We Put A Suspension Seatpost On My £5000 Road Bike 

If you follow the instructions on the seatpost, they have you adjust your seat a bit forward and post a bit up, so that when you sit on it with a correctly tuned spring the sag puts you in your perfect position. Then it doesn't move much to either side of that, and only when it's actively absorbing a bump. If you're the kind of person that is put off by your position moving a few millimeters then sure it'll be annoying, but it shouldn't be for most people, once set up correctly. Though I've only tried the seatpost, not both at the same time

Seeing a roadbiker be amazed at suspension was great. Welcome to the club. This is why the recent gravel/adventure biking trend has been good, it broke a lot of people out of mental boxes

I think the bigger point might be missed.... With the added comfort, will it get a person to ride more... And is that more important?

I have had lower back surgery for ruptured discs and have been using a suspension seat post for the last fifteen years. The seat post has allowed me to continue riding, I would definitely recommend one for someone with lower back problems.

I've been using a Redshift stem and seatpost since they first came out, fantastic product, stopped my back ache straight away. The slight change in position as you ride has never been an issue.

Use the stem on my gravel bike - huge benefit and removed a lot of shoulder and neck pain which I was having after rides. Bike is fitted by the way.

For longer rides they're great. I have Canyon's VCLS leaf sprung seatpost which is a brilliant alternative and definitely worth considering. It's quite expensive but they are less than half the weight of the Redshift and look a lot sleeker.

Can confirm the Pro seatpost and either stem are ideal for 200km+ rides. Excellent products.

Go on a long bumpy ride without the suspensions and with them for a couple of times. You will feel that how much more gas you save up in the tank by reducing the vibration fatigue. I was able to go twice as much as before thanks to this. You guys said that the saddle position will change, and that is in the manual. It states that you have a 6 mm initial sag so you have to calculate with that. My only issue is with the stem. You have to check the elastomer tension time to time as the bolt that puts the tension on the elastomers tend to loosen after a couple of rough rides. It will feel softer initially, but it hits you on a descent when you are cornering. I almost learned how to fly, when the dam thing loosened up and the characteristics of the steering changed. It felt like hitting a pothole when I put my weight on the front. Other than that, it was my best bike upgrade so far.

I put Redshift stem and post on my Winter bike that i do Paris Roubaix on every year, they were a game changer, never been more comfortable on the cobbles, well worth the dosh!

I’ve had the Redshift Shopstop stem + seatpost combo for a few years on my gravel bike and although no lightweight items they make for a super comfy ride without the hassle of “real” suspension.

Wife and I really like our Redshift stems, may have to give the seat posts a try as well.

I've had the Redshift stem for about year and half now on my steel gravel bike and I absolutely love it. It does take the sting out of some heavier hits and in general makes me feel more confident when descending or when on fast chunky segments. It doesn't bob when out of the saddle either!

I had the same issue with the stem moving too much and feeling like you would tip forwarded. However, I just added the firmer elastomer and now it's perfect. When I'm out of saddle or break hard it doesn't move much, but it moves enough to take a long of the road/trail buzz out. Also absorbs and takes the edge off the big bumps. Really love their system.

I have both on two of my bikes and love them. Taking the time to experiment and get the setup to your liking is key. I have the seatpost setup so that there is barely no sag (unless I'm carrying extra water or other stuff). That way it keeps the same/normal geometry on smooth roads, and soaks up all the bumps and rough stuff. I have the stem setup so that it is very stiff in the drops, at the brink of sag on the bar tops, and a tiny bit of sag when on the brake hoods (this is possible because drop bars have different leverage at those points). This gives me the best of all worlds for sprinting, control, and comfort.

For 5 months on my solo trip I've been using eeSilk from Cane Creek. I can't imagine riding without it now. It's expensive but no saddle sores after few thousand kilometers. Also I'm a proud owner of Redshift suspension stem which at beginning felt kind of weird. Especially with an Ortlieb Handlebar bag, but I've got used to it. And again I can highly recommend. No wrist pains after 70-80km a day.

