Several companies developed suspension stems for mountain biking in the early-1990s. The most notable models were the Softride Stem and the Girvin Flexstem, which were even used on bikes that won multiple mountain bike world championships!

However, by the mid-1990s, suspension stems were superseded by superior-performing suspension forks.

These days, suspension stems are primarily designed to increase the comfort of a rigid bike. They have significantly less suspension travel than previously (usually just 20mm), and they are stiffer, lighter, and much more reliable.

I got my hands on one of the latest suspension stems to test, a model called the Vecnum Freeqence. While this stem might not be a well-known product, I think it should be known by every gravel rider in the world!

In this review, you’ll find out why…

What is the Vecnum Freeqence Suspension Stem?

Linkage: Multi Pivot
Spring Type: Elastomer
Length: 90 to 120mm
Min Weight: 287 g / 10.1 oz
Travel: 30mm / 1.2″
Bar Clamp: 31.8mm

The Vecnum Freeqence is the most expensive suspension stem on the market right now – it’s €299 or US $325. But you get a surprising amount for your money.

To start, this German-made product makes extensive use of high-quality 7075 aluminium, as well as titanium for the hollow axles. This keeps the weight within 100 grams (3.5 oz) of most rigid stems, and it’s about 200 grams (7 oz) lighter than comparable suspension stems.

The stem’s suspension travel is uniquely divided into 20 mm of downward travel and 10 mm of upper travel, for a total of 30 mm. This not only prevents ‘top out’ but keeps your hands nicely suspended in the air over bumpy terrain.

The Freeqence employs elastomer springs that offer a strong progression. This allows the stem to be noticeably supple in the first part of its travel, and much firmer when it is deeper in its suspension travel.

Vecnum designed this stem for riders between 50 and 120 kg (110-265 lb). Interestingly, there is only one spring rate, but you can adjust the spring preload by tightening the screw on the side of the stem (3 mm Allen key). This firms up the initial portion of the suspension travel for heavier and/or more aggressive riders. In more technical terms, the spring won’t start compressing until the force on the stem is more than the preload force.

In terms of aesthetics, the Freeqence has a unique look. My 7-year-old son says it looks like a sci-fi machine, and I can’t say I disagree.

The components inside the stem are nicely protected from dirt and mud, which should translate into long, trouble-free usage. It’s available in three lengths (90, 105, and 120 mm), for standard 1 1/8″ steerers and 31.8 mm handlebars – all with a 3-degree rise.

Vecnum says that the Freeqence can effectively reduce impacts and vibrations by up to 75%. I didn’t record this kind of improvement, but there are improvements over both rigid stems and other suspension stems – keep reading to see my vibration test results.

The Multi Pivot Stem Design

One of the defining features of the Vecnum Freeqence is its multi pivot design.

A multi pivot stem keeps your upper body suspended with the same spring rate, no matter where you place your hands on a drop bar. This ultimately means you can achieve a decent comfort improvement with your hands in the brake hoods, on the bar tops, or in the drops.

A multi pivot stem is also suitable for flat bars, and sweptback bars as it doesn’t matter where your hands are relative to the pivot points.

In comparison, a single pivot stem (like the Redshift ShockStop) works most effectively in the brake hoods, less effectively on the bar tops, and is almost ineffective in the drops. This is because when your hands are in the drops, there is little leverage forward of the pivot point.

Single pivot stems are largely ineffective with flat or sweptback bars as your hands usually end up too close to the pivot point.

In addition, the suspension travel changes depending on where you place your hands. For example, if your hands are 50mm in front of the pivot point, rather than 100mm – you will only get half the suspension travel.

Lastly, a single pivot stem also experiences some slight forward tilting of the handlebar when it compresses, as it travels on an arc rather than a straight line. This is not too much of a hindrance, but it is noticeable.

To see a video explanation of multi pivot vs single pivot stems, watch Alee’s video HERE.

How Does It Feel On Gravel Roads?

In one word, GREAT! The Freeqence gave me additional confidence in my rigid gravel bike to go faster and down rougher trails.

The stem feels smooth on fast gravel roads, and it absorbs bigger hits (like square-edged rocks and roots) with ease. Thanks to the upward and downward stem travel, your hands feel adequately suspended in the air.

This suspension stem has more material damping than you’d expect from a stem with elastomer springs. This results in significantly less rapid vertical movement than other stems – it almost feels as if there is a hydraulic damper hidden inside. The stem doesn’t ever feel too bouncy’ either; overall, it feels very measured.

But it’s not without its flaws.

Are There Any Downsides?

There’s a noticeable bobbling effect when pedalling hard uphill. Given the short range of motion, I can’t say it’s that big or disturbing, but you will notice it.

You can also notice the 10mm of upward stem travel, especially when rapidly pulling up on the handlebar on technical terrain. Again, it won’t bother you much, but your bike might feel less connected to the ground below.

If you’re coming from a rigid stem, you may also need to learn to trust your bike’s steering again, as the steering is a little different when your handlebars bounce a bit while cornering. It’s a quick adjustment, but something to keep in mind.

In addition, Alee noted in his article, Why Suspension Stems Are The Ultimate Comfort Upgrade that the Freeqence has less torsional stiffness compared to other stems he’s tested. I didn’t notice any lack of stiffness with my 420mm wide drop bars, but given Alee uses 700mm+ wide flat bars, he is exerting quite a lot more leverage on his Freeqence stem. That’s something to keep in mind if you are planning to pair this stem with a wide flat handlebar.

Let’s find out how the Vecnum Freeqence does in my vibration tests.

My Test Bike and Vibration Measurement Procedure

I conducted this vibration test on my Open WI.DE gravel bike fitted with Rene Herse Umtanum Ridge 650B x 55 mm tires at 35 psi (2.5 bar). The Vecnum Freeqence (105 mm length) was compared against a Redshift ShockStop stem (100 mm) and an aluminium rigid stem (100mm). The spring rate of the suspension stems was adjusted to my body weight and preferred riding style.

You can read more about my benchmark bike HERE.

I have two test scenarios: a big hit test that simulates riding across a 30 mm tall obstacle like a tree root or edgy rock, and a high-frequency chatter test that simulates riding on a bumpy gravel road.

You can read more about my vibration measurement procedure HERE.

Vibration Test Results

Big Hit Test

In the big hit test, the Freeqence performed better than other stems – I recorded 11.5% less vibration at the handlebar compared to the rigid stem.

Part of the reason why the Freeqence performed well is that it offers a slower compression and rebound speed than the Redshift. This helps to effectively remove unwanted vibrations at the handlebar.

Remember, how this stem has 10mm of upward suspension travel in addition to its 20mm of downward travel? That feature also helped keep the vibrations in check as the stem could travel upward slightly after the hard compression.

You might be wondering what happened to the Redshift stem, as it recorded 20% more vibration than the rigid stem. This obstacle induced a large amount of vibration, and the stem simply bounced up and down more than typical because the elastomers didn’t have enough material damping to mitigate it.

From my perspective, this poor result didn’t translate to a less comfortable ride. While the handlebar moved more with the Redshift stem, it subjectively felt more comfortable over the obstacle than the rigid stem.

High-Frequency Chatter Test

In the high-frequency chatter test, the Vecnum and Redshift stems were neck and neck. They both reduced the vibration at the handlebar by 9.7% when compared to a rigid stem.

This is an interesting result because both the Vecnum and Redshift stems felt more than 9.7% more comfortable than the rigid stem. This just goes to show that the products I test cannot be represented by a single number!

I also tested the Freeqence’s vibration levels in the stiffest and softest stem settings on both of my obstacles. The differences were surprisingly minimal, which makes sense, as these obstacles generate high forces that would easily exceed the spring preload force, and make the stem quite active.

Vecnum Freeqence vs. Redshift ShockStop vs. Kinekt Suspension Stem

I’ve now tested the three most common suspension stems available, so which is best?

When deciding which stem is best for you, you should consider:
– Your handlebar type (flat or drop bar)
– Your riding position (low or upright)
– Your riding style (sporty or relaxed)

The Redshift ShockStop is the lightest, stiffest, and most tuneable suspension stem design. You’ll instantly notice its ability to reduce the jarring impact of a bigger impact – for example, a pothole in the road. The elastomer springs suit both sporty and relaxed riding styles, and provide a fast but calm suspension feel. The simple, single pivot design is most suitable for drop bar bikes, less suitable for flat bar bikes, and unsuitable for bikes with sweptback handlebars. A key feature of this stem is its sleek aesthetic – it looks just like a regular stem, blending in well on any bike.

You can read my full review of the Redshift stem HERE.

If your bike is more upright, and you ride at a more relaxed pace, you might prefer the Kinekt Suspension stem. This coil spring stem offers the quickest, most responsive movement, which allows it to smooth out high-frequency chatter better than all other stems. With its multi pivot design, it can provide a smooth, floating feel for all handlebar types, and is available in very tall-rise designs.

