Originally Posted by
badger1
Yes, air forks -- especially air forks with much more sophisticated damping, compression, positive/negative air adjustments etc. are 'better' and much lighter. So what? Coil springs are extremely reliable; their correct operation is not dependent on close-tolerance seals. The key thing with your fork -- and it is one of the nicest features of Suntour's 'trekking' forks -- is the easily-replaceable hydraulic damping cartridge.
The primary advantage of an air fork is that the pressure can be adjusted specifically for an individual riders weight. If you want a more plush ride, let some air out, firmer ride, up the pressure. Coil forks work very well, but only if the rider is within about 20lbs of the "design" weight, there's no adjustment for rider weight.
RockShox used to sell 5 different springs to accommodate varying rider weights. Suntour doesn't sell alternate springs. Personally, I'm lighter than the design, so as a result, riding the coil fork is basically just riding a heavy rigid fork.