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Submitted by
Joseph Seckelman
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, California, USA
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Adams Avenue Bike | | Strengths: | I have used it for 14 years and loved it until today. | | Weaknesses: | Metal fatigue at the stem, after 14 years of use caused it go give way while I was going down hill and I ended up with holding my handle bars with no connection to the bike! Needless to say I crashed. It is a great product but would recommend changing it more frequently than I did. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic Pro carbon fiber bike with Shimano Dura Ace gear throughout | | Bottom Line: | Good but watch it, the metal fatigue could kill you. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a
from Portland, ME
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Small to medium bumps are totally eaten up. | | Weaknesses: | Small amount of side to side play. | | Similar Products Used: | Forks of many types. Name it, I've probably tried and/or owned it. | | Bottom Line: | Fabulous for commuting and touring. Mated with big, low pressure tires and a good saddle and you'll be smiling:) Really takes edge off. But if getting air time is what you like, get a fork. Sudden drop offs can be really disconcerting. Air = Weightless = "Oh Nuts!" | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Mesa, AZ
Date Reviewed: January 16, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Light weight compared to a fork.
Works well on the small stuff.
| | Weaknesses: | flexs side to side.
Doesnt do any good on rough down hills. | | Bike Setup: | Bridgestone MB1 (converted to a single speed), a-class wheels, XTR crank, Avid brakes | | Bottom Line: | Works very well on the smaller rough stuff. Great for cross country stuff. Light weight. I used to ride a full suspention bike. I rode a single speed and decided to build one. I used a softride stem on it and I love it. I havnt riden another bike since. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erin
a Cross Country Rider
from Tacoma
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Strengths: | Tar and gravel roads -> silky | | Weaknesses: | There is a slight bit of wobble when really rocking the handle bars. Just learn to ride quiet. | | Bike Setup: | Old C-dale T series | | Bottom Line: | This product is for people who want to ride hard on sketchy paved roads. Frost Heaves, tar/gravel, roots and concrete slabs are all smoothed by this product. Softride stem > super fluffy low presure tires.
It's starting to show it's age after 9 years and two multi month fully loaded tours. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Bogardus
a Cross Country Rider
from Kenosha, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Milw Cty Oak Leaf - it gets me to work | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | GREAT for commuting!!!! | | Weaknesses: | If using it for MTBing - spend the money and buy a sus fork... | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Bike #3: Rehabilitated, Police-Auction-Special, Cannondale F400 CAAD1 Alum frame w/DuoTrac sus fork (weak), Deore LX 9spd derailleurs, Shimano Exage 500 Cranks w/Salsa 9spd rings (48-38-26), 12-25 cassette, Christmas tree lights & purple fringe (not really but considering it), 27" Velocity "Twin Hollow" wheels, DiaComp center pulls, and, of course, the SoftRide sus Stem. | | Bottom Line: | This is a commuter's dream. I commuted more than 3,000 miles in 2004 and this stem takes the edge off at 5:00 a.m. - especially during the winter-to-spring transition when hitting the hidden potholes on the city streets. I'm 270+ lbs. and this stem is great for taking the bite out of a rigid fork set-up at minimal cost. Also great for relief while physically rehabilitating from rugby weekends during the summer. To be honest, this stem would never be found on my MTB (Gary Fisher Marlin that has definitely been "Clydesdale-upgraded") but could potentially be added to my Specialized Sequoia road bike (which has also definitely been upgraded) in times of need. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
STEVE CAIRNS
a Cross Country Rider
from PERTH SCOTLAND
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$140.00 | | Purchased At: | EDINBURGH BIKE CO-OP | | Strengths: | GOOD PARALELL FUNCTION, UNLIKE GIRVIN FLEXSTEM. LESS BOB THAN A PAIR OF SUSPENSION FORKS. LIGHT WEIGHT. | | Weaknesses: | I HAVE THE YELLOW MORE EXPENSIVE MACHINED MODEL. THE PAINT TENDS TO FLAKE OFF FROM TIME TO TIME. SPARE PARTS MIGHT BE A PROBLEM IF REQUIRED. | | Similar Products Used: | SUS FORKS | | Bottom Line: | AS LONG AS YOU LOOK AFTER IT AND GREASE AND TENSION BOLT REGULARLY YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBS. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Havens
a Cross Country Rider
from Minneapolis, MN
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Strengths: | Minimal Maintenence
Super Reilibility
Light Weight | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Specialized Stumpjumper M4
150mm Aluminum Softride Stem
Kinesis Max Lite Aluminum fork
Magura Rim Brakes
XT & XTR Parts Mix | | Bottom Line: | This product works and works well. I have riden it hard for 7 years for 15,000 plus miles. Raced it on a college team for two of those and have taken it for a week in Moab, Utah and down trails at Mt. Hood on a few occasions. It has been taken apart once for cleaning. I have never had to replace the bushings and it still works like it did when I rode with it the first time. As others have stated the stem shines in tight technical and general crosscountry riding. It is not as good for fast down hill decents but, if you are a "capable" rider its strengths far outweight its weaknesses. I have demoed suspension forks that cost $600 plus and would still pick my Soft Ride over them.