I’ve got the stem suspension on my Cannondale Topstone 1 gravel bike and the seatpost suspension on my Giant Tallon Zero mtb and after a bit of juggling, now have both of them perfectly adjusted. I ordered a softer spring for the seatpost as at 70 kgs I found that the standard one was too hard. I’m 71 and the difference these two items have made to my riding comfort is immeasurable. Both easy to fit and adjust. Great video from you guys as usual.

I've been using the stem and another brand seatpost for a couple of years on my gravel bike. With 650b wheels and bigger tires I can tackle some pretty gnarly conditions. Game changer.

I've had the Redshift on for about three years now and going back to a rigid stem just isn't an option. It's soooo much better on rough terrain and takes the buzz out on the road as well. I had the same epiphany as Jimmy a few years ago. I'm faster, but more importantly have more fun, when I'm comfortable. And since we've determined that weight doesn't matter, the slight penalty just isn't relevant.

I have the Redshift Pro Shockstem on both my road bikes (12 months). I ride mainly sealed rural country roads in Australia and they can be quite uneven and rough. The shockstem Pro takes the vibration out of the handlebars going over rough surfaces which then doesn't travel up through your arms, shoulders and neck which can often fatigue. You can adjust the movement of the stem by selecting the correct combination of rubber blocks inserted in the stem to match your weight. 5 Star rating from me.

I've had the Redshift stem on my road bike for 4 years. The gravel bike doesn't get out much these days! You get used to the dip pretty quickly and it's worth it for the comfort on the deplorable uk rural road surfaces.

For the stem, I found that when I used recommended elastomers from the instructions it was a little bit too squishy. If you add just a little bit more, to increase the stiffness, may improve the feel. I did this, and I barely notice the stem when riding smooth the road, but as soon as anything gets chunky, it, absorbs it all up.

I dunno, I did a bit of research and I came up with the combination of a Cane Creek eeSilk seatpost and a Cirrus Kinekt stem and it all works AMAZING with my aluminum (or: aluminium for you Brits) framed gravel bike (Marin Gestalt - not 1, or X, or whatever - just the base model). The seatpost has little to no "sag", while the stem does have a fair amount if you "lean in" too much (but the handlebar doesn't pitch forward like the one you used, as it uses a parallelogram design to prevent that). The setup is almost unnoticeable UNTIL you get into the "rough stuff". As much damping as possible for as little travel as is necessary. Works... I would suggest you revisit this.

I’ve been using the stem for years and can honestly say it’s the best piece of cycling equipment I’ve ever used . Used to have loads of numb hand issues had several bike fits ( James might say I never had a good , could be true 🤷🏻‍♂️) but the Redshift stem saved my cycling. I completed chase the sun last year in the time limit on my gravel bike and just completed the KAW in 4 days and without that stem , for me that would have been impossible without the stem 🙏🙏

ive been using the pro stem on my gravel/winter bike and its a revelation. After doing the King Alfreds way and having numb hands afterwards i thought i would try this in order to reduce hand fatigue, and hay presto, it does what says on the tin. You just have to try various elastomer combinations, i went for a harder elastomer which reduces bob but still gives enough suspension to remove hand fatigue. The seat post is also to be tried but not sure if it will rub on my Tailfin rear aero pack if on a bike packing trip. The conclusion is that it works and definitley worth trying out, especially on gravel rides or rough rough surfaces.

the specialized terra seatpost that comes stock on the crux is a good medium between this and a rigid post. I put one on my bike and it's added a noticeable amount of smoothness on gravel and rough paved surfaces. It looks just like a normal seatpost as well.

I have the Redshift seatpost and stem ,the standard versions... Maybe try changing the elastomers in the stem to firm up the handlebars! Also may suggest trying them on an aluminium or steel gravel bike, might make all the difference.

I swear I've never seen a more genuine testimonial that has made me want to try a product than this in my life!

