Gravel Bike Stem, Seat Post Combo Smooths Bumps and Sticker Shock: USE VYBE Suspension System Review

Gravel suspension stems and seatposts really don’t get enough love. Ultimate Sports Equipment (USE), the makers of the first suspension seatpost back in 1990, are out to change that with its VYBE Suspension Stem and VYBE Suspension Seat Post combination.

Everything old is new again. I reflect on vintage products like the Girvin Flex Stems from over 30 years ago, and then the workaround of MTB kids who couldn’t get enough suspension from forks. Now, suspension stems are making a comeback, especially for gravel riding. These stems, and now seat posts, offer a mechanically simple and low-maintenance option for soaking up higher-frequency vibrations.

On a gravel bike, where the bulk of vibration damping comes from the tires, these stems and seatposts make a world of difference when riding washboarded roads, root-strewn singletrack, and chunky gravel. This makes them a particularly great addition for bikepackers and tourers.

In short: The USE VYBE Suspension Stem and seatpost use springs and elastomers to provide compression and rebound damping. Both are adjustable on the trail, but the stem is the most tunable on the market, making this system a standout among its competitors.

Suspension Stem and Seatpost Basics

Stems and seat posts are logical places for vibration-damping efforts, as they are one step away from two of the bike’s three contact points.

Suspension stems typically have around 20mm of travel and are tuned to limit high-frequency vibrations. Think of the ridges of a washboard access road, the vibrations of chunky gravel, or the rumble strip along a highway shoulder. But tires, even more than suspension forks, swallow this kind of shallow, repetitive vibration as well.

Suspension stems, however, can greatly dampen the highest frequency chatter, lessening fatigue and hand pain. This sets them apart from most suspension options. Think of the constant, quick, low-amplitude rumbling that well-maintained gravel roads can serve up. This makes them a natural choice for bikepackers, tourers, and gravel cyclists with sub-MTB-width tires.

Suspension seatposts, on the other hand, are a workaround for a soft tail. They can be tuned light enough to swallow higher-frequency vibrations. But tuning that light can have you bouncing and losing energy while pedaling. While suspension seatposts do quiet chatter, they lean more toward reducing proper bumps — less for rumble strips and gravel rattle, more for washboard, roots, and potholes.

How Suspension Stems and Seatposts Work

As far as what’s actually absorbing the impact, suspension stems and seatposts tend to use one of two main technologies: springs or elastomers.

The former tends to be more active and tunable. Springs swallow small, repetitive bumps well, but (especially in a seatpost) can bounce around and feel mushy.

Springs are also easy to tune. A screw mechanism can preload (compress) the spring, shortening travel but increasing the compression damping rate and the force required to activate it.

Elastomers, meanwhile, have a higher compression threshold and slower rebound, making them better at absorbing slightly bigger hits and offering a more controlled feel. As for tuning, the usual approach is to simply swap between elastomers of different densities.

Last up is leverage. With stems, a single pivot makes for a simple system. However, with drop bars, shifting your hand position changes the leverage acting on the spring or elastomer. This results in a very different feel between the hoods and drops.

Similarly, telescopic suspension seat posts are simple. However, they are angled up and back. When your back wheel hits a bump, the resulting force is up and forward. The direction of the force and the suspension action don’t align well. This directional mismatch reduces how well telescopic suspension seat posts work.

Linkage-driven systems, with two or more pivot points, are more complex and potentially prone to failure. However, they offer more consistent damping regardless of hand position. For seatposts, they also better align the force or bumps with the direction of damping.

USE VYBE Suspension Stem and Seatpost Review

Compatibility and Installation

It’s worth discussing the compatibility requirements of the USE Suspension Stem and Seatpost.

The seatpost is as simple as it gets. You have options between 27.2mm and 30.9mm. USE also sells shims to adapt the seatpost to other sizes if you want to swap one post between bikes with different seatpost diameters.

USE includes three sets of elastomers with its VYBE Suspension Seat Post. It states that soft is for riders between 85 and 120 pounds, medium covers 120 to 174 pounds, and hard handles 174 to 225 pounds.

My version has USE’s DURO Clamp, which allowed me to easily adjust not only the horizontal position of the saddle, but also its angle. I simply loosened one screw, slid and tilted the saddle and retightened the screw. This clamp is compatible with 7x7mm seat rails. However, USE also offers alternative clamps for oval rails.

