Originally Posted by
Rob P.
At your weight, stay with a hardtail. You won't gain anything from full suspension and will lose pedaling energy as it oscillates. Plus, I don't know of ANY rear shock that will hold your weight and be reliable over the long haul. NONE.
A 320lb rider is probably outside of the range that the suspension on any bike can be tuned for.
If I was you'd try a bike - perhaps your current one - with a rigid fork and Schwalbe Big Apple balloon tyres. Or the biggest size of XRs, if you ride off road. Balloon tyres give an excellent suspension effect, protect your rims, and don't bottom out like mechanical suspension.