dampens vibrations effectively will help to insulate you from road buzz coming up through your bike.

Buying a new frame or bicycle is expensive though. It's actually possible to add more comfort to your current bike, simply by upgrading the seatpost to one that is designed to offer more comfort. There are two main ways to make a more-comfortable seatposts and the posts her are almost evenly divided between them. Six use the inherent flex available in carbon fibre, five use springs to provide a cushioned ride for your bum. You can measure the length of your existing stem as shown in the following picture. The length is measured from the center of the handlebar to the center of the steerer tube. Finish: 8 out of 10. The tolerances, etc. are excellent. The finish is very good, but in My opion, not quite as fine as CNC machining. It’s great if you have a ‘sporty’ ride position like me, or if you mostly ride smoother roads. Given it only has 20mm of travel, you will have to compromise on the rougher roads, but I still find it offers a significant comfort improvement over a regular post. Plus it doesn’t bounce, it’s light and it’s elegant.

Tried Specialized's COBL GOBL-R Carbon seatpost but I weigh too little (under 80kilo) to have any effect and talking to other people say the same, they weigh too little for it have any effect on them. Our first impression is that there is significantly less dynamic movement when compared to the original version. Since there was no need to set the sag, there is also very little upstroke like you would get on the original if you opted for a lot of sag. Honestly, the Pro post feels much more supportive and natural. There is definitely movement, and you feel it immediately, but it’s not as overwhelming. The stroke is also very progressive, so small bumps and vibrations are muted but the larger impacts are still felt. A plastic, magnetically secured fender can be removed to drop about 9 grams but is meant to keep dirt out of the linkage. But suspension seatposts come in either ST or LT versions. ST means short travel and this refers to the amount the seatpost moves around 1.5″ travel for short travel. Then you have LT which is Long Travel and this means more amount of travel. Redshift’s take on a suspension seatpost not only looks interesting, but it promises great performance.

I *think* my knees are happier for getting rid of the suspension seatpost also, it seemed to be aggravating some ITB syndrome or something in my left knee, but perhaps I just never got the saddle position right.

Weight & Pricing

Krzysztof over at GravelBikes.cc has been using his smartphone with a vibration meter app to compare the vibration absorption of different bike components on both a bumpy forest trail and fast gravel road. The Brooks C17 is a very comfy saddle that can flex a lot while you ride. But in combination with the Redshift seatpost, the Brooks shell was moving a bit too much for my liking. So I swapped it for a firmer saddle (Prologo Scratch RS) and it felt a lot better. Perhaps, spring-based seatposts work better with firmer saddles… a.jumper : Sprung (not over-padded) saddles are a darned sight cheaper than springy seatposts, as long as you don't mind negative comments from the fashionistas. Then I built up a new gravel beast and thought, hey, why not upgrade the seatpost as well. I retired the Thudbuster and sprung for a Redshift (pun intended). I’ve been on it for a month now and there are no downsides. I’m 175# and this post is perfect. I run it slightly soft and it keeps me planted through the big hits and eliminates most of the medium chatter. Small stuttery garbage is gone. The return rate is immediate and so I’ve had no issues taking this bike on the concrete. Yesterday, on a whim, I took this bike on a group road ride and was in the front the whole time. I’ve experienced no penalty for running the Redshift post on the road! The elastomer design, short travel and reduced weight make the Pro a choice that we think more riders will value. With race-oriented and stiff gravel bikes becoming all the rage lately, this is one of the best ways to find some added comfort without sacrificing performance. We would even argue that with the added comfort and ability to pedal over rough terrain while seated, you might perform better.