Originally Posted by
adlai
Or is it a gimmick? I agree that full suspension looks great for like downhill mtn biking, but otherwise, it seems to me like it adds weight and it soaks up some of your pedal energy.
The rider adapts to the bike - whatever the bike. On harsh suspension your brain will learn to automatically detect bad surface conditions and stand off saddle with fully bent knees and bent elbows, relax the hand grip and just easily roll over. On bikes with full suspension you just pedal with more effort.
On my Brompton, I replaced the grips with Ergons and use a Brooks B17 saddle, and I replaced the stock elastomer with a stiffer version and its a faster ride and no less comfortable.