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Have we done this Kickstarter yet?
https://cirruscycles.com/pages/suspension-stem-sneak-peek
Did someone Strava 88mph recently? I suppose it’s the logical conclusion of the gravel-bikes-are-90s-ATBs arguement at least 😉
I suppose It could be a good option for those who haven’t embraced wider rubber and tubeless pressures as a way of dealing with trail chatter but whilst I’d happily have a play on one I can’t see a need for one on my current bikes..
The big step forward over my original flexstem looks to be that now the back is less pointy. I would have killed for that back in the day (when my approach to literally everything was to ram it, and then to smash my balls on the stem)
Thanks for putting a smile on my face there @Northwind 😄
That stem isn’t exactly wafer light is it? 500g for a 100mm stem. Oof.
The redshift stem which is basically an updated flex stem gets rave reviews. I'd get one if they did one for the gravel bike in 80mm
A friend has the Redshift stem and highly rates it
Id consider a Redshift stem for my Gravel bike if they weren't so ugly and expensive!
I had a redshift stem .. in an attempt to improve comfort on a rigid 29er. Was quite unimpressed tbh...To allow a reasonable amount of movement it had to be set using the softer elastomers which resulted in , when pulling hard on the bars up steep inclines, an up and down rocking movement which felt horrible. Sold it in the end ..maybe I was asking too much from it.
I can see that it could help over smaller stuff..but..isn’t part of the appeal of riding a gravel bike that it’s a somewhat impractical bike for the terrain and that’s where a lot of the fun comes from? Don’t get me wrong, I love my Bish Bash Bosh but I don’t want to make it too capable, it would be like adding a couple of gears to the singlespeed!
I have the Redshift stem. Solidly made and makes a big difference reducing vibration. I find gravel bikes with drop bars are really quite difficult to hold onto when things get rough, particularly on the hoods. And this is coming from someone that used to spend about half of each year riding a rigid mountain bike with no problem holding on. Feels nothing like proper suspension but it really helps with that. The recommended settings seem right, firm with no bobbing. Don't think it was really intended for mountain bikes because not having the extra leverage of drop bars will reduce the travel and make it firmer.
That Kinekt one looks to be a lot more complicated with 4 pivots and heading towards twice the weight.
In the early nineties I had a Giant branded flex stem. Rattling down a descent one day the stem broke so that the stem pointed straight up - a ninety degree rise stem. Accessing the brake levers was difficult let me tell you.
Moral - beware!
I have a similar story involving a snapped brace on Rockshox Judys, which diminishes both braking and steering.
We don't know how lucky we are with modern kit! I can actually see the value in a flexstem, if it's lighter than suspension forks.
Hard to see what they can patent when it looks almost identical to a Softride 30 years ago.
I'll hazard a guess it'll bob, bob, bob...
https://advntr.cc/cirrus-cycles-kinekt-2-1-suspension-seatpost/
I have the redshift on the gravel bike and really like it - doesn't take any chatter out but good for those little drop offs - overpriced though to be fair