General Cycling Discussion - What do you want from your suspension?

I am considering attempting to make a set of front suspension that is easily modified or adjusted. there are plenty out there already but they can't be adjusted without taking your hands off the bars. what do you reckon?
is suspension necessary for commuting on the road (20 miles a day)?
what is the maximum USABLE travel length you know of?
:beer:

On the road? Whats the point of a suspension?

i liked suspension because it gave me access to off-road and on road, and it is more comfortable. All suspension is different, mine is just normal but i have adapted to it. Now i've stopped off road, you dont really need i find.

I commute on my full suspension XC bike quite often, but it's because I take alternate routes on my way home from time to time that involve urban obstacles or trails.

My two straight "commuters" are fully rigid, and if I really need suspension on those bikes, I'll just run fatter tires ;)

Who knows, others may fee different...

badly surfaced roads absorb the energy applied to the pedals significant. many factors affect the amount (gears selection, rotational speed, etc) but the most harmful is the inertia of the wheel itself. this is from a purely physical point of view and is not comfort orientated. the comfort of the racer is secondary to the functionality of the machinery.

**** a suspension on a road bike.

just get a karate monkey if yer gonna go on road and off.

Yeah, gotta love those karate monkeys:

well theres a fork with an adjuster that goes on your handle bar, i forgot the name of it and who makes them so i can't search it.

if it is really for road, #$%#$ it cuz your arms do a better job.

Specialized already has Zertz inserts in some models of forks and seat posts. Personally give me that and carbon bars and I've got all the on road boing I need.

The cannondale badboy ultra is a flat bar road bike with a front shock, disc brakes, and lockout for the shock.

I did nothing wrong! Why would I be suspended? If I am to be suspended, I'd like it to be a Paid Suspension... OK?? :)

Actually the only suspension I'd like on the road is in the form of a carbon fiber or Ti bike. I wouldn't need anything else although for the sake of fashion, fads, or money, RS came out with a Ruby awhile ago and I hear there are some new road bikes with some suspension schemes out there now.

Jay