Suspension or rigid?
 

Hello, I have a Bikehard Urbanite disc hybrid bike. The bike came with a Spinner Odessa 63mm LX suspension fork. I was recently struck by a vehicle and my front fork was cracked, so when attempting to put my new wheel on (weimann ZAC 19) the front end was totally out of line. So I've decided to replace the Odessa with a rigid fork as most of my riding is in the city. I have been doing a little research on front forks and it seems that either an Oracle8 or Voodoo fork is the best option for the price.
Does anyone have experience with these or other rigid forks on a hybrid bike? Would I be better off with attempting to bend the fork back into place and welding it? What specs do I need to look out for in buying a new fork as to not change the geometry on my bike?
If anyone has answers or opinions I would love to hear from you. Thanks!

Definately do not try to repair and ride on a damaged fork. The fork is the most important component in the safety of the rider.

In order to maintain your bike's geometry you will need to get a fork with the same amount of rake (measured in mm) and of the same length.

Your bike's handling is largely determined by trail, which is primarily a combo of head tube angle and fork rake. Adding a fork with a different rake will change the trail and adding a fork that is longer or shorter will change the head tube angle, which will change the trail.

A mm or two probably won't make a huge impact on your bike's handling but a difference of 5mm probably will be noticeable. It probably won't be enough to discourage you from riding since a lot of people switch forks. Just get as close as you can.

ETA: I checked the web for your bike and your fork had 44mm of rake. Mid-40's is a very common range for aftermarket forks and Surly has several that are 43mm rake. You would just need to check the length, which is the hardest part to match.

This past weekend I swapped out my 63mm travel Suntour suspension fork for a Surly Ogre fork. Rake was about spot on and the axel to crown length was with in 5mm. I also looked a the Voodoo but opted for the Ogre when I found it for sale on fathers day at modernbike for cheaper shipped then the Voodoo. Today was my first ride on it did 78 miles and did not miss the Suntour at all. My Suntour had a lockout and the Ogre was soaked up the bumps better then I though it would. Could not be happier with the swap.

Thanks Ravenhog and Corwin for the advice it is greatly appreciated! Will post pictures after the swap is made in case you guys wanna see the difference aesthetically.

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This will give you an idea on aesthetics. I don't favor the rigid vs suspension look. But I do favor the black color and the ride of the rigid so far.