The Softride suspension stem should be used by anyone who is looking for relief from suspension maintenence nightmares and all of you weight concious riders out there. Suspension forks are great for their intended purpose, but if you ride tecnical crosscountry, Softride is the way to go.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
silly boy
a Cross Country Rider
from sillytown, silly
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | silly singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | when you talk about the weight compared to a REAL sus fork, you should add the weight of your fork too. Silly. Great suspension for your hands, nothing for the bike. | | Weaknesses: | not a real bicycle suspension option | | Bottom Line: | Silly product | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from Littleton/Steamboat CO USA
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | any singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | -less fatigue on hands | | Weaknesses: | -doesn't do anything for control
-no real reason for product
| | Similar Products Used: | none like it | | Bike Setup: | Bridgetone MB-1 (rigid) XT/LX. Friends bike (bike tested). My bike is a Homegrown Pro | | Bottom Line: | Sure this stem may take some fatigue away from your hands just like a suspension seatpost will take some pain away from your arsk. However, these products are like band-aids, they don't fix the problem, they just cover it up. Your bike will not steer any better with this stem. You might feel like you can steer it better because you aren't being bounced around as much but the first and foremost idea of any suspension is to KEEP THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND, this does nothing for that. Anyone how says that this stem is going to "feel" or work better than any suspension fork is not thinking this through. I will give you that it may help when riding at extremly slow speeds, but at the price of over 100 bucks why not just get a lower end suspension fork. At least it will help keep the wheels on the ground and your steering will improve. Now I realize that many of you may be very attatched to your old rigids but take some advice from me and go out and get a new bike. There have been leaps and bounds made in mountain biking since that last serious rigid bikes where made. (yes, some crazy's still make rigid bike that cost a ton and are very well done) Just go out and demo any Hardtail or FS XC bike, you'll be blown away. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jimg
a Cross Country Rider
from san francisco, ca, usa
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | skeggs | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Strengths: | usual stuff: light weight, doesn't affect frame geometry, low maintenance... | | Weaknesses: | starts to lose it at higher speeds and on technical downhills | | Similar Products Used: | nothing like it | | Bike Setup: | 1994 Cannondale 3.0 Series frameset (think M700) built with a mix of LX, DX, Deore, Gripshift...also a Thudbuster Quadrapivot seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | Softride stems are awesome for slower technical riding, but not as good as speeds increase (perhaps the add-on damping unit helps, though I've never tried that). I used to live in PA and did slow technical singletrack riding, for which the stem shined. Moved out to CA, and now ride BIGGER stuff, which includes long fast downhills, both fire roads and singletrack. The Softride isn't as good here--I can literally feel the bike stop underneath me whenever I hit a downhill bump, and often the stem starts bouncing around, making the h-bars hard to hang onto. Much better than riding rigid, however! As others have said, the stem isolates your upper body from front-wheel jolts, but those are still transferred through the frame & seatpost to your butt, which is why I added a suspension seatpost, to much improvement. I started riding on the first-version, black welded-aluminum model, which I purchased used for $125 from rec.bikes, and then upgraded for $100 through Softride when the pivots wore out--they let me trade in that model for a newer 1995 version, which has the extruded girder-style top linkage. Apparently their customer service used to be better than other reviews would now indicate. I have another bike with an old Manitou M3 fork on it, and it's much better suited for the style of riding I now do. Softride stem is good, but for a select type/style of riding. For more details see my Softride page at http://www.slackers.net/~skoop/Bike/stem.html I'm going to put a supension fork on my C'dale now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
HTY
a Weekend Warrior
from Palo Alto, CA USA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Doesn't screw with the Geometry.
Unique Looks (Frankenstem)
Relative Light Weight.
Cost, $100 for Cro-mo version | | Weaknesses: | Limited lengths going smaller.
