Forum: bicycles.stackexchange.com
Tags: <commuter><touring-bikes>
Title: Is it better to get a commuter bike with a front suspension or without one?
Question: Is a commuter/city bike without front suspension comfortable?

Answers:
sents: text: Commuter or city bikes are designed for paved surfaces.
text: A suspension fork on such a bike is not going to add much comfort, except perhaps when riding over potholes or kerbs, which are avoidable.
text: Suspension forks add weight, which brings a different type of discomfort as you have to exert effort to move that weight around.
text: This gets worse the more inexpensive the bicycle is.
text: Low end suspension forks are heavy and have poor performance.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/24228/Argenti Apparatus
score: 24
sents: text: I find the ideal commuter bike is: lightweight, reliable, and inexpensive.
text: Reliable:
text: A commuter bike can’t fail or you’ll be late for work.
text: Light weight:
text: it has to be lightweight as you’re navigating it around bike stands, carrying it up stairs, taking it over curbs, and putting it on bus racks or in the trunk of a car that’s come to pick you up when and if your bike breaks by the side of the road and you can’t fix it before being late for work.
text: Inexpensive:
text: your commuter bike often has a shortened lifespan.
text: It either gets stolen, hit by a car, or damaged by the elements.
text: If you’re buying new, the bike you’re looking is likely inexpensive but likely fails in terms of reliability and weight if it has front suspension.
text: Most bikes that are inexpensive and have front or full suspension are what we call on this forum somewhat derisively [Bicycle Shaped Objects] or BSOs.
text: A used steel-frame road bike or hybrid with no suspension that can fit panniers is often a much better choice for commuting.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/11160/RoboKaren
score: 15
sents: text: The drawback of the suspension is that it can swallow energy, i.e. if you stand up to push the pedals harder, you can not exert the same force, plus I find the motion of the suspension annoying in this situation.
text: I used a bike without suspensions for more than 20 years, and I was happy with it both on paved and dirt roads.
text: In my opinion a good seat and well adjusted handlebar adds much more comfort, than a suspension.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/36707/Horror Vacui
score: 7
sents: text: I think a big impact of with/without suspension is maintenance .
text: Suspension brings more movable parts, which means more maintenance and repair costs.
text: Suspension can feel comfortable when it works, because it absorbs some shocks.
text: But one other thing it does, is to absorb energy you might want to use for speed, not bouncing.
text: Imagine standing on your bike and pedaling really hard; you want that energy to drive you forward, but with suspension some of that energy goes into bouncing you up and down.
text: Sometimes you need suspension, like if you're going offroad or riding on roads with lots of holes.
text: But in a city you might prefer not to have suspension, as you'll get lower maintenance and more energy efficiency.
text: For a commuter bike, I'd recommend something dead simple.
text: Fewer bells and whistles that will eventually break.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/36714/aude
score: 7
sents: text: It depends.
text: If you are going to ride with your commuter bike on roads where a front suspension benefits your riding or comfort, it is better to have a front suspension.
text: If, however, you are going to ride on roads where a suspension fork does not bring you any benefits, it is better to have a rigid fork.
text: There is a caveat though: If you like or dislike front suspensions for other reasons, e.g. you like or dislike the looks of it, you have to evaluate above decision considering these other reasons.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/30402/gschenk
score: 3
sents: text: Basically depends on commute, trade off of comfort over efficiency.
text: My commute is full of speed bumps.
text: I prefer the ability to ride at speed over those bumps without having to keep doing 'brace-brace-brace' to avoid jarring to bits.
text: Maybe its because I'm on old side.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/36721/J Lewis
score: 3
sents: text: I would add that while I agree with the above answers, the conditions of the road on your preferred route might have a big impact on this decision.
text: I opted for a fixed fork for both ease and cost, but now regret it as the roads I ride on are extremely pitted and bumpy near the edges (approximately 1-2 cm irregular ridges / patches where the top surface has broken away).
text: I've yet to try padded gloves or raising my handlebars to take some of the vibration out
text: , I mention it as I assumed that main roads that feel perfectly smooth where my car tyres are positioned are not necessarily so nearer the edges where you'll be riding.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/36718/Bob Carolgees
score: 1
sents: text: If you can afford it, for the average fun-loving , sociable person, suspension is a must!
text: There will be times when instead of doing the commute, you may want to do a social ride with friends along riverbanks and other areas where the path will be less than smooth.
text: Fixed forks will limit you options for comfort in these situations and in fact the shaking handlebars can be seriously annoying along with any unstable traction.
text: Bikes don't have to be taken too seriously and should be a staple part of the fun of a normal life.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/50326/Huggy
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
Commuter or city bikes are designed for paved surfaces. A suspension fork on such a bike is not going to add much comfort, except perhaps when riding over potholes or kerbs, which are avoidable. Suspension forks add weight, which brings a different type of discomfort as you have to exert effort to move that weight around. A used steel-frame road bike or hybrid with no suspension that can fit panniers is often a much better choice for commuting.  Suspension brings more movable parts, which means more maintenance and repair costs.  If you are planning to use the bike socially as well, along less smooth paths and trails, you may want to think about suspension.
Suspension can increase the range of surfaces you can ride on and add comfort, but it also wastes energy, adds complexity and is often poor quality at the lower end of the market. If the roads you plan to travel on are relatively smooth, you may not need suspension and this will make the bike more reliable and easier to maintain. If the road conditions are poor or you would like to ride on bumpier roads in your free time, this may make suspension worthwhile. Otherwise, it may be simpler without suspension.