You can read my full review of the Kinekt stem HERE.

The Vecnum Freeqence is the middle ground between the Redshift and Kinekt. It’s the most sophisticated-feeling stem I’ve tested, with no top out, easy spring firmness adjustment, and a nicely damped ride that isn’t ever too bouncy. This stem is significantly lighter than the Kinekt Suspension stem (287 g vs. 470 g in a 90 mm length), and it’s only slightly heavier than the Redshift ShockStop stem (266g in 90 mm).

The multi pivot design of the Freeqence offers the same comfort improvement, no matter where you place your hands on the handlebars, and the stem suits all handlebar types, all riding positions, and all riding styles.

Summary

The Vecnum Freeqence is the best suspension stem I’ve tested. It works effectively, is easy to adjust, and is great for all handlebar types.

VIEW AT VECNUM

The Vecnum Freeqence was unveiled in late 2021, but despite the passage of time, it’s still a relatively unknown product.

This is a pity because the Freeqence delivers the same level of performance as the Redshift ShockStop in my high-frequency chatter test, and does even better in my big hit test. These real-world measurements were backed up by a subjective improvement in comfort too.

The Freeqence has a refined feel that isn’t ever too bouncy, and it’s super quick and easy to adjust the firmness of the elastomer springs.

I love that this stem employs a multi pivot design as it allows me to unlock the full suspension comfort, no matter whether I’m riding in the hoods, drops, or bar tops. It’s ideal for those using flat and sweptback handlebars too.

I’ve found that suspension stems instantly improve your riding experience on a gravel bike, and the Vecnum Freeqence is a standout in terms of what’s available. As a result, I plan to use the Freeqence on my benchmark bike for the foreseeable future.

Why Suspension Stems Are The Ultimate Comfort Upgrade For Bicycles

• Bike Gear
• Gear

byAlee Denham

January 28, 2024

I Went On A Quest To Find The Most Comfortable Bar Tape

• Comfort Lab

byKrzysztof Wierzbicki

June 19, 2023

4 Incredible New Gravel Suspension Forks That Outperform The Rest

• Bike Gear
• Gear

byAlee Denham

September 26, 2023

The post Review: The Vecnum Freeqence Is The Best Suspension Stem I’ve Tested appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

As a result, they transmit more shock and vibration to a rider than a typical mountain bike, resulting in more fatigue and discomfort.

This doesn’t have to be the case, however.

Innovative companies like Redshift offer suspension stems and seatposts that can be fitted to any bike and can isolate a rider from bumps, potholes, and rough surfaces.

I’ve been using the Redshift ShockStop Standard suspension seatpost for three years now. It looks neat, it has been reliable, and most importantly, it has suited my needs well. My previous vibration tests have shown that the ShockStop Standard provides a significant comfort improvement.

The Redshift ShockStop Pro V2 is the latest suspension seatpost on the market. While most suspension seatposts make use of coil springs or elastomer springs, the Pro utilises both spring types.

So, how does this combination of springs perform in my vibration tests? Let’s find out.

What is the Redshift ShockStop Pro Seatpost?

The ShockStop Pro is ideal for riders looking for a seatpost that’s both incredibly comfortable and largely unobtrusive.

US $299 (MSRP)

VIEW AT AMAZON

The ShockStop Pro seatpost is the newest addition to the Redshift’s extensive component range. It’s marketed to those who ride and race gravel bikes and people who might be concerned with the additional weight a suspension seatpost brings.

Weighing in at as little as 380 grams, the ShockStop Pro is just 150 grams heavier than a typical aluminium seatpost. But for this extra weight, you gain 20mm of buttery suspension travel.

The ShockStop Pro is expensive at US $299 but it’s not unreasonably priced given the quality of materials used, and the additional comfort it offers (we’ll get to my vibration test results soon).

This suspension seatpost is available in two lengths (280 or 350 mm) and one diameter (27.2mm). If you use a larger diameter seat tube (eg. 31.8mm) you can easily buy the appropriate shim for a perfect fit.

You can use the ShockStop Pro with round 7mm or oval 7×9 mm rails, and the seatpost is suitable for those <50kg/110lb right through to 110kg/242lb.

Redshift is so confident that you’ll like their seatposts that they come with a 90-day guarantee. This allows for a 100% risk-free trial, and if you don’t like it, you can get a full product refund, no questions asked. There’s a lifetime warranty on the seatpost too.

How is the new ShockStop Pro different from the ShockStop Standard?

How Does The Pro Compare To The Standard?

Spring Type

The ShockStop Standard is suspended using only metal coil springs, which results in an ultra-responsive seatpost with excellent bump-eating comfort. According to my vibration tests, fast-moving coil springs tend to yield the most comfort over the small, high-frequency bumps found on gravel roads.

You can modify the spring stiffness by using either one or two coil springs – the spring rate is selected based on your body weight, riding style, and terrain.

The main downside to seatposts that use coil springs (without any source of damping) is that they can bounce up and down a bit as you pedal.

The ShockStop Pro, on the other hand, combines one (or two) coil springs with an elastomer spring that all nest together. The coil springs allow the seatpost to be responsive to bumps, while the elastomer spring calms the suspension movement with its additional material damping.

As a result, the ShockStop Pro seatpost not only has a great feel but it’s both less bouncy and less intrusive while you ride.

If you like, you can also remove the coil spring and install two elastomers instead. This reduces the bounciness almost entirely, however, it’s at the cost of the seatpost’s responsiveness to bumps. This could be the optimal solution for those who primarily ride on smooth roads.

Suspension Travel

The ShockStop Standard employs 35mm of suspension travel, which provides excellent comfort on notably rough terrain – think singletrack, 4×4 trails, and bumpy dirt roads.

The ShockStop Pro uses just 20mm of suspension travel. This essentially means it cannot absorb bumps as large, making it better suited to smooth-to-moderate gravel roads.

Product Weight

The ShockStop Standard seatpost is between 127 and 287 grams heavier than the ShockStop Pro. The weight difference between models depends on the seatpost lengths, diameters, and spring configurations.

Adjustability

The beauty of the ShockStop Standard is that you can fine-tune the suspension movement.

After you’ve fitted the appropriate coil spring(s), it’s time to adjust the pre-load. This plug adjusts both the spring stiffness and the initial firmness of the seatpost – it’s quite an effective way to fine-tune the seatpost to your desired feel.

In comparison, the ShockStop Pro has no way to fine-tune the initial firmness, you can only use different combinations of springs. This could result in some riders being unable to find the perfect spring stiffness for their needs.

Finish, Materials, and Sizes

The ShockStop Pro has blacked-out graphics, making it look more pro. It’s made from the same 6061 T6 aluminium as the Standard, however, it additionally features hollowed-out pivot pins, and more aggressively machined linkage arms to shed some grams off.

The ShockStop Standard seatpost can be purchased in 27.2, 30.4, 30.9, and 31.6mm diameters, and the largest diameter seatposts are available in lengths up to 450mm.

In comparison, the StockStop Pro is 27.2mm only in 280 or 350mm lengths (you will need to use shims for larger diameter seat tubes).

How Do You Set Up The Spring Rate?

To set up the seatpost, you will need to play around with the two elastomer springs and two coil springs (inner and outer) that it comes with.

I started off riding the seatpost with the recommended stiff elastomer (red) and both coil springs (87kg/192lb weight). But this was too firm. I next tried the soft elastomer (green) and both coil springs. The result this time was a seatpost that was too soft and bouncy.

The final step was re-installing the stiff elastomer (red) but removing the inner coil spring. This now felt subjectively on par with my ShockStop Standard seatpost.

How Does the Redshift ShockStop Pro Ride?

The first thing you will notice with either Redshift suspension seatpost is that you can forget your old way of riding; you no longer need to ‘unweight’ your saddle when you ride over bumps – you can just pedal straight over them.

Of course, the bigger bumps required me to unweight my saddle a bit more than usual due to the ShockStop Pro’s reduced suspension travel.

I’ve noticed that after a big hit, the ShockStop Pro firms up quickly, especially when you’re deeper in the travel. In comparison, the ShockStop Standard feels more plush. This is likely a result of the reduction in suspension travel (20mm vs. 35mm) but could be due to the properties of the elastomer spring too.

The overall feel of the seatpost with an elastomer spring is an improvement over the ShockStop Standard; the Pro has a more refined movement. It’s not night and day, however, both seatposts feel very responsive to inputs from the ground.

Let’s now see how both seatposts performed in my vibration tests.

My Test Bike and Vibration Measurement Procedure

I conducted this Redshift seatpost comparison using my Open WI.DE gravel bike fitted with Rene Herse Umtanum Ridge 650B x 55 mm tires at 35 psi (2.5 bar).

You can read more about my benchmark bike HERE.