The VYBE Suspension Stem, meanwhile, is only compatible with 31.8mm handlebars. It will work well with most handlebars. However, those few folks running thicker 35mm carbon bars are out of luck.

The VYBE stem has a positive rise, i.e., an incline from the steerer tube to the handlebar. This is standard, but those who prefer a negative rise for a more aggressive riding position are out of luck.

The VYBE Suspension Stem is compatible with most gravel bikes. Its biggest limitation is the lack of lengths. The stem only comes in 70 and 90mm. This will cover the bases for most riders, especially in the gravel department, but it does pale in comparison to some competitors, such as Redshift, which offers seven lengths between 55 and 120mm.

VYBE Suspension Seatpost: First Impressions

The VYBE suspension seatpost is unique, combining springs and elastomers to achieve the best of both worlds. At 212 pounds, I’m on the upper end of the system’s 174-225 pound range. However, tire width, seatpost angle, riding position, and other factors impacted the responsiveness of the USE VYBE Seatpost.

Fortunately, the USE Suspension Seatpost utilizes a straightforward adjustment system. A screw in the post compresses the damper, allowing you to tailor how soft or stiff it is.

It did require some fiddling. I had to remove the seatpost, adjust the screw, then reinstall it. Then, test and repeat as necessary to dial it in. It was a bit more involved than some models, such as the Kinekt, which allows you to adjust preload without removing the post.

Nevertheless, the base adjustment screw is well-protected and simple. Having to remove a seatpost a few times to get my desired level of responsiveness was less on-the-fly friendly, but hardly an inconvenience.

I installed and dialed in my test sample within 10 minutes. If I had to replace the dampers, that’d be a different story. However, each spring/elastomer combo covers a pretty big range. And once you have it set to your liking, it’s unlikely you will adjust it again.

VYBE Suspension Stem: Initial Thoughts

My first thought: “Lighter than I expected.” I wasn’t aware I was holding the lightest suspension stem on the market. The USE VYBE Suspension Stem is noticeably lighter than many competing single-pivot suspension stems, such as the Redshift ShockStop and Cane Creek eeSilk, and leagues lighter than most linkage-driven systems.

I never needed to swap elastomers. It came with the one appropriate for my weight installed. Still, it seemed a shame not to, with USE including all of them with the stem.

USE has a good video on how to swap elastomers. It’s not difficult, but it does require separate 5 and 6mm Allen keys simultaneously to remove the pivot. You cannot adjust it with just one multitool; you would need two separate keys.

Installing the stem was no different than any other — until I put weight on it. Anytime I got into position, there was a slight sag, just a millimeter or two, before the elastomers offered resistance. Fortunately, tilting my bars up a smidge compensated, leaving me in my usual riding position.

Dialing in the stem’s damping was more trial and error. The USE VYBE Suspension Stem has two adjustment screws. The bottom one adjusts the compression preload. Clockwise increases the forces it takes to compress the stem, and slightly decreases the downward range.

Counterclockwise: vice versa. The top screw adjusts the rebound preload. Clockwise lessens the upward movement and slows down the rebound. Counterclockwise: vice versa.

It took some riding to get the compression and rebound correct. Since I ride on 50/50 pavement and gravel in my area, I wanted a high compression damping rate with quick rebound for swallowing bumps, potholes, and tree roots.

As someone who runs a handlebar bag, having to fiddle with it to adjust the compression screw was annoying. And to be fair, some suspension stems, such as the Vecnum Freeqence and Cane Creek eeSilk, offer easier adjustments.

Nevertheless, the USE VYBE stem was still easy to adjust and was the most granularly tuneable suspension stem on the market.

Playing to Strengths

I usually prefer a single-pivot spring suspension stem and a linkage-driven elastomer suspension seatpost. The former is simple, and springs soak up high-frequency chatter better. It won’t damp as much in the drops, but I spend most of my time in the hoods. The linkage seatpost offers a more natural feel and better efficiency.

After 3 months of use, the VYBE system has me reconsidering for one reason. Each item plays so well to its strengths.

Elastomers, relative to springs, are stiffer, rebound more slowly, and are more likely to absorb slightly larger hits. Accordingly, I wouldn’t call the VYBE stem super snappy on the rebound. However, its tuneability allows you to achieve a wide range of performances on the fly. The stem can span from mushier but more chatter-absorbing to a stiffer and more lively feel.

