smilingbiker

I am looking for a new commute bike. I commute about 24 miles round-trip a few days a week. I have tendonitis in my elbows from a bike accident many years ago, and need some sort of cushioning in the front fork. Suspension forks are very comfy but seem to make the ride a bit sluggish (I have been testing bikes with about 35mm of travel). I test rode one bike that had a carbon front fork. It seemed to give pretty good cushioning. I am looking to spend about $700-800 on a bike and don't want to buy the wrong one! Any advice, opinions are welcome.

dynodonn 

I have both a carbon fork and suspension fork commuters. Both of my commuters have their pros and cons, the carbon fork bike is light, fast and nimble, which is great for working commuter traffic, but I feel a lot more road vibration leaving me a little worse for wear. The suspension fork bike is very comfortable and doesn't transmit any where near the road vibration as the carbon fork making the ride much more enjoyable. As stated in the OP, the suspension fork is sluggish, and is also not good for out of the saddle hill climbing. My next bike I plan to get will be a suspension fork, but will have a optional suspension lock out.

M_S

Generally speaking the carbon fork will do nothing as far as bumps. What it does is dampen the really high frequency vibrations associated with riding over not ideal road surfaces.

A steel fork might be a better compromise, depending on the design.

pinkrobe

I have been very pleased with the switch from a steel fork/frame to carbon fork + aluminum frame. The front end is smoother and tracks better. I can't recommend commuting on a suspension fork unless you're on dirt or gravel roads. Take 10 psi out of your front tire instead...

smilingbiker

this is helpful. I will start looking at bikes with suspension lockout.
That was also helpful to point out the difference between bumps and road vibration. I guess I want some cushioning for both!

noisebeam

Another option may be to use a more upright position to minimize weight and bump forces on arms, while using a non-sus fork. Just a thought, as I don't know the actual benefit this would give you.

Al

energyandair

Some alternatives that may or may not work for you are:
- Change to Schwalbe Big Apple tires. They are designed for ride comfort with low rolling resistance
- Consider a Birdy folding bike. They have full suspension designed for road use and its easy to change the stiffness to suit your preference. They are very agile, surprisingly quick, very comfortable and lighter than most commuter bikes. The ability to fold it up to put it in your car, get on public transport or take it into a building may also be a plus. You can get the basic models for $800 - $850 new and a little less if you find one second hand.

David

Sparky005s

I too, have tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms. I ride a rigid frame mtb right now. A couple things I have found to help: Make sure your bars allow you to switch hand positions. Always wear cycling gloves. Train yourself to maintain a light grip. Make sure the seat is back far enough. Work on your abs to help stabilize your upper body, so your arms don't have to. Probably the biggest help I have found is slathering my arms from elbow to finger tips with Icy Hot gel before I go to bed. I do this at least 3 or 4 times a week. It makes a really big difference for me, as long as I do it about 15 minutes before bed. It does not help nearly as much if done during the day. Previously I was using the cream, but the gel works into my skin much better, as I have hairy arms. HTH

ghettocruiser

Personally I'm a fan of some of the lighter weight suspension forks (as in XC racing) for commuting use, I find they produce very little energy loss and smooth out the ride, especially in the dark and the rain when I am having trouble seeing broken pavement.

However the price-point of these forks might be hard to rationalize on a commuter-only bike, especially if there is a risk of theft involved.

I'd go with the heavier-duty carbon fork and adjust tire size and pressure to suit speed/ride quality as needed.

Schwinnrider

You give sage advice. I had hand numbness problem for years----until I got the bars up to seat level. Suspension is a bit overrated on anything but an MTB, I think. Fatter tires are better.

ghettocruiser

In some applications yes.

But I wince whenever I hear someone complaining about the *energy robbing* suspension fork slowing them down, and then recommends a big heavy pair of low-pressure tires.

smilingbiker

Lots of great suggestions - thank you everyone!
I do ride in a fairly upright position, to take some of the weight off my arms and pressure off my hands. It does help.
I hadn't heard about Icy Hot gel- will check it out.
Will also look into the Birdy bike and XC racing bikes.
I test rode a Trek 7500 yesterday that was impressive - it has a fairly small amount of travel in the suspension and the handlebar grips are really comfy. It felt pretty good going up hill.
I'm going to check out the Kona Dew line tomorrow - the Dew FS and Dew Deluxe look like they might work.

HTH: Please tell me why you like to put the seat back - that is opposite of what I would have thought.

I use gloves with gel padding, and am looking at bikes that have wider than typical road bike tires.

Andra

mtnwalker

Putting the seat back or forward should only be done to get knee over pedal/spindle(KOPS) positioning. You should not do this to increase or decrease the reach to your handlebars. Doing this can cause unneeded knee pain.

I personally like the carbon fork route better than suspension. I also run 700x23's at 120 psi for speed and better handling but there is vibration to deal with. Whats worked for me to aleaviate some of this problem is by using some really thick and cushy gel bar tape on my drop bars.

bokes

You might want to check out the Pantour front suspension hub. Doesn't pogo like a suspension fork, and seems to take out a little road shock. I have one on my folder.

john bono

I think instead of using a suspension, go with a carbon fork, thick bar tape with gel underneath, and bump your tire size up one.(go from 23-25s or 25s to 28s). A suspension won't cushion your hands as much as larger tires and thicker bar tape will.