Not for the extreme stuff! | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey Stem | | Bike Setup: | 1993 Brigestone MB-3; stock with rigid fork and thumb shifters and a Ritchey cro-mo frame | | Bottom Line: | I've had this Aluminum Softride stem for almost 4-years now and it performs adequately. Considering the alternative of screwing with the Bridgestone's unique handling characteristics, this stem is a much better alternative. It does a good job absorbing light/moderate bumps but on the major ones forget it! My only complaint is that in the Aluminum and Pro versions 135mm is the shortest it goes. The way my frame (16.5" c-t) and body size is I need something shorter. The only alternative is to go with the heavier but cheaper Cro-mo version which at 120mm; however, that may not be enough. Again if you are upgrading a rigid forked bike that wasn't designed for a suspension fork this is the way to go! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Risk
a Cross Country Rider
from Kula, Maui, Hawaii
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Does not change the geometry of the bike.
Less maintenance than a fork.
Keeps the front end of the bike rigid. | | Weaknesses: | Not good for blasting downhill.
Undamped (Cromo model). | | Bike Setup: | Yeti Pro Fro
Accutrax Fork,
XT, XTR | | Bottom Line: | I've had my Softride stem (CR 140) on numerous bikes since 1993. Yup, the stem is seven years old and is still reliable as ever. I've never had to change the bushings, just shoot some oil on them.
I must admit that I had the stem sitting in a box unused while I experimented with the latest suspension forks (i.e. X-Vert's, Zokes), but decided to resurrect the stem when I rebuilt my beater bike.
I like the way the stem works with the fully rigid set-up of my Yeti. I mainly use the bike for commuting, and in this environment, the stem works better and more efficiently than a suspension fork.
The stem works well on cobbly country roads and semi-rough fire roads. If this is the type of terrain you ride, then the stem can handle it.
I sometimes ride the bike with a big front tire (i.e. 2.3") and run lower air pressure if I need a softer ride in rough off-road conditions.
Overall, this product fits me well and is well suited to the bike that it is on. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
singlespeeder
a Cross Country Rider
from sonoma county
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | cost-cheaper then a good quality suspension fork
doesn't change geometry of bike
good option for older bikes with 1" headset | | Weaknesses: | cost-too expensive for a stem
side to side flex
no color options | | Similar Products Used: | nothing else like it | | Bike Setup: | old Al frame set as singlespeed with original rigid fork | | Bottom Line: | it does what i want it too. it soaks up all the little bumps and rocks dotting the trail. BIG improvement over fully rigid setup. no more sprained fingers from all the hits. doesn't do well on big hits but i try and avoid those anyway.
haven't had any problems with bolts loosening at all. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross-Country Rider
from Santiago, Chile
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
Alameda | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Weight.
Cost.
Looks.
Responsive. | | Weaknesses: |
Looks.
Cost.
Plush - what's that?
Stem is long at 155 mm | | Similar Products Used: |
Nothing like this. Usual litany of front suspensions.
Indy C.
Noleen ELT | | Bike Setup: |
Softride Powerwing MTB | | Bottom Line: | Got this bike used for a great deal. The front suspension is a little odd and many people don't even realize that you have it 'cause they're so trained into the fork. It works very well for what I do - commuting on pothole strewn streets. It takes out the bumps and is well matched to the rear suspension. No problems with fork flex as it's rigid. No problems with suspension bob when you stand up.
Now comes the debate about the future of this product. Suspension forks are continuing to decrease in weight and price. So, when Softride talks about the weight being half to a quarter of a suspension fork, they are not including how much their aluminum fork weighs (the exact weight is not given on their website). Comparing their rigid fork plus stem to a lightweight suspension fork plus stem - idunno, but I suspect it's pretty close. Even if the suspension fork were more, you'd gain a fair amount in travel length and suspension. Now that Marzocchi and Manitou have introduced radically lightweight forks (1 kilo for 80 mm of travel), the days may not be many for the stem. At least on the trail.
In the world of commuting, hybrid bike and especially touring this is a very serious option. Particularly touring because a traditional fork cannot accept a rack. So you either lose the suspension and suffer or the rack and trade space. I talked with a Swiss cyclotourist going from Argentina to Chile (about 5000 kilometers) and he absolutely loved it. It also a good option for someone with a rigid bike looking to add some pading with buying a new bike.
The stem is long and you should think about that as well.