I have two test scenarios: a big hit test that simulates riding across a 30mm tall obstacle like a tree root or edgy rock, and a high-frequency chatter test that simulates riding on a bumpy gravel road.

You can read more about my vibration measurement procedure HERE.

Vibration Test Results

Big Hit Test

In the big hit test, the ShockStop Pro seatpost performed significantly better than the Standard, showing almost 60% less vibration at the saddle (on average).

The Pro seatpost was destined to do well in this test as the coil spring could respond quickly to the impact, and the elastomer spring could remove the unwanted oscillations after the big hit.

While the numbers suggest a huge win for the Pro seatpost, I didn’t perceive a big difference in ride comfort. The most noticeable difference ‘at the butt’ was the reduced bounciness.

High-Frequency Chatter Test

The ShockStop Pro seatpost performed better in the high-frequency chatter test too, however, this time there was 14% less vibration compared to the ShockStop Standard (on average).

Again, the elastomer spring’s material damping proved advantageous over fast, repetitive bumps – it was able to reduce the overall vibration at the saddle, although at a reduced rate.

Ultimately, both Redshift seatposts do very well in this test thanks to their ultra-responsive coil springs. The most noticeable difference is that the Pro feels more refined in its movement, however, this is only a minor comfort difference.

Summary

There is no doubt that the Redshift ShockStop Pro seatpost takes ride comfort up a notch with its clever use of coil and elastomer springs. It’s the most comfortable seatpost I’ve ever tested with my vibration-measuring equipment.

The coil spring responds quickly to bumps, and the elastomer spring keeps the ‘bounciness’ in check by removing unwanted vibrations from the system. And with a weight between 380 to 445 grams, it won’t add any considerable weight to your bike.

The ShockStop Pro is ideal for more performance-oriented riders looking for a seatpost that’s comfortable and unobtrusive. The 20mm of suspension travel is perfect for most gravel surfaces, and it performs well on smoother paved roads and bike paths too.

However, the ShockStop Pro is not perfect. Given there is no pre-load adjustment, I would prefer if it came with additional spring rates so you could better optimise it around your body weight, riding style, and terrain.

In any case, the Redshift ShockStop Pro did very well in my vibration test and will be the benchmark seatpost for my future tests.

Is The ShockStop Standard Better For You?

The ShockStop Standard is cheaper and more adjustable than the Pro. It also has more travel, which suits rougher terrain.

US $229 (MSRP)

VIEW AT AMAZON

The ShockStop Standard is still one of the highest-performing seatposts I’ve ever tested. With its longer travel, responsive movement, and additional adjustability, it allows you to remain comfortable on rougher terrain than the Pro.

It performs exceptionally on singletrack, 4×4 trails, and chunky gravel roads. It’s also excellent for smoother gravel roads, provided you run it with a bit more pre-load.

Given it’s US $70 cheaper than the Pro, this gives it the best comfort-to-price ratio too.

Alternative purchase links for the Redshift ShockStop Standard Seatpost:

	Dealer	Current Price
	Angry Catfish Bicycle	See Price
	Aventuron	See Price
	Backcountry	See Price
	Competitive Cyclist	See Price
	REI	See Price

Note: We may earn a commission when you purchase a seatpost through our links. This directly supports CyclingAbout and allows us to continue to provide high-quality cycling information to you.

The post Redshift ShockStop Pro Suspension Seatpost Review: Next Level Comfort! appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Meet the top-of-the-line Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 1 with the Oliver gravel suspension fork.

I had a hell of a ride on it! But does this fork deliver a magic carpet ride?

Keep on reading to find out…

The Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty

I recently tested the Cannondale Topstone Carbon gravel bike with 700C x 38mm tires and a rigid fork. I really liked the overall vibration damping of the bike and especially the comfort balance between the front and rear.

The front comfort was so good on the rigid model thanks to the SAVE flex handlebar that I was even questioning whether the bike needed front suspension at all.

Well, I’ve now had the chance to find out because Cannondale sent me their Topstone Lefty 1 with Oliver suspension fork so I can take some vibration measurements. On paper at least, this should be the best comfort package you can find on any gravel bike.

A Big Change

The Topstone Rigid bike that I tested recently was a well-rounded, comfortable, fast, and rather normal bike to ride in terms of handling.

But I didn’t find it to be particularly playful and definitely not encouraging you to become a gravel hooligan.

This Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty, however, is a proper hooligan thanks to its 650B wheels and suspension fork. These component changes have essentially transformed the Topstone from a sensible, all-around choice to a machine that will take on the roughest gravel roads and trails.

The handling feels quicker, the rear becomes more alive, and overall, you unlock more fun while riding on this bike.

The 650B wheels are not only good for improving the fun factor of the Topstone, but they also improve the overall comfort and traction because you can employ lower tire pressures.

Cannondale could’ve stopped there, but they’ve added a dedicated gravel suspension fork to the bike. And this decision is very tricky to evaluate.

Yes, the suspension fork offers a forgiving ride, but at the same time, it adds weight (around 1kg/2.2lb), cost, and requires maintenance if you want it to work flawlessly for years to come.

When you consider all of those downsides, you should have very high expectations of the performance of the Lefty – otherwise, why bother?

The Role of Suspension Forks

Suspension makes the ride more comfortable because it can suspend you from road imperfections.

But the biggest benefit of having a suspension fork is actually the improved front tire traction. Without a suspension fork, your front wheel bounces a lot when hitting bigger obstacles, and as a result, your tires have less opportunity to grip the ground, and your bike becomes less stable overall.

With a suspension fork, you can also ride faster and longer on rough terrain without feeling beaten up.

Honestly, when I got this bike I was not thinking about traction or bike stability. My focus was strictly on reducing the vibrations that are reaching my body. Yet, just a couple of rides on the Topstone Lefty and I can clearly see the benefits of improved front traction.

The combination of the wide 650B tires and Lefty Oliver fork (even with only 30mm travel) made me ride this bike a true hooligan way. No matter the road, I was trying to ride as fast as possible, and most of the time I was well beyond the speeds that I would normally ride.

And the harsher the road, the more the Topstone Lefty shone.

Topstone Lefty vs Topstone Rigid

The Topstone Lefty excels in the rough stuff and otherwise is just ok everywhere else. You feel it, especially when riding on the tarmac where both the 650B wheels and added weight of the suspension fork reduce the fun. Of course, it’s still quite fast on the tarmac but it’s really not the scenario the bike was made for.

The Topstone Rigid on the other hand is very good in almost every gravel situation. While you cannot ride it as hard, it has a better balance between off-road and on-road rides.

And what about the comfort benefits, you may ask? Is a suspension fork worth the extra hassle?

Look, I really embrace any comfort-improving bike parts, and a suspension fork seems like the ultimate solution in that regard. But in reality, after testing the Lauf Grit SL suspension fork and now the Lefty Oliver fork, I am not sure we need a suspension fork for ride comfort.

Bike Setup For The Vibration Test

The Lefty Oliver has a proper suspension damper so, unlike the Lauf Grit SL, it rides without any bounciness. But even with proper damping, the comfort-improving effect feels modest at best.

I first tested the fork with my tires at 40 psi. This is significantly more pressure than I’d normally use but the tires play such a big role in bike comfort, so running them at high pressure allowed me to see what comfort the Lefty Oliver was really offering.

I then tested the Topstone Lefty against my titanium benchmark bike with 25 psi in the tires.

My benchmark bike was using an Open U-Turn fork, Redshift ShockStop stem, Coefficient Wave handlebar, WTB Byway 700C x 44mm front tire, Rene Herse Barlow Pass 700C x 38mm rear tire, and Ergon Allroad Pro carbon seatpost.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

Interestingly, it seems the tire pressure is what’s doing all the heavy lifting in terms of vibration damping!

On the bumpy forest trail, the vibrations at the handlebars were 15 to 18% lower with 25 psi in the tires. Meanwhile, when the fork was active, the vibrations were reduced by just 6 to 9% compared to when it was locked out.

And on the fast gravel road, the vibration differences were starker. The lower 25 psi tire pressure resulted in 24% fewer vibrations compared to 40 psi. And the active fork was attenuating only 1 to 1.5% more vibrations than when it was locked out!

Clearly, the Lefty is not able to adequately deal with the high-speed buzz of fast gravel roads.

When I compared the Topstone Lefty to my benchmark bike, it was even a bit less comfortable.

On the bumpy forest trail, the front end was in the same ballpark (2% more vibrations). But when it came to the fast gravel road, the Lefty Oliver suspension fork was transmitting 10% more vibrations to my hands compared to my benchmark bike.

This is not at all a failure for the Lefty fork. The Topstone is still an unbelievably comfortable ride! But it’s just not as effective at providing vibration-damping as the combination between my Open U-Turn carbon fork and Redshift ShockStop suspension stem.

