Originally Posted by
Doug5150
And I disagree with the other poster in that you can get a suspended bike for pavement riding, too. The suspension makes riding over bumps easier on your various parts--just like it does off-road. The weight difference will cost you next to nothing in practical terms, but the comfort difference you will feel with every bump you roll over.
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I disagree with this.
My primary bike had a front shock only, because I was going to do a combination of road and trail riding. I found I was doing only road and very light trail riding, so I switched to a rigid fork, and the handling of the bike improved immensely. I like riding the bike a lot more.
I see people half my size and half my age pushing their fully suspended bikes up hills I ride up all the time... I suspect that at least part of it is because the suspension sucks just enough energy to make it too hard to climb them.
Unless your primary time on the bike is hard core down hill riding, and unless you spend the big bucks for GOOD suspension, don't bother with suspension on a bike, especially on the rear. Go hard tail.