Anyway, very good product. Softride needs to get their act together on customer relations though.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ticked
a Weekend Warrior
from Here & There
Date Reviewed: October 19, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Not Sure | | Weaknesses: |
Piss-Poor Company
Customer Service Sucked. | | Bottom Line: | I emailed them to find out where I could buy on-line and the response email was way unprofessional and uncourtious. I seriously doubt I'll buy this product now. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BOB WOLF
a Cross-Country Rider
from OCEANSIDE,CA
Date Reviewed: August 4, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
WEIGHT
PRICE
MAINT | | Weaknesses: |
MODERATE/BIG HITS | | Similar Products Used: |
NONE | | Bike Setup: |
CANNONDALE M700 WITH USE SUSP POST | | Bottom Line: | BOUGHT THE STEM OVER 3 YEARS AGO. BACK THEN IT WAS PROBABLY PAR WITH ALL BUT THE MORE EXPENSIVE FORKS. GREAT FOR CLIMBING, NO BOBBING. PROVIDES GOOD COMFORT AND CONTROL FOR FLAT/ROLLING, LIGHT TO MODERATE TERRAIN. HOWEVER, FOR ROCKY TERRAIN AND FAST WASH BOARD FIRE ROADS, THE STEM IS LACKING AND ON A ALUMINUM BIKE YOU WILL FEEL EVERY BUMP.NO MAINT PROBLEMS. PERIODICALLY CHECK/TIGHTEN THE BOLTS AND SHOOT SOME LUBE ON IT. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Scott
a Racer
from Royal Oak, Michigan
Date Reviewed: April 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Weight, reliability, performance, low maintenance, is not affected by cold temps. | | Weaknesses: |
Threaded Al-Pro has developed some side-to-side play. Older Al model was fine | | Similar Products Used: |
Judy SL | | Bike Setup: |
Voodoo steel with Kona Ti rigid fork | | Bottom Line: | Underated performer. Raced Softride stems at Leadville 100 (20th, gold buckle), 24 Hours of Canaan, International Ice (1st) and more without regrets. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 11, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Light and low maintenance | | Weaknesses: |
Not much good for really big hits | | Similar Products Used: |
No others really like it | | Bike Setup: |
Ritchey P-23 | | Bottom Line: | I replaced the stock stem on my bike with this unit because the frame does not have suspension geometry and I did not want to spoil the handling. I have teh Al Pro with the damper and find that there is a huge improvement over the rigid stem and the handling is as sweet as ever. I can now ride for hours with very little fatigue and the bike goes exactly where it is pointed. I have ridden a few bikes with good front forks and I really did not notice any appreciable difference between them and mine, in fact I thought that the stem is smoother and less bouncy than most forks. The only real problem has been the bolts continuously loosening. I typically have to tighten these up every couple of hours which is a pain in the ass but otherwise no maintenance problems. Oh, the other thing is that the the damper bolts are not available in titanium so if you spent the extra $$ on the titanium hardware for the Al pro, it is 50% wasted because you have to use the shitty steel bolts supplied with the damper (the nice machined ti units are too short). Overall I would reccommnd it as a real(and worthy) alternative to front forks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rico Vazquez
a cross-country rider
from McMinnville,TN.,USA
Date Reviewed: January 12, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I would like to say something about this product....it WORKS...and here are a number of reasons why;
1.COST. For a budget conscience person (like myself..I have 4 children.. you can't just drop $300-$400 on upgrades anymore!) this type of suspension is anywhere between $99-$200 and works almost as good as any other type of suspension out there.
2.RELIABILITY. I have used this suspension for a almost 2 years now riding in varied terrain and weather and all I needed to do was just lube and go. See if you can do that with Rock Shocks.
3.GREAT FOR CLYDESDALE RIDERS (riders weighing 200+ pounds). If you adjust it right you can have a stiff but comfortable ride and the suspension is always active but with me being 220 lbs I don't have that pogoing effect that you have with a suspension fork (admit it people, anyone weighing more that 180 will have a problem with a suspension fork).
4.UNIQUENESS. By that I mean that suspension forks are what is in or cool suspension forks dominate the market. The stem is a rare sight. Whenever I ride with others they practically sneer at me at the beginning of the trail , so I let then ride my bike (a GT Outpost Trail) and they are quite surprised that the stem works so well. I can keep up with the best of them.
5.WEIGHT. This type of suspension is perfect for cross-country riding it weighs a third less than a suspension fork, and the stem shines on a hardtail. Sure you can spend $3000 for a dual suspension free-ride bike but admit it...how much downhilling do we actually do? about 80 percent of all MTB riders ride cross-country. This stem has won world championships for crying out loud! It's perfect for racers too!