Summary

Out of the box, the Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty is a very, very comfortable bike. According to the vibration data, it’s very close to my benchmark bike in terms of comfort. That’s pretty amazing considering how much effort I’ve put into optimising the comfort of my bike (tires, fork, bar, tape, stem, seatpost, saddle & more).

But remember that the Topstone Lefty is a one-trick pony: it’s incredible when the gravel roads are rough and technical. It makes you want to ride it hard and be a hooligan. But it’s not an all-rounder that suits every road type – the Topstone Rigid bike with 700C wheels does that better.

If your use case is specifically rough and technical gravel roads, this bike will be awesome. Alternatively, you could make this your second gravel bike – the gravel hooligan – for the sheer enjoyment it offers.

The other big question is should you buy the Lefty fork for your current gravel bike?

If you’re buying it for additional comfort, it’s not worth it. You can achieve similar levels of comfort via other means. But if you want to significantly improve your front traction and bike stability on rough gravel tracks, and you’re happy with the €1600 purchase price, then go for it.

The post Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty Review: Does It Reduce Gravel Vibration? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

When I found out that Redshift would be offering a suspension seatpost, I was particularly excited to test it. After all, the Redshift ShockStop suspension stem is a proven comfort upgrade and has been a mainstay on my benchmark bike for some time now.

Redshift’s take on a suspension seatpost not only looks interesting, but it promises great performance.

A promise isn’t good enough for me, so let’s put it to the (vibration) test!

The Different Suspension Seatpost Designs

If you are looking for a suspension seatpost, you can currently choose between:
– Carbon leaf spring seatposts like the Ergon Allroad Pro
– Metal spring suspension seatposts like the Kinekt Active
– Elastomer spring suspension seatposts like Cane Creek eeSilk
– Air spring suspension seatposts like the PNW Coast

The Redshift ShockStop uses steel springs, and as you might know, springs are, well… springy. The main challenge when using springs in a seatpost is to minimise the ‘springiness’ as much as possible while also ensuring good performance.

I tested the Kinekt Active suspension seatpost recently, and while it was a very comfy solution, the ‘springiness’ was very apparent, no matter what setup I tried.

It got me wondering if the Redshift post would be any better. The short answer is… yes!

The Redshift ShockStop Suspension Seatpost

My first ride on the ShockStop post was using springs appropriate for an 80kg rider (I weigh 84kg). And it was bad. The bounciness was huge, and I managed to bottom out the seatpost quite heavily. So I went back home and tried a firmer preload setup.

I put an extra spring into the post, set the firmness to level 2 (for 90kg riders), and went for another test ride. Big surprise!

I don’t know if this is the effect of two springs working together or not but the feel changed for the better. There was no bottoming out and the suspension performance was quite noticeable.

On bigger bumps, there was still a lot of saddle movement up and down, so I adjusted the firmness a touch more (level 3 for 100kg riders). Another test ride and the feeling was even better.

In the end, I can say that 90% of the time I did not even feel the suspension doing its job (although it definitely was moving when I was looking at it). There was also no bounciness when pedaling hard.

But I found another issue, this time with my saddle.

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…

But I did not stop there. I wanted to find out what would happen with a firmer suspension tune (this time to level 4).

Another test ride and another surprise!

This time I managed to create a small catapult. When riding hard on big bumps, the spring effect was so big that it was literally catapulting me from the saddle.

After that experience, I knew that level 3 was the best setting for me. Yet each of you will have to do all of this fine-tuning on your own to find the best possible setup.

What’s worth mentioning is that all this fine-tuning does not limit the available suspension travel, which is 35mm. Perhaps, less travel would mute the bounciness even more but Redshift told me that they wanted to find the best compromise – one seatpost solution for all types of riders.

Vibration Testing The Redshift ShockStop Seatpost

I used an Argon 18 Dark Matter gravel bike for this test. The bike was set up with Challenge GravelGrinder 700C x 42mm tires.

To make the suspension shine, I used a firm Prologo Scratch RS saddle and no padded shorts. The tire pressure was intentionally set quite high (40 psi) so that we can see the seatpost’s capability.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

The results are very clear. The Redshift suspension seatpost on firmness level 3 was much more comfortable than both my Ergon Allroad Pro and FSA carbon seatpost.

To be honest, I was not aware of how big a difference this seatpost made. On the bumpy forest trail, it was showing 24% fewer vibrations than the FSA K-Force carbon seatpost. And there were still 15% fewer vibrations than the Ergon!

The vibration differences were smaller on the fast gravel road, but impressive nonetheless. There was a 21% comfort improvement over the FSA K-Force carbon and a 9% comfort improvement over the Ergon.

Those are truly remarkable numbers.

I must say, although the bumpy forest route delivered huge comfort improvements, I think the Redshift suspension seatpost performs best on fast gravel roads with a lot of high-frequency vibration. You don’t notice the suspension working underneath, and you don’t feel any bounciness either.

The most surprising result for me was the difference between the Ergon Allroad Pro and Redshift ShockStop. I expected the difference to be quite minor.

But in Ergon’s defense, the Argon 18 Dark Matter gravel bike has a less exposed seatpost compared to my usual benchmark bike (Jamis Renegade). A longer lever will always flex more, so the suspension effect of the Ergon was a touch limited. But honestly, I don’t think a 30mm shorter seat tube would get the Ergon close to the Redshift’s comfort.

What Else Should You Know Before Buying One?

One crucial thing.

The saddle installation is not easy because access to the screws is difficult. I tried two different wrenches and still had a hard time accessing the bolts, and ended up scratching the seatpost near the screws. So choose your tools carefully!

The firmness adjuster (preload) at the bottom of the seatpost is no problem. Just remove the seatpost, tighten the cup, and put the seatpost back into your frame. It takes no more than a minute, and the numbers indicating saddle height help to get you to the right place.

What About Reliability?

The Redshift sestpost has a lot of moving parts so there is always a question of long-term reliability.

Alee has pedalled his Redshift ShockStop seatpost across a dozen countries and reported no reliability issues. And during my two weeks of heavy testing, there were no issues and no noises. But I will be able to say more on that matter in the coming weeks when I do more riding in heavy, winter conditions.

Summary

If you are after the best possible suspension seatpost – this is it!

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 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.

What counts is everyday comfort. And the Redshift suspension seatpost delivers that.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing a Redshift ShockStop seatpost on Amazon. Simply click HERE to make your purchase, and a small commission will come our way.

The post Redshift ShockStop Suspension Seatpost Review: Insane Comfort! appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

This can come at the cost of affecting your cornering ability, as your tire sidewalls will attempt to fold under high forces. And worse, lower pressures can also result in damaged rims.

Cushcore tire inserts promise to solve those problems and make your bike safer, more comfortable, and faster (at least in theory).

So, does Cushcore deliver?

What Are Cushcore Tire Inserts?

Cushcore inserts were first made for downhill mountain bikes where every bit of suspension and traction is crucial for a fast descent. Cushcore later found its way to trail bikes, and now they’re trying to conquer the gravel segment.

The idea behind Cushcore tire inserts is very simple. You put a special foam insert inside your tire, which protects your rim from hard hits that are common with low tire pressures.

You get more overall comfort too – Cushcore helps to make your tire less bouncy by stabilizing your sidewalls.

And lastly, Cushcore improves tire behavior in tight corners by limiting unwanted tire movement so that you can push forward with more confidence and speed.

The Installation… Is Not Effortless

Cushcore works only in a tubeless setup so you must have tubeless-ready rims and tubeless-ready tires to fit the system. You also need the Cushcore valves because your standard tubeless valves will not work.

I thought I would have no problems installing the Cushcore inserts because setting up tubeless tires is something I’ve been doing for many, many years…

But how wrong I was! My setup was 650B x 50mm Panaracer GravelKing SK tires and Cushcore XC inserts. These tires are already a tight fit on my DT Swiss M1900 spline wheels – adding the Cushcore foam did not make things easier!

The whole process starts with putting the inserts onto the rim. This is a rather easy task because the inserts have ridges that nicely fit the inner dimension of the rim.

Then things become much more challenging. Squeezing the tire beads requires a lot more force than usual, and a lot of water with soap to help the tire find its place. But the most challenging part is when you have to use two tire levers and push really hard to finish the job.

With time and gained experience the whole process becomes easier, but it will always take more time than a standard tubeless setup installation.

My Benchmark Bike Setup

I equipped my Jamis Renegade benchmark bike with a rigid carbon fork, rigid FSA stem, Ergon Allroad Pro carbon seatpost, DT Swiss M1900 650B wheels, and Panaracer GravelKing SK 50mm tires.

I then tested various tire pressures on the front and rear of my bike – that was both with and without the Cushcore tire inserts.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

Amazingly, there was a significant comfort improvement across the board with Cushcore installed – that was both subjectively and in my measurements.

