Originally Posted by
robabeatle
Thank you. So, maybe not purchasing a quality shock for this bike is a better option esp. if I plan to upgrade the frame at some point.
No reason why you can't stick a tapered fork into the frame, you would need an appropriate headset (CaneCreek make a convert, I have and use one).
This being a cost effective solution is another matter.
For the offset question, for most MTB's since the late 90's this is a non-issue, unless you have the Gary Fisher geometry (which your bike does), and this can complicate things when looking at changing forks.