6.FRONT END STIFFNESS. Your front wheel stays in line because you have a stiff fork. You can ride better in technical terrain and not worry about those big babyhead rocks and large roots knocking you off the trail. Plus the stem is excellent on low frequency bumps!
Of course I could go on and on and there are some negatives about the stem too but all types of suspension aren't perfect. And I have tried everything I could get my hands on and was impressed by the cost and reliability the most,.. AND IT WORKS! I do recommend this product to anyone and will stand by it. Just try it you will see. Take care all!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a weekend warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: December 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Ya, no downhills in Dallas area (some might argue, but they haven't been out of Dallas), softride is the perfect solution!! I've ridden the aluminum model for about 4 years now, and have a cromo model on the old rockhopper thats maybe 6 years old. Replaced the stock spring with a Copper looking racing model, MAN! what an improvement! Additional travel and doesn't bottom out.. now I just want the oil dampener on the side and I'm happy....
I just love to pass these fools on their $4000 full suspension wonderbikes on my hardtail w/ softride... don't get me wrong.. I want one of those wonderbikes myself, but so much cash! I'll just ride my old XT thumb shifting hardtail into the ground (which will probably never happen.. I just can't break it) Softride keeps me grinnin.. always havin to get the dirt out of my teeth | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony Edwards
a cross-country rider
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: November 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I used a CrMo Softride for four years or so, on a Bridgestone MB-0 and my Serotta ATi. I currently ride a Marzocchi Bomber Z2.The much-maligned Softride is a great alternative to cheap sus forks, and I suspect many people who have slammed it here have not ridden one. The Softride adds a huge amount of comfort, and a substantial amount of controllability to a rigid bike ridden on rough terrain.Because it offers 3 of travel, and does not slow the handling of a bike by raising the headtube, as do many forks, I have to say I find it a better alternative than any non-damped sus fork (i.e., a Quadra, Indy, or Jett).There is a reason this thing won three straight XC World Championships, even if it is not the equal of a Bomber. I can't seriously recommend this over a high-quality fork, but if all you want is to increase the off-road-ability of an older bike, this will do quite nicely. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jaco
a cross-country rider
from le centre du monde
Date Reviewed: November 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm 5'11, 170 lbs, 23yrs., and ride year-round (in sun, snow, rain); to classes/work, to pick up groceries, on pavement, singletrack, stairs, retaining walls, whatever. Originally picked up a Softride stem (threaded cro-mo, 'bout 5 years ago) to help with carpal tunnel. In that regard, the stem certainly helps more than any fork because of its high-frequency sensitivity and its isolated place in the shock-absorption chain (bad for your feet but good for your hands) -- though to be fair it's been over a year since I've ridden it. I've been riding an AMP fork meanwhile, and, most recently, totally rigid (ct's gone, btw) -- just for a change. The stem DOES bottom easily (but you can remedy this by shaving down an inch or two of cheapo misc. elastomer and placing inside the spring. improves action tremendously...experiment: light or zero preload w/o being able to bottom is the goal). Having ridden rigid, forked, and stemmed, here are my impressions:
1) A rigid fork really does handle quicker. The AMP's about as quick and tight (though not cush) as shock forks come. But rigid, the handling's psychokinetic, the bike turns, finesses, hops a moment before you think it. The stem preserves most of this and...
2) smooths out the hands 1000% on the small stuff (which is where most hand fatigue comes from). Big stuff and jumps you must body english. I can body english jumps, but not stutter bumps.
3) Gotta periodically tension 2 allen screws (every couple rides, but it's super quick, less than a minute), and grease bushings (couple times a year, 10 or 15 minutes), and rebuild (10 or 15 minutes, yearly for me, don't remember price of kit, but I think it's pretty cheap. Be a good idea to order 2 or 3 and stow for future. Will still develop a minimal amount of play (twist) in bar despite above, but does not affect ride far as I remember.
4)Dives 'bout same as a fork under hard braking.
5)Stem's quicker, lighter -- fork's more stable in fast corners.
