Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
I think that it depends on what you mean by "trails". A suspension fork doesn't really do much on a typical rail trail. The more gnarly and technical the trail, the more you will appreciate a suspension fork.
When someone says that they've been into mountain biking for years, we can assume that they know the difference between a "trail" and a railtrail. Just sayin'.
Originally Posted by
JonathanGennick
I think to some extent the answer depends upon the person. I strongly dislike suspension on pavement, but others don't seem to mind it. As well, where I live we tend to have machine-built trails and frankly a road bike would be almost ok on them. I own a suspension bike, but more often it's easier to just grab the rigid and go. So it's down to preference and the sort of trail conditions you deal with.
That's why lockouts were invented.
Originally Posted by
Jack_Neil
So I cycle everywhere school, work you name it I recently got my bike stolen. I have always been into mountain biking for years but haven't had an mtb in years also. Ideally I would purchase two separate bike but the funds are not there, my budget is around 1300 euro [£1114] [$1376]. I want a bike that can handle decent trails but also something light and not sluggish that I can use for a daily commute.
I am considering buying a hardtail but recently i have been introduced to rigid mountain bikes with no suspension what so ever and slightly slicker tires along with the added bonus of being lighter. But the downside of a rigid mtb are obvious less capable on trails and also the rarity of stock rigid mtbs that do not cost an arm and a leg.
Ant advice/ thoughts are appreciated
Thanks.
I started on rigid mountain bikes and I can't see the appeal. After I got my first suspension fork, I knew I was never going back. However, I wouldn't say that the greatest advantage of a suspension fork is comfort as most would. The greatest advantage of a suspension fork is control. It allows you to ride over things that would trap a wheel a cause you to crash with a rigid.
I wouldn't necessarily commute on a dualy (sometimes I do) but I commute regularly on a hardtail with a suspension fork. The key is to find one with a
good lockout on the suspension. Fox and Manitou have excellent lockouts on forks. They are solid lockouts that don't bob much when out of the saddle. The forks will dive a little under braking but that's not an issue.
Rock Shox, on the other hand, have horrible lockouts. Even if you are a light rider, they don't have a positive lock and for a heavy rider, the lockout might as well not exist.
If you
do want to use a mountain bike for commuting, you just need to get used to its eccentricities. With an off-road worthy tire, the bike is going to be slower on pavement. On the plus side, you will work harder which builds strength.
On the other hand, you really embrace the eccentricities of a mountain bike for commuting, you can make a commute a whole lot more interesting. Instead of just riding the same boring roads to work, look for ways to use the mountain bike for what it was designed for...off-road riding! Look for trails along creeks and rivers, cut through fields and forests, take the long way around and hit that single track that's on the way home. Even if the trail is flat, you can push the bike to higher speeds which makes even the flattest trail a lot of fun!
I tell people who want to get into bicycle commuting that they have to look at the world with different "eyes". Most people look at the world with "car eyes" and only see the routes they would take in a car. If you look at the world with "bicycle eyes" you start to see alternative routes which work better for bicycles. The same applies to using a mountain bike for commuting.
Instead of looking at the world with commuter bicyclists' eyes, look at the world with mountain bike commuter eyes. You'll find a whole new world of possibilities.