With the same tire pressure, the comfort improvement was 14% on the fast gravel road – which is a feat that few component changes can achieve. There was a modest 3,9% rear improvement but it was still quite noticeable.

The comfort difference was a bit smaller on the bumpy forest trail. I saw an 8% improvement up front when using the same tire pressure, and it jumped up to a 12,3% improvement when I dropped the tire pressure down to 15 psi.

Cushcore Comfort Analysis

Cushcore really does provide a more comfortable ride, and shockingly, it does so without any noticeable drawbacks.

I thought that tires with Cushcore inserts would behave strangely (especially in corners) but the opposite was true. My tires cornered better and rolled nicer on the rough roads.

I was even able to lower the air pressure to 15 psi on my 650B x 50mm tires. Normally 15 psi is simply unusable at this width but to my surprise, it worked quite well on the front – it was predictable and without any noticeable roll in tight corners.

The rear tire sometimes exhibited signs of too little air pressure at 15 psi, especially when cornering fast. But it was a mild sensation (and you don’t need that low pressure at the back anyway).

Interestingly, my measurements at the front of the Cushcore bike with 15 psi showed no real comfort improvement on the fast gravel road (compared to 20 psi). But on the bumpy forest trail, there was a significant improvement of 5,3% fewer vibrations.

After all of my testing, I believe that 15 psi at the front and 18 psi at the back is a sweet spot for my 650B x 50mm tire with Cushcore. At least for my body weight and the Panaracer GravelKing SK tire.

But I can’t help but wonder if I can achieve even better comfort when using a more supple 650B tire like the Soma Cazadero. Perhaps, I’ll have to find out…

Is Cushcore A Must-Have for Gravel Riding?

If you’ve already experimented with low tire pressures and love the added comfort, then these tire inserts are a great upgrade for you. It makes riding with low air pressure more comfortable, more predictable, and more enjoyable.

But if you like to run a higher tire pressure most of the time, then the benefits of the Cushcore inserts will be hard to perceive, and the added weight, cost, and effort will simply not be worth it. The 650B Cushcore inserts add approximately 140 grams to each wheel.

At a cost of €150, Cushcore seems a bit expensive for what is essentially a bit of foam. But it’s a surprisingly affordable way to garner additional comfort. This is especially the case when you compare it to the price of a Lauf Grit SL suspension fork (€990) or Ergon Allroad Pro seatpost (€250).

And it’s even more of a bargain when you realise that, unlike a fork or seatpost, Cushcore adds comfort to both the front and the rear of your bike.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing Cushcore Tire Inserts on Amazon. Simply click HERE to make your purchase, and a small commission will come our way.

The post Cushcore Tire Insert Review: A Shocking Result On Gravel Roads appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

There are gravel bikes that are fast and fun on smooth roads (like Cervelo Aspero). And there are gravel bikes that are great for proper off-road riding (like Niner MCR RDO). And there are lots of bikes in between too.

But to be a great all-around gravel bike, it has to do well in all situations. And not for just a few minutes of the ride, but it needs to be good from the start to the very end of the ride. For me, this is the crucial thing that differentiates a good gravel bike from a truly great one.

The Specialized Diverge Comp is a rare example of a bike that can be ridden fast and far, and it’ll do it comfortably too. In fact, this is quite possibly the most comfortable gravel bike you can buy right now.

Let’s take a closer look!

The Specialized Future Shock System

Let’s start with the most beneficial feature: the Future Shock front suspension system.

Prior to this test, I read and watched many reviews of this suspension system. And to be honest, none of them got me really excited. This is a shame because it’s a very clever design, that in my opinion is much better than the Redshift ShockStop Suspension stem (which is really saying something).

Why exactly do I think that Future Shock is better? It is all about the location of the suspension.

On the Redshift stem, the pivot point is between the steerer tube and the stem face plate. When you apply force to the handlebar, the stem flexes downwards. The longer the stem and the more weight you put on the handlebar – the more it will move.

In comparison, the Future Shock is placed entirely inside the steerer tube, and it compresses on the same axis as your fork. This location makes all the difference because it doesn’t rely on leverage to activate. The result is you get the same level of comfort no matter where you place your hands on the bars.

The Future Shock also has noticeably less handlebar movement while you’re riding in the hoods. This is one of the only downsides of the Redshift stem – you can constantly feel the handlebar moving at the hoods. The only way to reduce this movement is to use harder elastomers that greatly reduce the ability of the stem to damp vibrations.

On my test bike, I had the FutureShock in its softest setup, and boy, it worked. I was deliberately looking for different test scenarios just to find the bike’s limits. I was constantly amazed at how much damping I could get from just 20mm of movement.

One of my ultimate tests of bike comfort is riding on a flood bank near the Vistula River. This is a very narrow path with a lot of imperfections both big and small. Normally, I cycle there at 20km/h but on the Specialized Diverge Comp, I was comfortably traveling at 25km/h!

The Pure Speed of the Specialized Diverge Comp

The Specialized Diverge Comp is a carbon bike with a very massive bottom bracket area. Combine that with the short chainstay length (421 mm) and you get a seriously fast-feeling bike.

Seriously, I was amazed at how much quicker I could accelerate on this bike compared to my heavier and noticeably more flexy Jamis Renegade. The Diverge encourages you to go so fast that, for the first time, I started to wonder if the 48/32 tooth crankset is big enough to get the most out of this bike!

Part of the reason why this bike is so fast is Specialized’s decision to use the 38mm Specialized Pathfinder tires.

It seems that the bike industry is now heading into ‘the-bigger, the-better’ trend in terms of tires.

But my previous tests and experiments with different tire sizes and pressure indicate that we don’t really need big tires to feel comfortable. It is all about finding the best combo between tire casing, width, and pressure for the terrain you ride.

When riding on Specialized Diverge Comp with the 38mm tires at 30 psi I was constantly thinking that I may have found the perfect sweet spot between tire size, tire pressure, and tire tread. This tire has a rather supple casing, so it rolls well, but it also offers a surprising amount of grip when going off-road.

What’s more, when I installed some supple Soma Cazadero 42mm tires with the same 30 psi air pressure – the overall comfort actually decreased (this was confirmed in my vibration testing). Part of the reason for this is that there is a higher casing tension with the wider tire, so it cannot flex as much.

But the Pathfinders are likely, at a minimum, just as supple as the Cazaderos.

Negatives to the Specialized Diverge Comp

The first thing is the bike’s ride position.

Due to the FutureShock location, this is a very tall bike (613mm of a stack on a size 56cm). Combine this with a 44cm wide drop bar (with a 15mm rise), and a very short chainstay and you get the sensation you are sitting up very high.

But to my surprise, this does not stop you from riding hard and fast on this bike. And to be honest, after a few minutes, you simply adapt and forget about the taller bar height. In fact, the high stack makes this bike great for longer trips.

The second thing is the FutureShock. Or to be more exact, the lack of the FutureShock 2.0 variant.

The Future Shock 2.0 features a more refined suspension damper (hydraulic) that works smoother. It also has an external dial, where you can fully lock it when you need to transfer the most power to the ground. This would be a big step up from the Redshift ShockStop stem, which you cannot lock out.

The third thing is the very low bottom bracket – the BB drop on this bike is a massive 85mm. This results in frequent pedal strikes even on not-so-bumpy roads.

I know that this low BB height gives the bike a super planted feeling, but I would prefer to have a bike with a higher BB. I cannot recommend putting 650B x 47mm tires on this bike because your pedals would get destroyed by constantly hitting the rocks.

Fortunately, you don’t need wider tires to feel comfortable on this bike, and that’s the beauty of it.

And finally, there is a S-Works CG-R seatpost and Specialized Power Comp saddle.

The seatpost itself, due to its unique shape and internal elastomer, should provide up to 18mm of extra cushioning. But the vibration test between the CG-R and my Ergon Allroad Pro showed that the CG-R is only comparable on fast gravel roads. On the forest trail with bigger bumps, the CG-R was certainly less comfortable.

The Specialized Power Comp saddle does not help either in that regard.

In my saddle shootout, it was offering much less compliance than the Brooks C17 or SQlab 612 saddles. Although the overall rear-end comfort was enough to keep me seated in almost any situation, there is certainly room for improvement.

When I fitted my Ergon Allroad Pro and Brooks C17 saddle to this bike I managed to significantly lower the overall vibrations level at the rear on a forest bumpy trail.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

In almost every test scenario, the Specialized Diverge had fewer vibrations than my very much comfort-upgraded Jamis Renegade.

On the bumpy forest trail, the Specialized even had 21,5% fewer vibrations working their way to my hands. This is absolutely incredible given we already know the Redshift ShockStop is leaps and bounds better than a rigid stem.

And what’s even more impressive is that my benchmark bike has a Lauf Grit SL suspension fork too, as well as wider, very supple Soma Cazadero tires.