6)You can get used to anything. I've been digging rigid riding (the trail feels so immediate and the bike super-precise) these last two weeks, and, once my style adapted, all the big stuff turned cush -- that is long as I nail everything. 4-foor jumps can be marhmallows, but drop a curb ugly and it stings. Suspension is your margin of error, which is why I'm re-installing the stem. Let you know if I like it better than the fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a weekend warrior
from Marin, Calif
Date Reviewed: October 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding a Richey P 21 for several years both on trail and with slicks for mountainous road rides like the Markleville Death Ride. On a bike with no shocks I got tired of people leaving me on the dirt downhills. Adding the Softride stem has been great; bike handles the same; no perceptible gain in weight; vast improvement in the dirt. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Cavenagh
a cross-country rider
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: July 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
A terrible company! They are either unable or unwilling to supply either internet shops or bike stores with parts. They don’t answer email sent to them through their own web site. They are rude and give no assistance at all when one calls the ‘customer service’ number they provide at their web site. I can’t imagine what it would be like to try to obtain warranty service from these people if something goes wrong. A word to the wise – avoid these people. If no stars was an option, they richly deserve it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan McGown
a weekend warrior
from Martinsburg, WV
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Picked up the CRO-MO Softride suspension stem. I had trouble finding a suspension fork that worked well for a decent price for a guy at 225 lbs. This seems to be the best solution for the big guys out there! Been riding it for I while on rooted trails and fire roads and I love it! No complaints, simple design, low maintenance. $99 bargain! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a cross-country rider
from Palo Alto, CA
Date Reviewed: June 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had the '96 aluminum 135mm stem for a couple years and overall, it has worked fairly well. However, I wish they made some models with more or less travel, for I would like to have a little more, say like 3-4 inches instead of 2. This is one of my complaints. Also, it soaks up the the tiniest bumps as well as medium ones, but it bottoms out on large ones. This is the other problem. If I tighten the preload, then I lose my small bump sensitivity. Otherwise, it's great. I ridden several forks on other bikes, and none of them match the comfort and small-bump sensitivity of the Softride. I would recommend this stem to all riders, except for downhillers, who would probably desire a suspension product with more travel | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
richard kimmel
a cross-country rider
from wilmington, north carolina
Date Reviewed: January 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I use the cromo stem on a 1995 Trek 850 (the most under rated steel frame on the planet). I ride coastal plain and piedmont and foot hills trails. This stem has preformed well for me and I recommend it to others who do not ride rock or very fast trails. I spend a lot of time on technical woods trails and I must often ride alone, so I appreciate the simplicity and durability. I give 4 chilis. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charlie
a racer
from FL
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The chromo version with 120mm reach (~$99.00) didn't provide enuf of an improvement to justify the weight or additional complexity. I'm running a rigid fork & didn't really notice much of a difference with it installed. Perhaps the longer & lighter weight versions perform better but I'd have to rate this version low. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Drew
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've used Softride stems for the last 5 years, and the performance, ease of maintenance, and quality of service have been great. I had one of the original black aluminum stems built by Control Tech for 4 1/2 years. It recently wore out and broke, and the company replaced it with a brand new chromoly model for less than half its current retail price.In terms of performance, the stem works best on certain types of terrain. The previous reviews all indicate the same basic thing -- if you ride primarily cross-country, fire-roads, rolling singletrack, etc., then the stem functions predictably and offers noticable reduction in fatigue and jarring. I found myself making slight adjustments to my riding style to maximize the stem's performance.Once you hit big rocks, large drop-offs, or extreme downhill terrain, the stem begins to perform unpredictably and can't match the performance of fork suspension. I predict you'll never see a Softride in a Surge or Mountain Dew commercial. Besides, any suspension fork in the chromoly Softride's price range would fail in downhill or extreme conditions anyway. Another benefit is the upkeep of the stem -- mine required at most a bi-annual lube and/or rebuild which takes less time than a monthly fork tune-up.For the low price, light weight, and simplicity, Softride is a great suspension choice for those whose terrain and riding style suits it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Kondrit
a cross-country rider
from Hemet California
Date Reviewed: July 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, I have had the experience of riding both a fork (girvin) and the softride stem.
I must say the stem is effective in certain situations. If the going is relatively smooth
or the bumps are small stutter bumps, the stem works. However, once the terrain turns
choppy and the speed increases the stem quickly finds itself over matched. Although
the stem will absorb some of the impact it really doesent offer suspension. It does
offer comfort but not a lot of control once things get hairy. Also, the stem tends to dive
down which places the rider over the front wheel. The more aggresive I get the
more I have to lean back, which takes weight off the stem, making it less effective thus
jamming the bar back into your hands. On the upside, it is very light (for those gram counting weenies among us) and as I stated earlier,
it will work well in certain conditions. If you are a hammer head who likes to slam down the trail
or ride an area with big baby head size rocks and sharp bumps this is not for you. If you like to finesse a trail
or ride where the bumps are small this could be your ticket. It's not all bad, but its not great either. By the way, I have ridden the stem for 1 1/2
years. I am buying a judy fork. I am 6'0, 180 lbs., and ride agressively. I give it 2.5 chilis rounded to 3. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Blake
a racer
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: July 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been racing 7 years. I've used several suspension
forks. Then I got a Softride. It was different, to be sure.
