Hybrid Bikes. Front supension or Carbon Fork?

martylaa

So i'm looking at a Hybrid for commuting and riding around the roads as and when, but now i am noticing the bikes have front suspension or normal forks, where i live the roads are quite bad ( out in the sticks ) but i want the bike to be light and fast, though i don't want to be constantly fighting the potholes.
Anyone else have these problems and which fork did they plump for in the end?[/i]

ride_whenever

Carbon rigids, and avoid the potholes!

Cheap suspension units are worse than rigids, they sap your energy and are ineffective...

martylaa

nice one thanks for the reply, was hoping someone would say something like that

Norky

ride_whenever wrote:

Carbon rigids, and avoid the potholes!

+1

Many people don't seem to realise that all bicycles have a very effective mechanism for dealing with potholes: steering.

Also, suspension forks are 3 or more times heavier than rigid forks. http://weightweenies.starbike.com/listings.php if you're particularly obsessed.

jonny_trousers

Norky wrote:

Many people don't seem to realise that all bicycles have a very effective mechanism for dealing with potholes: steering.

Well yes and no. There is only so much pothole avoidance you can employ on urban streets without putting yourself in danger of continually weaving in and out of traffic. That said, the advantages you will get from a suspension fork will not outweigh the minusses.

To the OP: do yourself a favour and skip the hybrid stage. Carbon forked, super-responsive, drop-handled bike (SS or geared) and you will adore your commute.

Stevo_666

I'd say go carbon rigid but fit the fattest tyres you can, with some decent punture resistance. Works for me on the commute in London - not the best roads on the planet...

wizzlebanger

+1 Carbon Rigid.

No need for suspension on the road.

benno68

Carbon rigid = more energy efficient cycling.

Fixxxer87

+1 for carbon rigid, coming from someone who spent a year on cheap Rock Shox (on a hardrock comp) then switched to some Marzocchi Bombers and then to a Langster with carbon forks.

As others have said, just watch out for potholes unless you like sorting out buckles.

supersonic

To the OP: do yourself a favour and skip the hybrid stage

Hybrid need not be a 'stage'. They work better for some, and cover a vast array of bikes.

AndyManc

Speed, go for carbon.

I like front suss bikes,they are comfy and, considering the state of the roads, very practical.

There's always the option of having two bikes . :roll:

.

Millnerpa1

I ride a Scott Scale 30 for commuting around Leeds and apart from replacing tyres with Specialised Armadillos (original lightweight XC tyres were useless - always punctures) and find the front suspension forks ideal for dealing with lumpy terrain & potholes.
I also go across parkalnad and front sus. enables me to go off tarmac when confornted with human lemmings who want to jump in front of my moving bike!

Greg T

supersonic wrote:

Hybrid need not be a 'stage'. They work better for some, and cover a vast array of bikes.

And are crap

Don't forget that they are crap.

Just in case this thread dragged on without this being pointed out.

benno68

+1 Carbon rigid.

I'm not a big fan of Hybrid's either. Try out some road bikes before you take the plunge!

No ones mentioned the bunny hop to avoid potholes, only as a last resort of course.

vorsprung

I am on pretty awful roads on a steel bike with steel forks. Potholes can be jumped or avoided

technut

+1 Carbon Rigid

Light, responsive, and they do absorb some of the shock. Carbon bars also absorb shock. Test ride a few bikes and you'll see what I mean. I'm a big fan of disc breaks and internally geared hubs as well. Find a bike that already has the carbon fork or you'll pay $2-3k for them aftermarket.

cougie

I'd go for the carbon forks too. But what tyres do you use and what pressures ? Thats probably more relevant I think ?

mudcovered

I'd have to say go for the carbon forks as well (or even alu or steel). I've never seen a hybrid bike which had a decent suspension fork fitted and it will add a lot of weight.
I ride my Kona Jake the Snake CX bike out in the sticks and offroad. That is an Alu framed bike with a carbon fork. Never get dead hands and even when I've slammed into a rock/pothole I've never managed to do any more damage than a flat tire and that is a pretty rare occurrence.

I usually roll on 700x34 CX tyres running at about 65psi. Seems to work for my 200lb body weight.

I've also got a rigid steel MTB (frame & fork) and a FS MTB with fairly high spec parts. The FS MTB does smooth things out but the weight penalty for commuting is extreme and is something I only resort to when things get snowy or icy when that bikes more stable handling (and optional ice tyres) come into play.

Mike

UndercoverElephant

More to the point, why is everyone answering a four month old thread?

ride_whenever

Big tyres are also a good idea, the difference between 20mm race tyres and 2.35" mtb tyres in terms of comfort is huge, however the 20mm are a LOT faster! My personal favourite commuting bike would be rigid but with disc brakes and huge (2.1" plus) slicks) and hub gears...

Big tyres run a bit softer are better than anything else IME

beegee

My personal favourite commuting bike ... and hub gears...

Out of interest, is it easy to change the inner tube on a hub gear? I ask because my gf had a p*ure and to avoid being hated for messing up her gearing I left the wheel on the bike and patched the tube whch isn't my normal way of fixing a p*ure.

danlikesbikes

ride_whenever wrote:

Carbon rigids, and avoid the potholes!

Cheap suspension units are worse than rigids, they sap your energy and are ineffective...

+1 on that advice

Millnerpa1

I have exactly the same problem riding the bumpy streets of Leeds and a Scott Scale 30 with decent Fox suspension forks solves the problem admirably. Whilst it's true that bikes can be steered around potholes, this is not always possible in rush hour traffic.
I find the weight of the suspension forks worth it for the extra control and less jarring if you do hit a hole.

il_principe

technut wrote:

+1 Carbon Rigid

Find a bike that already has the carbon fork or you'll pay $2-3k for them aftermarket.

Where the f*ck do you do your shopping?

bunter

I recently got my lbs to build up a pair of 700c/29in touring wheels with disc brake hubs for my hybrid commuter. These ended up being lighter than my original 26in wheels and gave the feeling of adding suspension to the bike - massively smoother ride. The rims are tough and seem up to hitting potholes head on if I can't avoid them.

rolf_f

Millnerpa1 wrote:

I have exactly the same problem riding the bumpy streets of Leeds and a Scott Scale 30 with decent Fox suspension forks solves the problem admirably. Whilst it's true that bikes can be steered around potholes, this is not always possible in rush hour traffic.

The streets of Leeds might not be the smoothest in the world but they are perfectly safe for non suspension bikes

EKE_38BPM

Has anyone noticed that this thread has been brought back to life after many weeks/months dormant by Millnerpa1?

The only posts ever made by Millnerpa1 are to resurrect the thread.
Possible troll, possible very infrequent user.