It's a life changer. I can't afford to have back problems in the future. This thing should be installed on every bike

I can relate to the guys in this video so much. Comfort is king. When I started working in a bikeshop I thought I need a racebike. Tested many of them and found out that its not at all what I need. I now ride a Cervelo Caledonia, Zipp 303 Firecrest wheelset with Conti 5000 30mm tires and I have never been this happy on a bike. The hookless design of the wheels in combination with the 30mm tires is even more comfortable than my Specialized Gravelbike with 43mm tires and a carbon flex seatpost. The rides are now a complete joy, plenty fast and I so much more relaxed at the destination. I love it when people discover that riding fast can be comfortable and fun.

i was just thinking about this, and looking for a video of it last night. impecable timing.

I have the Redshift stem and love it on my gravel bike. I've pondered the seat post for a while but think after your initial thoughts I might just get it and see how I get on. Its certainly an interesting concept.

Manon Lloyd from GCN used these products for a UCI gravel worlds qualifier and gave it a thumbs up. Maybe you should set the saddle height up to compensate for the sag or set the spring preload so that It doesn’t sag under your weight just sitting on the saddle. If you have sag you’re reducing the suspension travel. It looks like a cool product. I’d like to try it.

I'm running both stem & seatpost on my gravel bike. Best upgrade ever. The look on the reviewer's face at 4:10 cannot be faked, and I concur with it.

I have the suspension seatpost from Decathlon. The spring it comes with is very hard, and it doesn't provide that much comfort. You can adjust the preload, but even on the lowest possible, it's not doing much. I ended switching it with a Cube RFR Suspension Seatpost. It's more plush and comfortable (they have 2 versions, for riders 60-90 Kg and 80-120 Kg). And it looks much better than the Decathlon one. The only issue with these seatposts is their weight, I think they are well over 500g. But I prefer being comfortable.

I'm glad to see that you explored the greatness of suspension post & stem. I don't want to ride without it for sure! Their dropbar and grips are also great. I love it! To be fair, I use the widest one on my dropbar mountain bike for more control on trails 😅

I’ve been riding on Redshift gear since it was a startup. It’s awesome for the rough roads of Cambodia and SEA where I now live. I ride a gravel bike and backpack it’s perfect. You should come here for a real brutal adventure

You need to remember that the seat post doesn’t just compress in line with the post, it also moves back, which reduces the amount of effective drop in relation to your pedals. You’ll still be closer, but not as much as you think. These sort of things have been around for ages in mountain biking, before rear suspension got good, so some of us old folk have gone through this discovery and figuring out geometry a long time ago. 😊

The redshifts were on my radar then I forgot about them and now you have reminded me again. Thanks. I'm guessing you need to set the saddle up a bit higher so when you sit on it, the sag takes it to your actual bikefit height. Not sure what you can do about the stem though. Maybe if there is one that has a rubber insert for vibration dampening rather than suspension, so it doesn't move around so much.

Thinking of adding these to my soon-to-be purchased gravel bike. So looking forward to your next video on this topic.

I've been using the PNW Coast Suspension & Dropper post on my Gravel bike for almost 2 years now, So as well as the convenience of being a dropper post it has a dual chamber with a hydraulic cartridge with 40mm of tunable air suspension. It comes in various post diameter sizes and also both external or internal routing. It is a total revelation, a great product.

I’ve got one of the standard stems which I used on my gravel bike when I was recovering from Elbow, Wrist & Shoulder surgery and it was absolutely game changing!

Just set the seat height and fore-aft with taking the sag into account (little bit higher than usual and slightly forward). Not sure about the stem though. My guess is that a stem spacer will do a similar thing to set your bar height back to the one recommended during bike fitting. As for the reach, it depends on how do you mount the stem (positive or negative drop), but I'm sure you can also mitigate that by adjusting the position of brake levers / shifters.

Been on the Canecreek eeSilk Plus model for a while now on my gravel bike, and have one made by BBB that's similar to this but only 25mm of travel on my HT MTB which I use for big gravel events here in Belgium. It's an excellent piece of kit and really make for a much more pleasurable day in the saddle! Absolutely worth the weight cost, and I prefer this over a dropper almost all the time.

i love the redshift stem and seatpost. i have them on both of my gravel bikes. their bar tape is also REALLY good and probably the most comfortable bar tape i have ever used.

More Redshift please! The Kitchen Sink bars for example? With all the pads and grips, they look interesting and comfy.