Would I Buy The Diverge?

When I was riding Specialized Diverge Comp I was constantly asking myself this question: why do I still own a heavy steel gravel bike?

My Jamis Renegade is like a touring bike next to the carbon Diverge – it feels slower, and dare I say it, less fun to ride.

I had to use a Lauf Grit SL suspension fork and a Redshift ShockStop suspension stem, as well as some supple Soma Cazadero 42mm tires at 25 psi… just to achieve the low vibration levels of the completely stock Specialized Diverge Comp. And all of this was at the cost of more handlebar movement (from the Redshift stem).

So the question remains: why do I use a heavy steel bike with all of my comfort-improving parts when I can just buy a stock Specialized Diverge Comp?

The only answer I can think of is that my two-and-a-half-year-old son loves to ride with me, and I simply can’t install his Romer Jockey child bike seat on the carbon seat tube of the Diverge. So, it looks like for now, I am stuck with steel.

The post Specialized Diverge Comp Gravel Bike Review: Incredible Comfort! appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

The first test was all about maximum comfort. I tested 700C and 650B on a fully equipped bike (Lauf Grit SL fork, Ergon Allroad Pro seatpost, and Redshift ShockStop suspension stem).

The second test was all about using a rigid bike without any comfort-improving parts. I tested two different tire models, in two different widths, on two different wheel diameters.

For this last test, I’m focussing on one tire model only – the supple Soma Cazadero. I’m testing it in three different widths and on two different rim diameters.

And now, I am ready to tell you once and for all if you should ride 700C or 650B.

Summarising My 700C vs 650B Tests

The first test ended without any conclusive results. Essentially, the test showed there is much more variation between tire models than between tire widths (or rim diameters).

The second test provided much more valuable data. The smaller but wider 650B wheels fitted with the not-so-supple Panaracer Gravelking SK tires showed a marked comfort improvement over 700C.

But I still really wanted to know how the supple Soma Cazadero tires would compare in different widths and rim diameters. So, I got my hands on Cazaderos in 700C x 42mm, 700C x 50mm, and 650B x 50mm.

The Bike Setup

I am currently testing a Canyon Grail SLX 8.0 ETAP gravel bike and decided to use it for this wheel size comparison.

I was only measuring the front-end vibrations. To make sure that the rear of the bike was not influencing the results in any significant way, my rear tire was always a 700C x 40mm Schwalbe G-One Bite (25 psi). And I used a Redshift ShockStop seatpost that helped prevent my body from bouncing.

I used the carbon DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline wheels for the 700C test, and alloy WTB Asym i23 TCS wheels for the 650B test. Both wheels have rather wide inner widths (24 mm and 23 mm respectively) so the tires could be inflated properly.

But to my surprise, none of the 50 mm variants were actually 50mm wide. They were 47mm in both cases, whereas the 42mm tire was 42mm on a carbon DT Swiss rim.

The tires were set up tubeless to make sure that the inner tube is not influencing the results in any way.

Setting The Tire Pressures

I again set the correct air pressure based on Laplace’s law (read about it in detail in comfort test #2).

The 700C x 42mm tire was run at 25 psi. The 700 x 50mm tire was run at 21 psi. And the 650B x 50mm tire at 21,5 PSI (because it has slightly less air volume than the 700C variant).

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

For those who have followed my work for a while, there will be no surprise that the right tire construction is crucial for riding comfort. Essentially, the more supple the tire construction, the better the overall comfort.

The supple Soma Cazadero tire diminishes the vibration differences between 650B and 700C wheel diameters. When you compare the results, you can only really see a steady decrease in vibrations between different tire widths, not wheel sizes.

This is especially the case on the bumpy forest trail where you only get 3% fewer vibrations when switching from 700C x 42mm to 650B x 50mm tires. And on the fast gravel route, it’s a bit more, but still only a 6.5% difference in vibration attenuation (in favour of the wider 650B tires).

The difference in comfort between tires of the same tire width (50mm) saw just a 2.5 to 3.5% difference on the two test tracks – favouring the 700C tire over 650B.

The biggest improvement was when switching from 42mm to 50mm on a 700C wheel. On the fast gravel road, the wider tire had 9% fewer vibrations. And on the bumpy forest trail, it was a 6.5% difference.

There is certainly a case for wider tires if your bike can handle it, and the terrain you ride demands additional comfort (faster, rougher roads).

Summary

I will stay with 700C wheels with 40 to 45mm tires because I think this is the best combination of rolling characteristics and overall comfort (when using supple tires).

Of course, 650B has the potential to be even more comfortable because there are now gravel bikes that can fit right up to 60mm (2.4″) tires. But let’s be honest here: you would have to run a 60mm tire at 18 psi to achieve the equivalent casing tension to those in this test. In my opinion, this kind of low tire pressure compromises the steering a bit too much.

Overall, I don’t think the minor difference in comfort between 42 and 50mm is worth it for the terrain I ride. Especially, when using the Redshift ShockStop stem and Redshift ShockStop seatpost, where I’d have a hard time noticing any differences between tires (in terms of comfort).

A supple 700C x 40-45mm seems to work best for my use case.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing Soma Cazadero tires on Amazon. Simply click HERE for 700Cx42mm, HERE for 650Bx42mm, and HERE for 650Bx50mm – and a small commission will come our way.

The post Vibration Testing 700C vs 650B Wheel Sizes – Comfort Test #3 appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

The Kinekt suspension stem is a product that will replace the rigid stem on the front of most bikes. It promises a similarly smooth ride to their Active Suspension seatpost.

But how effective is it really?

Suspension Stem Testing

A while ago I tested the Redshift ShockStop suspension stem, and ever since, it has been installed on my benchmark bike to help me ride comfortably on rough gravel roads.

At first, I was using the soft set of elastomers because I wanted to extract the maximum comfort from it. Then I realised that this comfort comes at a hefty price: a lot of unwanted movement (up and down). So I switched to a firmer set of elastomers and am now enjoying the ShockStop even more.

But the ShockStop is not perfect. For me, the biggest flaw is the lack of cushioning when you ride in the bar tops. This is simply because the ShockStop stem relies on leverage, and you have less leverage at the bar tops than at the hoods.

The Specialized FutureShock made this difference abundantly clear to me. This spring-based solution offers even greater comfort regardless of your hand position.

And this brings me to the Kinekt Suspension stem.

The Kinekt Suspension Stem

Just like the Specialized FutureShock, the Kinekt uses a spring to improve front-end comfort.

With this stem design, your upper body weight will easily compress the internal spring – you really don’t have to put much weight on the handlebar to feel this effect. As a result, your bars can very effectively ‘float’ over bumps and road imperfections.

As the stem is activated by a small linkage, it also works very effectively in every hand position of a drop bar. It’s suitable for light riders too as there are multiple spring rates available.

I immediately felt extra comfortable on Kinekt stem, much more so than the Redshift ShockStop. The Kinekt provides more comfort in the bar tops, drops, and hoods.

But this stem comes at a price, which we will get to later.

Kinekt Stem Setup

I received a Kinekt stem with three different springs that you use according to your body weight.

Just like their suspension seatpost, the soft and medium springs were not suitable for my 83kg/183lb body weight because they induce too much ‘bounciness’. So I swapped in the firmest spring.

It’s worth noting the Kinekt stem cannot be flipped to achieve a negative rise. As a result, your handlebar might be higher than your current bike setup (provided you do not have any headset spacers below your stem).

Additionally, you should keep in mind that the stem’s ‘sag’ will affect its stem length. My 105mm stem is around 110mm long with sag, and it drops the handlebar height by approximately 10mm too.

Benchmark Bike Setup

For this test, I set up a 105mm long Kinekt stem with the firmest spring rate.

I fitted the stem to my benchmark bike, which is an Enigma Escape gravel bike with an Open U-Turn fork, Coefficient Wave handlebar, Rene Herse Barlow Pass 38mm tires, and Spinergy GX wheels.

I used two different test tracks to measure the vibrations – one is a bumpy forest trail and the other is a fast gravel road.

The first vibration readings were taken with 40 psi in the tires, which will help us discern any differences between stems. And the second test was at 30 psi to better see how the stem improves the comfort of your bike.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

With 40psi in the tires on the bumpy forest trail, the Kinekt stem offered a 25% vibration improvement over a rigid stem and a 10% improvement over the Redshift ShockStop.

Similarly, on the fast gravel road, the Kinekt damped 26% more vibrations over the rigid stem and 10% over the ShockStop.

These are really big numbers! While I expected a big improvement over the rigid stem, the 10% improvement over the ShockStop is particularly impressive.

But here’s the thing – I don’t ride my gravel bike with 40 psi in my tires. So let’s see the results with 30 psi.

With 30psi in the tires on the bumpy forest trail, the Kinekt stem now only offers a modest 5.5% improvement over the Redshift Shockstop. This is because the Rene Herse Barlow Pass tires are now deforming much more, and providing extra comfort.

