I'm in two minds whether to replace my current Rebas with new suspension fork or to go back to rigid. I do a mix of on and off road riding, but it's mostly on the road. I've got suspension forks mainly because that's what mountain bikes are meant to have but I can't help thinking that a rigid fork makes more sense.

The thing is, the off-road stuff I tend to do does seem pretty rocky so I'm going to get a bit rattled about. What's a rigid for like for stressing the frame? I'd always assumed that a sus. fork protected the frame by absorbing impacts, impacts that a rigid for would put straight into the frame, but I suppose if you're riding rigid you tend to take thing a little more slowly, so it could be better for the frame than barrelling into something with a sus. fork.

I'm not too worried about high speed antics, I just like riding about and seeing the sights so is there disadvantage/limitations of a rigid fork if I'm not hammering everything?

just get a sus fork with lockout? best of both worlds then

a rigid fork won't put much more strain through the frame – the forces go straight into your stem and bars into your arms. The front of the bike does get bounced around more, but this will make you ride slower (probably) which means the rear of your bike gets bounced around less

I just went from rigid to sus – rigid sucks…ok for shorter rides, but sus is just better, better wheel control, inflate tyre to best pressure for tyre and not for comfort etc…

I started this game a few years ago, straight into 100mm forks and more recently a 456 with F140s (with a Meta in between)

Just built a 29er with Carbon forks and what surprised me was how crap it wasnt…

at times, with Low pressure in the big tyres and a flatish familiar trail you can convince yourself you are riding with suspension forks but it only takes a bumpy bit to bounce your hands off the grips or for the front wheel to lurch sideways after hitting a rock and reality kicks in.

For the record, though, I love my rigids. It is really early days but I love the lightless and climbing ability of the big wheeler. For my local stuff it is perfect.

(I wont be getting rid of the 456 though 🙂 )

For mostly road I'd definitely use rigids. So much more responsive and it's one less thing to have mess up on you.

Yer if mostly road, it has to be rigid

If it's mostly road get some slicks first

I'm running semi-slicks which seem to work well enough on road and rocky off road stuff but could try something a bit narrower. If I get myself another crown race I could always plug the old Rebas back in if I fancied them again.