1) It only cost $100
2) I felt I lost no speed on any terrain relative to a 2 travel
fork of any kind - even compared to friends riding
Judy SLs
3) it is significantly lighter, and front end lightness is
important for handling
4) it does not change the best line on technical trails
relative to riding rigid
5) the front wheel tracking is perfect
6) the real clincher is, I cannot even notice it working
because it is so smooth.It is no wonder there were three world championships won
on stems OVER forks. I will be using them in the future,
and saving money and weight. In my opinion there is
no product for $100 that will improve a rigid bike
more, and no fork with less than 3 travel that I would
rather use. Period. It especially shines in technical
terrain that need to be ridden slower than 10 MPH -
it is least effective on point and shoot high speed
fire road downhills. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Noel Buckley
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: May 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
For $250, you can get a much better fork than this stem will ever be. This stem reminds me of flogging a dead horse. It looks ugly, works shitty, and is expensive to boot. save up a couple of extra dollars and get real fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a weekend warrior
from Troy, MI
Date Reviewed: April 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a chromoly Softride to put on my '87 Trek 8000. It was much cheaper than finding a fork to fit a 1 headtube. I was amazed at the difference in the ride quality: I was able to ride faster and in much better control than without the Softride. It does not have damping, but it does soak up the small/medium stuff very effectively. With the Softride, I can enjoy riding my trusty old bike for hours on tree-rooted trails. The Softride put the fun back into trail riding - I can now be more comfortable AND be in control on downhills (small/moderate downhills, not many big downhills in SouthEast Michigan). It was well worth the investment for me.I have not had any problems with the Softride in 2 seasons of light/moderate riding. But, I have had a lot of fun! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Useless Tome
a racer
from Earth, Milkyway
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Heres the problem: The softride stem only cushions your hands.
All Of the bump forces are still transmitted through the rigid
fork through the frame to your body, so the effectiveness of the
suspension is very minimal. If you like cushy hands but painful legs
and butt and back and throwing away money get this stem. Otherwise get a fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sh. Sheridan
a cross-country rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: March 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This is an excellent product for a very lightweight, minimalist type of
shock. I am a light, technical/singletrack type of rider and have a built-up
bike that weighs 22 lbs. with one of these. This thing is very precise and smooth on moderate
bumps. On big stuff I still finesse the bike. Which suits my riding style
just fine. An excellent product though not ideal for all applications. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Barrett
a cross-country rider
from Gaithersburg, MD, USA, Earth
Date Reviewed: March 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding one of the steel Softride stems for about 2 years. I weigh 165, and also race. From a performance standpoint the stem works well on small to medium bumps. It can be set up with the preload adjuster so there is no sag with just your body weight on it, but will still soak up all the small stuff. It pretty much just takes the pain out of really big hits. If your ride doesn't have alot of gonzo downhills, then it works well, especially in tight woods where the acuracy of a rigid fork is nice. I would recommend it in place of Rock Shox Quadra type forks, or other inexpensive forks. In the reliablity catagory, I have broken it twice, but on both occasions Softride fixed and rebuilt it for free. Neither time was it a life threatening break. I have also broken Rock Shox forks, and consider suspension of any kind the easiest component to break. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Thorsness
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: March 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've ridden with the aluminum stem for 3 years. It works well -- in fact it works all the time. It soaks up the little stuff and the medium stuff well. When I ride and race, I spend 75% or better of my time on hills or at relatively low speed (less than 20 mph) due to the technical nature of the trail so I want something that works without a big hit (i.e. - like a telescoping fork). I also like that it isn't trendy -- when I finish in front of someone (it does happen on occasion), they think I must be much better than I really am because, afterall, I was using some outlandish piece of junk. I don't understand why some reviewers say it doesn't work well for single track -- that's where it shines. A Softride equipped bike is much more responsive than any telescoping forked bike I've ridden (and it's been a few). If it's a trail that can't just be bashed down, the suspension stem will work better than a telescoping fork (IMHO, YMMV). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
El Man
a weekend warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: March 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought this stem because suspension forks don't steer accurately enough. The bushings are terrible, after a week of riding the bushings had to be tightened so much that there was barely any travel in the stem,otherwise the handlebar would rock back and forth. Any decent fork is better, get a flexstem if you just want to get rid of small bumps. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor Lewis