I dont have a suspension stem, but i love my Cane Creek ee silk suspension seat post. Phenomenal , especially as more roads are being chip sealed.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis in my wrists, bought a stem and I went from max ride of 25K to my usual 50k+. Total game changer for an older rider with arthritis in wrists who still loves to ride. I think everyone should have one.

I love my redshift stem. Would never go back now.

I have gone for full comfort on my new gravel bike. Has a 50mm suspension fork. It came with a standard dropper post. Swapped it out for a PNW Coast suspension dropper. Just completed a 200k BWR. Never felt better after a ride that long. It’s a heavy setup but I am not there to race. I am there to enjoy.

It might me coincidence but most commenters already have Redshift products. One or both of them stem and seatpost and I'm not exception too. Weird YT algorythm. I feel obligated to give my opinion so, yes, Redshift stem and seatpost are great addition to comfort on your Road, Gravel or CX bike. I have back issue so the seatpost relieves my spine and stem does the same with wrists and shoulders. The stem move the handlebar forward instead of downward but the second option would require to redesing the product to move handlebar downward. And about the seatpost. Instruction clearly says: "Your saddle should be positioned 6 mm higher and 5 mm further forward than your saddle position when using a rigid seatpost.". Following that and setting correct sag gives the best comfort. I really like ShockStop System anyway and the ride is more comfy for me.

This is what I always loved about my Specialized Roubaix. I think the future stem is a better idea since it doesn't rotate the bars.

Great Video as always! You should try out the Ergon one with the leaf spring design :)

I recently put the non-pro Redshift stem on my aluminium framed city bike, a Trek District 4. The frame is very stiff vertically, and I found going over bumps to be jarring on my hands. I really like the result. I have just the lightest elastomer in, and it doesn't take away the bumps entirely, but I describe it as turning "thud" into "whump." It really does take the edge off and keep my hands more firmly and comfortably on the bars. For me, the stem seems more important than the seatpost. I can always stand up if I see a harsh bump coming, but it's probably not a good idea to let go of the bars for a second to avoid the impact on my hands.

I weigh 100kg but set the elastomers in the stem for an 80kg rider which seems to work better, the other Redshift product I would recommend is the Cruise Control top grips.

I have a Cane Creek eeSilk suspension seatpost on my cyclocross bike. It's great! 👍

Yeah I have four of these seat posts and two of those stems. I honestly don't think I could go back to riding without them. RedShift is that good shit, there Arc Light pedals are another product worth there weight in gold.

I'm using a Cane Creek eeSilk seatpost for more than a year now, in Montreal and Montreal aera, Canada, where asphalt is pretty warzone-like. Being overweight (90kg+) and getting older (41) this is the solution I found to continue enjoying riding my bike (Scott Speedster 20). The sag is very minimal, it didn't change my position at all, as the "medium" insert is already stiff. However, it saves your backbone when you're surprised by a pothole or a deep joint on the road. I just noticed Cane Creek has now a stem version of it, so maybe a good idea to save my hands/shoulders...

I have the stem and tht is a gamechanger on long gravel/off road rides and for bikepacking. Way less fatigue. I am going to be getting the seatpost too as it's a no brainer to make it more comfy and create less body fatigue for multi day rides

Always had a suspension seat post on my touring bike. New bike, no sus. I miss it and have realised, after hundreds of miles, that's why the comfort has gone. Adds a fair bit of weight but the trade off for touring is worth it.

I have both of these and love them. Just set your seatpost about 10/15mm higher to allow for sag and change the polymers in the stem for firmer ones if its too floppy. Simple.

Hi guys, love your show and all the gags😅 Anyhow down to business. The trick is on the Redshift or the NCX which I use the latter is you adjust the preload as to make the seatpost virtually rigid. That way it will only flex when you need it to instead of your back doing the flexing and your reach will stay the same. On the NCX you can also grind the back of the seatpost away so that it will fit into a D-shape seat tube which was a must for my well used back The Redshift stem in my opinion should be mandatory for safety Cheers Scott

I use both the Redshift suspension stem and seatpost. I’m not a fast rider but, oddly, my average speed increased, naturally, using the seatpost, despite the slight additional weight. I now switch the seatpost between bikes it’s that good. You did misrepresent the stem as that squidgy bag contained the inserts that allow for fine tuning of the amount of flex. On my setup you would have to put some weight on the bar to flex it at all, but it’s enough suspension to take out road or trail shock.