A suspension stem will only provide around 20mm of travel anyway, so why not make it incredibly tunable?

Compared to a linkage system, the single pivot USE VYBE Suspension Stem on a drop bar is less active on the flats and in the drops. However, I spend 90% of my time on the hoods.

My drops are reserved for descents and when I need maximum braking power. In these situations, I don’t mind my handlebars feeling a bit stiffer. Why not save weight?

Linkage-driven systems are more justified on a seatpost because the suspension travel is more in line with the forces of a bump traveling up through the rear wheel. However, that mechanical advantage comes with extra weight, complexity, and (usually) lower travel. The telescopic USE VYBE Suspension Seat Post worked surprisingly well.

While suspension seatposts make running a bikepacking-style saddlebag more difficult, telescopic posts play a bit nicer with them.

The USE VYBE Suspension Seatpost did a decent job of quieting high-frequency chatter. But with an impressive 50mm of travel its strong suit was the more substantial hits: the dips, potholes, divots, roots, and proper stones among the gravel.

In that regard, it did its job well, with simple internals, for a fair price, with moderately granular adjustment, and a wide range of springs and shims to choose from.

Change My Mind

I’ve been cycling for over 20 years. I’ve played with many toys. After nearly 3 months of riding on asphalt, gravel, mud, and snow, I can confidently say that few things I’ve ever put on a bike have been as satisfying as the USE VYBE Suspension Stem and Seatpost Combo.

I commute in all seasons. My summers are spent in whatever Forest Service or BLM boonies wildland fire work takes me. I ride a mix of access roads and highways more than singletrack. My winter commuting sees me hopscotching between Illinois rail trails and icy Chicago streets. There, I don’t feel like having to worry about maintenance in salty, frigid conditions.

The USE VYBE system made it easy to tune performance to all of those conditions and required no babying.

My hardest use is on typically 1- to 2-week bikepacking trips in Arizona, Arkansas, and Utah. I pack heavily every time.

For me, reliability is king. I’ve had enough breakdowns and flats in the middle of nowhere. Between 10-15 pounds of camera and fishing gear and a predilection for steel frames, I could probably stand to shave weight.

The USE VYBE system offers significant weight savings over competitors, with a simple design that requires little maintenance.

Put vibration on a 1 to 10 scale. One would be the murmurations of a fine gravel rail trail. Five would be a washboarded BLM road, sneaky root bumps, chunky gravel roads, and potholes. Ten are drops and impacts that make you wish you had a full suspension fork.

I run foam inserts and MTB tires on gravel bikes, so I already have some extra cushioning. My wrists want something that can dampen a 2.5 to 7 on that scale. My butt wants something to take the sting out of 4 to 8. The USE VYBE system covered all of that.

Simplicity, tuneability, reliability, light weight, and a design that takes the sting out of that range of vibrations is exactly what I want. I’m willing to bet most other bikepackers, tourers, and long-distance riders, in particular, would agree.

USE VYBE Suspension Stem and Seatpost Verdict

USE’s VYBE Suspension Stem and seatpost are a slightly odd couple. The seatpost is stiffer relative to the stem, absorbing bumps over rumble. And the stem is arguably the standout, with a best-in-class weight and next-level adjustability. But they still proved to be a sensible pair. The stem absorbed the finer chatter, while the seatpost tackled the bigger bumps.

There is no shortage of linkage-driven systems that would beat the USE VYBE components in terms of performance consistency and reactivity. Nevertheless, at its current $330 price, the VYBE combo’s simplicity, low weight, and versatility make it a steal.

Whether individual items or together, the VYBE Suspension Stem and Suspension Seatpost have a ton of appeal for bikepackers, tourers, and aggressive gravel riders. If you prefer tires north of 40mm, are willing to take a slight hit in responsiveness for the sake of reliability, and appreciate the ability to tune your ride quality to the stretch of surface you’re on, the USE VYBE system is for you.

On the other hand, if speed is your priority, shorter rides are more your speed, and tight multi-surface loops your usual route, you might prefer the eeSilks and Cirrus Kinekts. These options offer a bit more reactivity or streamlined on-the-go adjustment.

I’ve thought plenty about what my vibe is as a cyclist. I value simplicity, reliability, and adjustability geared for the long haul. For my money, after tires, it’s the first upgrade I’d suggest for anyone with a gravel bike who desires more compliance and prefers the same.