Originally Posted by
PaulRivers
It has the benefit of the OP not wasting a lot of time and money changing forks. Changing tires, adding a rack, buying lighting - all these things makes sense to do with his current bike.
But changing the front fork? OP would most likely be better served searching for a new bike that already has a rigid front fork, if they were going to invest that kind of time and money.
Well, it's not my time and money. I've seen forks on Nashbar for $30-40, add a star nut, maybe a new headset, and head over to your local coop. It's a good investment, and not too expensive. I did it to a bike many years ago and it was a tremendous improvement. Also, much easier to fit a front fender with a rigid fork.