Front suspension
 

My initial offroad 30 mile test run on my rigid MTB with suspension Bob trailer resulted in numb hands using conventional mountain bike handlebars. Since I won't be using front panniers, I'm thinking about front suspension. Good idea or not ?

Yes. Look for a fork with a lock out on it, however. That way, when you don't need it, you can ride a bike with a rigid fork. I recently put a Manitou Black on my hard tail and, with the fork locked out, I find that I'm much faster on pavement. Off-road, the fork is nice and plush and I'm willing to sacrifice some energy for the comfort and controll. On pavement, the fork just sucks the life out of the bike...and me;)

By the way, I did a mountain bike tour of Colorado many years ago on a rigid bike. It took six months for me to get the feeling back in all of my fingers after only a week of riding. Get bar ends too. They help by letting you ride with your hands in different places.

Thanks. My bike has grip-shifters. Seems like the trailer magnified the discomfort. Also, my regular MTB is a 29er and the converted tourer is 26. It really made me wish I was pulling the trailer with a 29er.

And you are wearing good gloves? I still like the leather ones for keeping the hands comfy.

My Touring MTB ( Giant Great Journey) has suspension forks
I think......before spending money on forks try out some foam grips or gloves or cork tape double wrapped or touring type bar with more hand positions

Thanks

Robert VanLane

I'd suggest better grips too (Grab-ons are by far the best grips for mountain biking ever made:) ) but 1-track-mind is doing off-road touring. On a rigid bike, on less than smooth roads or trails, that can be brutal! I've done it. Having a fork to take some of the abuse is far better. A suspension fork will also help with control especially if you get on something rutted.

Thanks. Wonder what the lowest air pressure I could run on a loaded mountain bike tire without asking for trouble with a trailer and no panniers. I had both tires up around 55 on the test run, which is much higher than I normally run them.

I noticed when I tour on an on and off road trip that the suspension fork doesn't move much on the pavement due to all the weigh being on the rear wheel (I use paniers). I've used a BOB once and notice the same. There realy isn't that much of a bobing motion with the suspension fork, so go for it.
Scott