Similarly, on the fast gravel road, the Kinekt stem damped only 2% more vibrations than the Redshift. This is no longer much of an improvement.

Right, I have a few more important things to note about the Kinekt stem.

Top Out and Bottom Out

The Specialized FutureShock 1.0 is great at improving comfort. But it’s prone to topping out when you’re climbing, which can get mildly annoying, and it will occasionally bottom out too – even when you use a firm spring.

Similar to the FutureShock 1.0, the Kinekt Suspension stem does not have any additional damping. It sometimes bottoms out, but for me, the more irritating thing is the top out when climbing or accelerating hard. Tap, tap, tap…

In ‘normal’ riding conditions, this movement is luckily not too noticeable. But for my sporty and more aggressive riding style, it certainly is.

Disconnectedness From The Bike

Another issue I’m finding is that the Kinekt stem makes your handlebar feel quite disconnected from your bike when you ride.

It actually took me a while to feel confident while riding my bike. The stem has great side-to-side stiffness but I can’t help but feel my hands are just hanging out in the air.

In comparison, the Redshift ShockStop stem provides much more connectedness, and definitely suits my sporty riding style much better.

Aesthetics and Weight

When I was riding the Kinekt Active suspension seatpost, I got mixed opinions about the way it looks. It’s certainly not as sleek as the Redshift ShockStop seatpost. But it’s not a complete abomination either, at least in my opinion.

I feel the same about the Kinekt suspension stems – they’re not super sleek, quite chunky actually. But that’s all ok because it feels solid.

The Kinekt weighs almost 500 grams, which is the price to pay for all that added extra comfort.

Is the Kinekt Active Stem Worth It?

When I was testing the Specialized FutureShock 1.0, I was so impressed with its comfort that I wished there was a way to get a similarly performing product without needing to buy the whole Diverge gravel bike.

Now, we have just that – the Kinekt stem performs as well as the FutureShock and can be fitted to any bike.

While the Kinekt is not perfect, it will still provide a significant comfort improvement over any rigid stem, and even the ShockStop stem when you use higher-pressure tires.

The only thing you should consider is your riding style. For leisure riding, gravel touring, or any upright ride position setup, I think you will love the comfort that the Kinekt stem offers.

But if you ride in a sporty position and want to ride hard, then I think the Redshift ShockStop stem is a better choice. This stem feels more connected to your bike and won’t experience the same top and bottom-out characteristics.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing a Kinekt Suspension stem on Amazon. Simply click HERE to make your purchase, and a small commission will come our way.

The post Kinekt Suspension Stem Review: Too Springy? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

In this supple tire shootout, I will compare six tires in terms of comfort and performance.

Let’s do it!

The Tires On Test

The first supple tire that I tested was the Soma Cazadero. I was amazed by the comfort improvement over my previous Panaracer GravelKing SK tires. But since then, I’ve had the chance to test many more supple tires.

In this six-way comfort test, we will examine the:
– Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR 42mm
– Rene Herse Steilacoom 38mm (Extralight casing)
– Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass 44mm (Endurance casing)
– Terrene Elwood Light 42mm
– WTB Byway 44mm
– Soma Cazadero 50mm

As you can see, this is a very broad list of gravel tires. There are both narrow (38mm) and very wide gravel tires (50mm) to compare. You’ll also find tires with a super supple “Extralight” sidewall casing, and a more durable “Endurance” casing. Finally, there are virtually-slick tires and true off-road variants.

Rene Herse Steilacoom 38mm Extralight

I bought Rene Herse Steilacoom 38mm in the most supple, Extralight casing because I wanted to experience the best comfort Rene Herse can provide.

The tire casing is incredibly thin, it feels almost like fabric when you try to squeeze it in your hands. But this is where the suppleness magic happens – this tire is very, very comfortable to ride.

On the bumpy forest route, this tire still provided a very admirable level of comfort and spectacular traction. Surprisingly, this was the most confidence-inspiring tires in the whole test despite its size. This is likely due to the combination of very pronounced knobs and a very sticky rubber compound.

The casing thinness is also the Achilles’ heel of the tire – you can tear these tires very easily on sharp rocks. However, after a couple of long rides, I can tell you that they hold up pretty well on my local forest roads. No punctures at all.

When riding on the tarmac you can easily hear the sound of this tire. It’s loud and feels slow. Really slow! For me, it was a surprise to find such a narrow tire that had a similarly slow feel and noise as the widest tire in the test.

The installation itself is a typical Rene Herse experience. Without a compressor and a lot of soap, I would not try to install this tire tubeless. Luckily, I did not experience any sealant leakage at all using Orange Sealant.

Soma Cazadero 50mm

After talking about the narrowest tire, it’s time to tell you about the widest one.

I really like Soma Cazadero tires. They offer very good grip in almost all situations, roll reasonably fast on the tarmac, and are comfortable thanks to their supple casing, which in my opinion, is very similar to the Extralight casing from Rene Herse (you can squeeze the casing and feel how similar it is in your hands).

The very supple casing combined with a low air pressure (22 psi) and significant width (47mm) results in a supremely comfortable ride, no matter the conditions. This is a true king of this supple tire shootout when comfort is considered!

Unfortunately, the Cazadero has the tendency to leak sealant near the rim, and only increasing the pressure will solve that issue. Both the Cazadero and Rene Herse Extralight also “eat” sealant like crazy. So make sure to use lots of tubeless sealant to be sure that everything will be ok.

Finally, wide 700C tires also mean slower steering and possible tire clearance issues (ideally, check your frame can clear them with 6mm on either side). There could be toe overlap too, so be a bit more careful when considering the 50mm width.

Challenge Gravel Grinder TLC 42mm

These tires were not initially on my radar, but having used them on the Argon 18 Dark Matter gravel bike – I knew they were good.

They work really well in a tubeless setup (although the installation is not that easy-breezy) and hold air nicely. They also provide a very good level of comfort, no matter the condition – both on bumpy and fast gravel roads.

But they are not as fast on the tarmac as you would imagine from their tread, and they are not super grippy either. When cornering fast on loose surfaces you need to watch out.

Terrene Elwood 42mm

I had read a couple of reviews stating that the Elwood is a very supple tire.

The Elwood is certainly on par with the Challenge tire when comfort is considered. They even have the same level of casing suppleness when you squeeze the sidewalls (significantly less than the Steilacoom or Cazadero, however).

Yet, the similarities between the Elwood and Challenge tires end here because Elwood offers much more traction in every situation. It also rolls faster on the tarmac too. This was a surprise for me because I would’ve expected the Challenge to roll faster on the tarmac.

The downsides? I see two. First is the tubeless setup. It’s fairly easy to set them up but I couldn’t get them to hold air that well. I think this is connected with the second issue: the quality of this tire.

When I mounted the Elwood tire, I immediately noticed a big wobble in it. This wasn’t the case with any of the other tires. Then again, the Elwood is quite cheap, so maybe I shouldn’t expect miracles from the build quality.

Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass 44mm Endurance

This tire is by far the fastest in this test (on tarmac) but the semi-slick tread is also slow on loose or rough gravel surfaces. This is simply because there is sometimes not enough grip!

What was more surprising is the lack of comfort that this tire provides. It was very apparent on a fast gravel road, but also on my bumpy forest trail test track.

I suspect this is caused by the Endurance casing, which is heavier and much less flexible than the Extralight casing. You are essentially trading suppleness for more toughness with this tire – you simply can’t have both.

WTB Byway 44mm

This is the biggest revelation in my supple tires comparison. For many reasons.

Let’s start with the tread. It’s a combination of a semi-slick center and knobs on the sides. This results in low rolling resistance on tarmac (second only to Snoqualmie Pass) but also surprisingly good traction in corners. Of course, loose or muddy terrain is still too much for this tire, but in most of my ride scenarios, I was perfectly happy with the traction.

The Byway subjectively feels more comfortable than even the Steilacoom with Extralight casing! It was also very easy to set up tubeless and had no leakage of sealant at very low pressures.

And finally, there’s the look and price. I really like the color of Byway, and honestly, when you compare its price to Rene Herse tires, it feels like a bargain.

The Bike Setup

The vibration testing was done on my benchmark bike, an Enigma Escape with an OPEN U-Turn fork, a Coefficient Wave handlebar, and a 100mm Redshift ShockStop suspension stem.

To make this test as objective as possible, I took my vibration measurements with the tires set up tubeless.

The only difference between the tires was their air pressure. This is because the wider the tire, the lower the air pressure you need to use to achieve the equivalent casing tension. With these adjusted pressures, all tires theoretically deform the same amount when the external force is applied. You can learn more about how I calculate casing tensions HERE.

