I’ve been riding the Cult Redemption stem for more than two years now, and it’s one of those parts I’ve basically stopped thinking about.
Which is a good thing.
No slipping bars.
No loose bolts.
No weird creaks.
No random “what the heck is that noise?” moments halfway through a session.
I went with the 48mm stem reach because I wanted something that suited technical street riding and made barspins feel quicker.
And yes — they really do feel faster.
The 22mm rise also hit a really nice middle ground for me. It is lower than a lot of BMX top-load stems, but not so low that the front end feels weird or uncomfortable.
I even rode the Redemption inverted for a couple of months because I wanted to experiment with an even lower setup before eventually moving to a front-load stem.
That experiment worked surprisingly well, but I wouldn’t recommend it if your riding is full of big drops, gaps, and heavy impacts.
After more than two years of street riding, the finish still looks clean, the anti-slip grooves have kept my bars locked in place, and the stem still feels just as solid as it did early on.
And now I can finally tell you what I really think of it.
This post covers:
- Cult Redemption Top Load BMX Stem Review
- Why I Chose The 48mm Cult Redemption Stem
- Cult Redemption Stem Specs, Weight & Price
- How The 48mm Reach Feels For Street Riding
- Why I Like The 22mm Rise
- Anti-Slip Grooves: Do They Actually Work?
- What Happened When I Rode It Inverted?
- 48mm Vs 53mm Reach: Which One Should You Get?
- Cult Redemption Stem Pros
- Cult Redemption Stem Cons
- Conclusion: Is The Cult Redemption Stem Still Worth It After 2+ Years?
Cult Redemption Top Load BMX Stem Review
1. Why I Chose The 48mm Cult Redemption Stem
I chose the 48mm version because I wanted a stem that suits the kind of riding I do most — technical street.
At the time, I was especially curious about one thing:
Would a shorter reach actually make barspins easier?
For me, yes.
The front end feels quicker, and the bars come around faster than they do with a longer stem.
That was exactly what I wanted.
Note: Check out my full article on the topic of shorter stems macking barspins easier.
I also like that 48mm keeps the bike feeling compact without making it feel nervous or awkward.
It works especially well for more techy lines where I want the bike to react quickly.
And since I do a lot of barspins, that shorter reach really suits my setup perfectly.
I was never chasing some dramatic handling change.
I just wanted the bike to feel a little more responsive.
The Redemption gave me exactly that.
If your riding is more about technical street, quick tricks, and a compact cockpit, I think the 48mm version is the one to look at first.
But don’t get me wrong, of course you can send it big with this stem, too!
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!2. Cult Redemption Stem Specs, Weight & Price
Here are the key specs for the Cult Redemption stem:
- Type: Top load
- Signature rider: Chase DeHart
- Reach: 48mm or 53mm
- Rise: 22mm
- Material: 6061 aluminum
- Weight: 10.8 oz (53mm)
- Clamping area: Wider & beefier than the original Salvation
- Compression area: Recessed for a cleaner top-cap setup
- Bolts: 6 x solid 8 x 1.25mm bolts
- Colors: Black, polished, and Rasta
- Price: $64.99 (black/polished) or $74.99 (rasta)
The 22mm rise is one of my favorite details because it sits in a really nice middle ground.
It is not super tall.
It is not super low.
Also, I really like that the stem has anti-slip grooves.
And after riding the 48mm version for more than two years, that balance has worked really well for me.
The only thing I wish Cult would add is a 50mm or 51mm version.
The jump from 48mm to 53mm is pretty big, and I think a middle option would be SWEET.
3. How The 48mm Reach Feels For Street Riding
For my kind of riding, the 48mm reach is one of the best things about the Redemption.
I mainly ride tech street, so I wanted the bike to feel quicker and more twitchy without becoming awkward.
And that is exactly what happened.
The front end feels faster.
Barspins come around quicker.
And the whole bike feels a little more compact, which I really like.
The difference is especially noticeable with barspins.
They simply feel easier to get around.
Not magically easy, of course — the stem is not going to learn them for you, sadly — but the shorter reach definitely helps the bike react faster.
I previously rode a 50mm reach stem, so I didn’t think 2mm would make much of a difference.
But it does!
I also like that 48mm does not feel ridiculously short.
It still gives me enough room to stay comfortable, while keeping the handling quick.
For technical street riders, I think this reach is a really strong choice.
If you ride more park, trails, transition, or just prefer more stability, the 53mm version will probably suit you better.
For me, though – and I know for many of you dudes out there as well – the 48mm version has been spot on.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!4. Why I Like The 22mm Rise
The 22mm rise is another reason the Redemption worked so well for me.
It sits right in that sweet spot.
Not high and not low.
Note that I was riding much higher front end up to this point, but needed a change. However, I didn’t want to go straight to a top load.
Compared with taller top-load stems, the front end feels a little lower and quicker, which is exactly what I was after.
I also experimented with different spacer setups while riding it.
At first, I tried more spacers.
Then fewer.
In the end, I preferred fewer spacers because the 22mm rise already gave me enough height.