I added the Redshift to my Specialized Creo (I had an Allez before) and it was amazing. I have a 32 miles round trip commute in Buffalo NY and the roads are rough around here. The handlebars already have some adjustment (added a 25 lbs helper spring) and set my Redshift up with the heavy spring set nearly to heaviest setting. I also replaced the 32mm tires with 38's to soften the ride a hair. Otherwise these riding conditions will break my bike in less than 2000 miles (I've broken frames before). I don't feel a "pogo" effect like you do when you ride a cheap hybrid with their awful seatpost springs. Th advantage of the Redshift over others is that it is metal spring controlled, not elastomer based. I ride year round (weather permitting) and ride from a low of around 20F to a high of around 95F. The springs are minimally affected by temperature, the same can not me said of elastomer based units. Once I had the front springs I could not believe the reduction is upper body fatigue after a normal commute. It really takes the sting out of the never ending pavement irregularities. The rear seat post it setup to have minimal sag when I sit on it. I adjusted the seat settings based on the compression from normal sitting. Like I said earlier, I don't feel uncontrolled "pogo" effect. I do feel it absorbing the bumps. The Redshift was a good investment.

I did the badger divide last May and couldn’t feel my hands for a month afterwards… got the redshift stem afterwards and game changer…. Cuts a load of the vibrations out. Don’t have the seat post but use a Brooks cambium cut out which has a decent amount of give (although always a worry that a wardrobe malfunction could be v painful 😮). Chur 🤙

The seat post analysis is good and welcome. It will blur the lines of bikes and terrain.

I have the Pro stem, very satisfied so far. I decided not to go for the seat post as my GT Grade has kind of a built in suspension, thanks to those glass-fiber rods having a lot of travel, and feels comfy enough but might still change my mind one day.

I use a E-Silk on road and on gravel, awesome bit of kit it was lighter than the stock post!

I have a cane creek suspension seatpost and it is an absolute beauty. You don't notice it at all until you need it. I have done roughly 3000 kms with it and I don't have any issues in regards to bike fit. I think it would be the same for the redshift seat post.

Love my redshift stem. Really good on long rides and gravel roads.

I run the CaneCreek eeSilk carbon seatpost on my road bike. In the UK no roads are perfect enough that it doesn’t provide some benefit. Love it.

Have wondered about these type of products for when off road or riding local pot holes (I mean local roads). Agree with Francis about the stem and feeling like my hands would tilting forward. But loving the idea of some mild added cushioning for the rear. Look forward to comparison between the black and red versions.

I love my Redshift stem on the gravel bike - eats up all the bumps and allows for less fatiguing rides.

I’ve ridden a suspension seatpost by Suntour on my road bike from the start. Great experience and especially with how bumpy and rough the roads in my town are. Very comfortable and helps ride faster because it absorbs shock without soaking up power.

I use a Cane Creek eeSilk post on my bike and really like it. I can feel the difference over rough ground, but it’s not distracting when the road is smooth.

I had a cheap suspension post on my old commuter bike. It worked a treat and was about £15. I've recently got a road bike after years of not cycling and love the efficiency and low rolling resistance. It ain't comfy though.

Used Redshift stem on Tarmac SL4 (70-84 kg elastomers) - I weigh 60Kg, so fairly firm. 28mm tyres, run 55f/70r psi. Also ride a Roubaix with futureshock, similar tyre pressures End result is very similar - fast, less stress and fatigue transmitted from road buzz, better handling as you're not re-inputting lumps and bumps in the steering, keep pedalling full gas over road humps while everyone around you stops and lifts bums off saddle. Both work for me.

I'm definitely considering this for my bikepacking build.

I suspect that the Redshift offerings are excellent. I do have the Suntour seat post and the Cirrus Kinekt handlebar suspension. They both work great. This set up offers a smoother ride, better control and handling. This is most obvious when traveling down a long steep and bumpy hill.