The actual width of these tires on my Spinergy GX wheel (24mm internal) varied a little. I found that four different tires were very close to the 42mm measurement, so I ran them at 25 psi. The last two tires needed different air pressures. The Soma Cazadero measured 47mm wide so I ran it at 22 psi. And the Rene Herse Steilacoom measured 39mm, so I set it up at 27 psi.

At the back of the bike, I used a Rene Herse Barlow Pass Endurance tire with 27 psi.

Vibration Test Results

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

On the bumpy forest trail, the widest tire (Cazadero) was the most comfortable by 8 to 14%. This is thanks to both its large volume and supple casing construction.

The Challenge, Elwood, and Byway damped similar levels of vibrations using a similar tire width. We can likely deduce that the sidewall constructions are quite similar (reasonably supple).

The Steilacoom performed above its tire width of 38mm to achieve similar levels of comfort to the 42mm offerings.

And lastly, the Snoqualmie Pass was a bit behind the rest due to its protective Endurance sidewalls.

On the fast gravel road, the widest tire naturally offered the most vibration damping (Cazadero) – it was a whopping 23% improvement over the least comfortable tire (Snoqualmie Pass).

But the most impressive vibration measurement was the 38mm Steilacoom. Despite its width, it was within 5% of the Cazadero, proving that the Extralight casing is undoubtedly very comfortable to use in high-frequency bump situations.

The Byway was 11% behind the Cazadero, while the Challenge and Elwood tires fell about 16% behind in the vibration test. This is partly due to their narrower width (42 vs 47mm measured) but also their less supple tire casing.

Which Tire is the Best?

There is no easy answer to this question, but I believe we have three winners.

First is the Steilacoom Extralight 38mm tire. It provides a great supple ride and tons of grip in every situation, so you can go wherever you want with it. The only thing that is holding it back is slowness on the tarmac due to the knobs. You should also probably avoid sharp rocks because the sidewall casing is ultra-thin!

The second winner is Soma Cazadero 50mm for its supreme levels of comfort no matter the road conditions. But the 47mm actual tire width makes it more of an off-road choice than a great all-rounder.

And the last winner is the WTB Byway 44mm. This is a true all-around tire. Great comfort, great speed, and more than enough grip in most situations. It also has a great look and a great price to boot.

With its great all-around characteristics, the WTB Byway will be at the front of my benchmark bike for the foreseeable future. I will use it in combination with the Rene Herse Barlow Pass Endurance at the back so I’ve got the fastest possible rear tire with decent puncture protection.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing Soma Cazadero tires on Amazon. Simply click HERE for 700Cx42mm, HERE for 650Bx42mm, and HERE for 650Bx50mm – and a small commission will come our way.

The WTB Byway tires are also available on Amazon HERE for 700Cx40mm, HERE for 700Cx44mm, and HERE for 650Bx47mm.

The post Vibration Testing Six Supple Gravel Tires – Which Is Most Comfortable? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

But there is one more thing that can increase comfort at the front of the bike. Bar tape! During my testing, I used five different bar tapes and now it’s time to tell you which is the most comfortable.

Vibration Testing Bar Tape

When I was trying to measure the vibration levels of bar tape, I found my equipment was not precise enough to show any real difference in comfort. I couldn’t even measure the difference between using gel pads and not.

When I was taking measurements at the bar tops, I think my test simply does not reflect the true comfort of the bar tape. This is likely because your hands have the tendency to move quite freely on the bar tops while you ride, generating similar levels of vibrations – no matter the bar tape.

Unfortunately, you will not find any vibration test results in this article. Instead, I will solely focus on my subjective experience both in terms of bar tape comfort and the general hand feel too.

Gel Pads For Comfort

My Jamis Renegade benchmark bike (Jamis Renegade Exploit) came with Fizik Superlight Microsoft Touch bar tape, which I thought was very comfortable. But I had no idea that underneath this tape was hidden gel pads that were responsible for the high level of comfort.

When I later changed the bar tape, I was not able to reuse these gel pads and I immediately found that not having the pads reduced the bar tape’s comfort significantly.

The most important lesson here is to start with good gel pads. It doesn’t matter how thick the bar tape is that you use, nothing has the same comfort benefits as gel pads.

You can find the Fizik Gel Handlebar Pads on Amazon HERE or the Bike Ribbon Gel Pads HERE.

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

Let’s start with the Supacaz Super Sticky Kush. This is a bar tape that many consider the most comfortable. It’s a thick tape (2.5mm) that incorporates a layer of foam to improve overall comfort.

Some love the super sticky outer layer but I am not a fan. It’s way too sticky for my liking and attracts a lot of dirt too.

Sure, you can easily use this tape without gloves, and even when wet or with sweaty hands. You also have a great sense of control. But the overall feeling is not that pleasant, at least not for me.

The other thing is the way it wraps – this tape is stiff and won’t stretch much, so you will have to be especially cautious when wrapping it. The edges of this tape simply don’t look neat either for a US $45 bar tape.

With that out of the way, it is a very comfortable bar tape in terms of reducing vibrations. I used it with gel pads and it was certainly one of the most comfortable setups.

You can find the Supercaz Super Sticky Kush bar tape on Amazon HERE.

Cinelli Gel Cork Tape

The Cinelli Gel Cork tape was a revelation!

It’s very thick (3mm), and thanks to the heavy usage of Vibra Absorb foam, the comfort level is easily on par with the Supacaz tape, albeit with a better feel.

The wrapping is also much easier, the edges are cleaner, and you get ample grip from the outer layer.

Some added benefits are that it has the best tear resistance of any of the tapes I tested, you can wrap it multiple times, and it’s one of the least expensive tapes too (US $18).

You can find the Cinelli Gel Cork bar tape on Amazon HERE.

Lizard Skins DSP 3.2

The Lizard Skins DSP 3.2 tape is some of the most expensive tape on the test (US $45) but it has a great look and feel – the surface is very nice to touch, no matter the conditions.

It’s much less sticky than the Supacaz, and I like the very clean finish. It’s probably the only bar tape that you could keep clean in any color, even white.

The 3.2mm thickness makes this tape very comfortable to ride, although I feel it’s slightly less comfortable than the Supacaz or Cinelli options. It’s worth noting the 4.6mm thick model likely bridges this gap.

The wrapping process is not difficult but also not as easy as the Cinelli tape, and similarly, you can rewrap it a couple of times if you need.

But is the Lizard Skin tape really worth the premium you are paying for? In my opinion, it’s not. But I can totally understand those who fall in love with the look and feel. It’s a great product!

You can find the Lizard Skins DSP 3.2 bar tape on Amazon HERE.

Specialized S-Wrap Roubaix

The S-Wrap Roubaix bar tape is currently on my benchmark bike and it feels great. It’s affordable (US $25), easy to wrap, and has a nice finish.

The finish is a ‘suede’ that’s quite grippy and works well without gloves. When it gets wet, it’s not quite as good as other tapes but it will stay clean for much longer than the Supacaz.

And how about the comfort? The thick vibration-absorbing EVA foam works really well and this tape is easily on the Lizard Skins 3.2mm level, and very close to the Cinelli tape.

The S-Wrap in many ways is very similar to the Cinelli Gel Cork tape, both in terms of grip, wrapping, and overall comfort. The only difference is the sensation when touching them – I find the S-Wrap to be slightly more pleasant in this regard.

Coefficient Wave Bar Tape

The Coefficient tape is unique for two reasons. The first is the length – it’s extra long to allow for the easy wrapping of the Coefficient Wave handlebar, which demands the longest tape possible. And the second is its thickness – this is by far the thinnest tape in this comparison.

So, how does it perform compared to the much thicker tapes?

Well, thin tape, even with gel pads is definitely less comfortable. But as the Wave bar tape is very long so you can wrap it with a lot of overlap. While this achieves something similar to a double layer of handlebar tape, the comfort is improved but it’s still not on part with the other bar tapes here.

That said, the Wave bar tape is the easiest and most enjoyable to wrap and is quite tear resistant. It’s the best in terms of the overall feel too; grippy but soft, a real joy to hold. And it’s not expensive either.

What’s the Most Comfortable Bar Tape?

The pick of the bunch for me is the Cinelli Gel Cork tape. It offers a great level of comfort, a nice touch, ample grip, and it’s inexpensive to boot. It’s also easy to wrap and has great tear resistance.

This may be a surprising result for some, but it shows that sometimes you really don’t need to buy the most expensive product to get the most comfort.

If you would like a bit more grip and are happy to spend twice as much money, the Lizard Skins DSP tape is a particularly nice option. It’s less sticky than the Supacaz, is super easy to clean, and probably looks the nicest of these tapes too.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing your bar tape on Amazon. Simply click HERE for the Cinelli Gel Cork tape, HERE for the Lizard Skins tape, and HERE for the Supercaz tape – and a small commission will come our way.

The post I Went On A Quest To Find The Most Comfortable Bar Tape appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.