a weekend warrior
from Vermont
Date Reviewed: March 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Got my softride aluminum 3 1/2 years ago. Couldn't like it better. Bushings
were stiff when new, so I lubed it. Adjust it once or twice in a year (700-
1000 miles of logging roads & rough back roads), and haven't had to do a
thing. To me, the bike handles much better than friends fork-equipped
bikes I've ridden, although even this has a bit of steering flex. Stay away
from cro-moly model; friends' versions have worn out bushings much
faster than aluminum. Unless you insist on doing Evel Kenievel thrash
& bash, consider this product-- it works way better than people expect. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Niklas Ingvar-Nilsson
a weekend warrior
from Sweden
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Well I have a -96 Softride AL-Pro 150 mm with Suspension damperer and a 135 mm version. It is a difference between them and I can realy recomend the longer of them.I cant realy recomend them for singletrack, especialy on front suspension bikes because the spring are too soft. You have to ride full suspension if you want it to work on singletracks. For singletracks get a god suspensionfork.But they are realy very nice on a touring or a citybike. Here they realy belong and are superior | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charlie Stiven
a racer
from Edmonton, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have used the Alum stem for 4 years now and have loved it all along. I still
try the other guys sus-forks and they have their advantages but during a race
I spend about 80% - 90% of my time climbing or on the flats where a stem keeps
my body from falling apart. As for all this crap about a fork saving your bacon from a big hit, spend a little more time practicing avoidence, like in the days
before suspension. As for back country work, it's nice knowing that you don't have to worry about component failure. Final note, try before you buy because every body has different tasts and needs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Juan
a racer
from Laramie, WY. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: January 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a softride stem on my Salsa hardtail which I ride for racing. It's the too expensive, ugly yellow model to which I've added the too expensive off-side damper.
In short, I wouldn't use anything else on a hardtail. It eats up small bumps much better than any sus-fork on the market. It's at least a half pound lighter than any sus-fork on the market. It eats drop-offs for breakfast whithout any quirky handeling tradeoffs. Last but not least, it's not in vogue. OK, as I said before, I think for as simple this thing is, they should be able to bring the price down, but I'd still highly recomend it. The off-spring damper isn't a must, but I'm really glad I added it to my stem. Really helps on the biger, higher speed hits. No more squirliness. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a cross-country rider
a
from Modesto-San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a Manitou shock (the second model made) which I would like to trade for a Softride Suspension stem, 1 1/4, low rise. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ROB
a weekend warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had the aluminum model on a Klein Pinnacle for about four years and have many miles of gnarly singletrack on it. It is an alternative worth pursuing if you are $$$$ challenged but...on bumpy singletrack or rocky descents the front wheel comes off the ground too much. I am buying a new bike with a Manitou Ti fork just because I want a new bike. Weight is 565 grams for the suspension stem (about 1.5 pounds) versus 3 pounds for forks (expensive forks!) but if you are in the woods and wnat to stay with your buddies on bikes with forks, better bucks up or your off the back or down on the ground! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garry Lee
a cross-country rider
from Ireland
Date Reviewed: October 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I cycle on the minor roads we call boreens which are really rough with a
washboard surface pocked with potholes, gravel etc. The Softride stem (I have]#
a 12cm one, Chromoly) is ideal for this kind of stuff. I've had Girvin stems
as well but they are better than nothing but not as good. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roan Hurst
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Pro Aluminum (yellow) stem, if combined with the Offspring damper
is a significant improvement for this system, making it an excellent
hard use product for aggressive single track riders. Similiar in feel
to an Amp fork, the Pro handles big hits and small, without losing
ground feel. Less weight, less maintainance, looks trick. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fred Sunderman
a cross-country rider
from Lafayette, LA
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding the 150mm cro-moly version for three years now. It's great for moderate to mild terrain, like fire-roads and non-rocky singletrack. On the tough stuff you really have to pick your way though. You can still retain the crisp steering of rigid forks, but my friends with good suspension forks fly away from me on tough descents while I hang on for dear life. I'm about to retire this fork to my in-town beater bike and upgrade to a Manitou. The ease of maintenance is great - I replaced the bushings once and it's a simple procedure (cheap too!). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LANCE GOUGER
a weekend warrior
from BRATTLEBORO VT.
Date Reviewed: October 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: | |
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$ 249.00