SR SUNTOUR New SP12-NCX ,I've been using one of these for over 2 years. It's a Godsend for my back

Ive been using the suntour sp12 suspension seat post for about 12 months, got it after a rather unpleasant case of the farmer giles, game changer!

I've got the red shift seat post on my gravel bike specialized comp E5 and pared with a good seat it's really good. I have no discomfort at all after a ride.

I have used the Redshift seat post since i sponsored their GoFundMe and have tried them on both road (where it lives) and on hard tail mountain bikes. Still find it a must have.

I have this seat post on my Marin Headlands gravel. Definitely assists the comfort. Just about the purchase the stem for the Frontier 300 in 2wks 👌

Thanks for the excellent review, I'm looking forward to more content on this subject. What I'm wanting to do is make my commuter Trek Crossrip + ebike more comfortable, but I'm a cheap skate and won't be buying the more expensive options. Perhaps in your upcoming video, you could briefly address how the cheaper options would, or wouldn't, be desirable for someone such as me, who has no touring/long rides in mind.

I’ve tendinitis in my left shoulder and been using the redshift steam for over a year now on my gravel bike. I swear by it. short rides I don’t really notice but anything over 4 hours or if I do some rides on consecutive days it definitely helps without adding the weight and extra care that comes with suspension forks. Having said this I also have a very good full sus XC bike and this stops any pain too

Just came back from cycling Portugal and that suspension seat post would have been great with the amount of villages that are all just cobbled streets

You can have the XLC or NCX Suntour seatpost that works basically the same way, they're 2x heavy as the Redshift one, but they cost 1/4 of the Redshift.

I used the stem on my Salsa Fargo gravel bike on the BCepice bikepacking race in Canada and it was the dogs bits ,best upgrade.Gets rid of that buzz on your hands.

i do not use the redshift products but, all the people i know that use them, love them. they all have both seat posts and stem combos, and all are over 40. haha

Had mine for years. No issues. Comfort is king.

I would love to see anything that comes on to the market to do with comfort....Your doing a great job lads...keep it up..

Ive bought 3 of the Redshift seatpost, theyre that good. Recently rode Trek's rebranded copy of the Decathlon seatpost and its ok. Helps out a fair bit absorbing large bumps but fails at repeated small bumps like gratings or metal bridges. Overall, not even close to Redshift which is in a league of its own but also costs about 1/8 sooooo not bad if you want a bit of comfort for not a lot for money. Get a Redshift though, its 100% worth it

A tip! Use the heavy-duty springs on the saddle-stem... it saves ur spine and fatigue during a long run... If you're on the heavy side it's a win-win...

I use an old Rockshox sus post on my gravel bike definitely eases the vibration on your lower back, I use a PNW suspension dropper on my mountain Bike which gives the best of both worlds. I ride mainly dry hard packed rocky desert trails. Tried various types paralleogram etc, for me the piston type are best. As for set up I am constantly moving while riding so its not much of an issue.

My bike commute has some real choppy bits, and a lot of gravel on pavement. These are some of the most expensive components on my bike, I’ve had them a couple years, and they’ve been totally worth it. Just soaking up the biggest hits makes a huge difference in quality of life. Any health loss in bike fit has to made up by not having the bones rattled, I assume. I didn’t realize these had gotten popular though, May upgrade my seat post ring to locking.

I'm close to buying the aluminum seatpost. I have chronic back pain but gravel rides is my happy place. Its just expensive but at least free shipping and possible to return it after 90 days, if you don't like it. Also lifetime warranty

I’ve been looking into these to relieve back pain from a herniated disk. Have a buddy who got it and it relieves a bit of the shock pressure to his spine.

I work at Decathlon in Sheffield and we have a few of those suspension seat posts in stock. I live in Billingham though so could bring you one some day. Would be pretty cool to meet you guys as well.

remember when Girvin Flex Stem came out. Given how still road bikes are a suspension stem will take the sting out of the road. Problem with that stem is what you alluded to. parallelogram stems solve that issue