What the fork?

[Pale Rider]

I'm wondering if a cheap suspension fork is better than a rigid one for my purpose.

It looks like I will be buying a city/hybrid bike to go with the Brompton.

The hybrid I've borrowed has what I don't doubt is a cheap suspension fork.

It seems to me it does provide some comfort benefit when, for example, popping over the various lowered kerbs that interrupt the cycle paths around here.

Some decent hybrids I've browsed online have rigid forks.

The Brommie has rigid forks, and I think the front end is harsh, but that could be due to the small wheels.

The priority is comfort, so should I reject all bikes with a rigid fork?

 

[TheDoctor]

Cheap suspension forks are utter rubbish IME.
Better off with wider tyres - just as comfy, weigh about a tonne less and actually work for more than an month...

 

[Boris Bajic]

It isn't as simple as a scale with EXCELLENT at one end and RUBBISH at the other and little between.

Cheap suspension forks will be ideal for the odd dropped kerb or pothole.

But that may not be the point....

I find suspension excellent for riding off-road. It prevents arms getting pumped and wrists/hands getting sore. I am old enough to have ridden with vim off road on a rigid bike. It can get tiresome.

For any other purpose, I find front suspension a bore. It is heavy, it can slow the steering and make the whole front end less precise and predictable.

It is another thing you need to maintain and bugger about with and think about.

I would seriously embrace the notion of a hybrid (or similar) with rigid forks. It will be comfortable and it will be a nicer, dartier, more direct riding experience than a bike with cheap or expensive suspension forks.

Just an opinion, but I think the whole front suspension thing is unnecessary unless the bike is going boing-boing-boing across rocks and rutted paths.

Do try fatter tyres, but in truth a fairly normal hybrid tyre will do pretty well and give you (up to a point) sharper steering.

 

[Globalti]

Fatter tyres will be slower.

For road and cycle paths you don't need suspension. Fit a carbon fork from eXotic and you'll be amazed at the comfort and light weight. Even my mountain bike has one now and that gets carried up then ridden down real mountains.

 

[lulubel]

Fatter tyres will be slower.

How fat are you talking about here? I went from 25mm to 32mm and I'm definitely not slower.

 

[HLaB]

No

I'm wondering if a cheap suspension fork is better than a rigid one for my purpose.

No Try wider tyres (if your frame can take them), lower psi's (pressures). The lower they are the more forgiving they are but harder to roll and may pinch p'ture more easily (find the right balance for you). And more effectively IMO learn anticipate bad ground, stand up and use your arms and legs as suspension.

 

[Globalti]

Tyre choice depends entirely on the sort of terrain you plan to ride. A gnarly mountain ride of 20 miles would be great with 1.8 to 2.2 inch tyres for comfort and grip but you would fit something like a 1.6" commuter tyre for speed if you were doing a trailquest event that was mostly on forestry tracks or tarmac.

 

[Psycolist]

I M O Small wheel bikes like Bromptons do have a harsh feel front end when riding on anything but a billiard table surface so I think you may be pleasantly surprised by the feel of a full size wheel bike without suspension. The odd hop up and down from different levels isnt likely to benefit from using front suspension forks, and as already stated, they do create ALOT of extra weight. (not sure about the comments made about steering though) and they do take energy from the rider by moving up and down instead of forwards. They are ideal if you are planning to go off road/cycle path as they do smooth the vibration and un evenness (is that even a word) on dirt track & off road use, but for general urban use, unnecessary. Better to look for a well equiped rigid, rather than a less well equiped suspension bike

 

[Andrew 14]

IMO suspension forks as with a lot of things you get what you pay for so if they start with cheep they may not be That good and unless you are going off road you don't need them