In fact, I ended up riding only one higher spacer, and that’s it.
That also cleaned up the look, which I always like.
The nice thing is that the Redemption does not force the bike into an extreme setup.
It still feels comfortably balanced.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!5. Anti-Slip Grooves: Do They Actually Work?
For me, yes.
They work REALLY well.
The Redemption has anti-slip grooves inside the bar clamp, and after more than two years of street riding, my bars have not slipped once.
Not after sketchy landings.
Not after coming down hard on the front end.
Not even a tiny bit.
That is one of the biggest reasons I trust this stem so much.
I also like that the grooves do their job without chewing up the bars.
After all that time, I haven’t noticed any weird marks or damage from the clamping area.
And combined with the solid faceplate and bolts that never loosened on me, the whole setup has been very dependable.
Honestly, bar slippage is one of those things you never want to think about while riding. It’s just super annoying.
With the Redemption, I basically stopped thinking about it.
I wish all BMX stems had anti-slip grooves.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!6. What Happened When I Rode It Inverted?
This was probably the weirdest experiment I did with the Redemption.
In the last few months of riding it, I flipped the stem upside down and rode it like that for a couple of months.
Why?
Because I wanted to drop the front end a lot and get closer to the feel of a front-load stem before eventually switching to the Cult Mind Control stem.
And it worked.
The bike sat much lower up front, which made the whole setup feel more aggressive and closer to what I was looking for.
What surprised me most was how smoothly everything went.
I did not have issues with the bolts.
The bars stayed put.
And the stem itself never gave me a reason to worry.
But I would still be careful with this setup.
I would not recommend running the Redemption inverted if your riding involves lots of big gaps, drops, and hard sends.
I treated it more as an experiment and a transition toward a proper front-load setup.
For that purpose, it worked great.
Would I run it inverted forever?
Probably not.
But for a couple of months, it gave me exactly what I wanted: a much lower front end and a good taste of the setup I eventually switched to.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!7. 48mm Vs 53mm Reach: Which One Should You Get?
This is probably the easiest way to choose between the two Redemption versions.
I ride the 48mm, and for technical street, I think it is the better option.
Go With 48mm If You Want:
- A quicker front end
- Faster-feeling barspins
- A more compact cockpit
- Technical riding
- A setup that reacts a little faster
That shorter reach has worked really well for me.
The bike feels quicker, and barspins definitely come around faster.
Go With 53mm If You Want:
- More room up front
- A calmer front end
- Extra stability
- Park, trail, or transition riding
- A better fit if you are taller
The 53mm version should suit riders who want a little more space and do not need the same compact feel I like for street.
But as I mentioned earlier, the only thing I wish Cult would add is a 50mm or 51mm option.
The jump from 48mm to 53mm is pretty big.
A middle version would be awesome for riders who want something in between quick and stable.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!8. Cult Redemption Stem Pros
- Anti-slip grooves: One of my favorite features. They help keep the bars locked in place without leaving weird marks.
- 48mm reach feels quick: For technical street, the shorter reach makes the front end feel more responsive and helps barspins spin faster.
- 53mm option available: If you want more stability or ride more park, trails, or transition, the longer version gives you another solid choice.
- 22mm rise: This is a really nice middle ground.
- Bolts stay tight: I have not had issues with the faceplate or pinch bolts loosening over time.
- Finish holds up well: Mine still looks very clean after more than two years, with only a few marks where it actually hit ledges.
- Minimalist look: I really like how simple and clean the Redemption looks on the bike.
9. Cult Redemption Stem Cons
- No 50mm or 51mm option: The jump from 48mm to 53mm is pretty big. A middle option would make the range much better.
- 48mm may feel too short for some riders: If you prefer more stability, more room, or ride faster park and transition, the shorter version may not be the best fit.
- 53mm may feel too long for technical street: On the other side, the longer version could feel a bit too stretched for riders who want a quick, compact front end.
- 22mm rise will not suit everyone: I like it because it sits in a nice middle ground, but riders who want a very tall top load may prefer something with more rise.
Conclusion: Is The Cult Redemption Stem Still Worth It After 2+ Years?
Yes, I would absolutely buy the Cult Redemption stem again.
After more than two years of street riding, it has given me basically zero problems.
My bars have never slipped.
The bolts have never loosened.
There have been no creaks, clicks, or strange noises.
And the finish still looks surprisingly clean, apart from a few marks where the stem actually met a ledge.
That is exactly the kind of reliability I want from a BMX stem.
I also really like the 48mm reach because it makes the front end feel swifter.
The 22mm rise has been another sweet spot for me.
It is low enough to keep the front end responsive, but not so low that the bike starts feeling awkward.
The anti-slip grooves are probably my favorite functional detail, while the simple, minimalist look is the visual bonus.
Would I change anything?
Maybe add a 50mm or 51mm reach option and use slightly beefier bolt heads.
That is about it.
After 2+ years, I still see the Redemption as a very dependable, well-balanced top-load stem.
And if mine disappeared tomorrow, I would have no problem buying the exact same one again.
GET YOUR CULT REDEMPTION STEM NOW!
