Is Suspension On Road Bikes Just A Gimmick? | GCN Tech Show Ep. 68

[@gcntech]

What's your take on road bike suspension?!

[@umutbirey101]

biggest gimmick

[@thrownchance]

I want front suspension (or at least a springy handlebars) since I developed an elbow problem riding road bikes on less than ideal roads.

[@TheWaxChainFanClub]

My fat arse is all the suspension I need.

[@dafyddgiddins9861]

I commute through London everyday, the roads are terrible, I don't want to go for a mountain bike so some damping on a road bike just makes sense

[@AndrewTSq]

Even if the potholes are big as a meteor where I live, I dont want it. I want better roads instead.

[@grandmastaflash14]

That "anecdote" about russia using a pencil in space is a urban legend. Graphite in space is a terrible idea as graphite dust in zero gravity can get anywhere and its an electrical conductor. So it will literally short any circuit it even comes close to.

[@BozoseCompany]

good point possibly a wax pencil?

[@simedinson984]

@@BozoseCompany or maybe a clay one as it doesnt conduct either

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

The other thing is ball point pens work on capillary action, not gravity. Any ball point will write perfectly well in space.

[@ДанилКонотоп-д4ч]

Да все верно. Тоже смотрел разоблачение этого мифа у нас в рунете

[@aurora1024]

The space pen was also independently developed by an American company as a marketing strategy. THEN purchased by NASA for retail prices for missons.

[@christill]

For the roads I ride on, I’ll go with suspension (and 1x) every day. It is an amazing feeling to ride a regular road bike on a perfectly smooth road, but there just aren’t many of them.

[@kidShibuya]

The NASA pen story is a myth. They paid $2.40 per pen, as did the Russians. The pens were developed by a private company with no connection to NASA, NASA simply bought some. The mechanical pencils they were using cost $130 each for the record.

[@jdswoger7943]

And in zero gravity you don’t want to break the tip of your pencil and have that floating around, potentially causing any number of issues

[@OllieBridgewood]

Nathan Brown well! Now I know! Thanks for correcting that urban myth! 👍🏼

[@kalijasin]

“Technically speaking, gravity does exist everywhere in the universe because it is defined as the force that attracts two bodies to each other.” www.space.com/amp/23017-weightlessness.html

[@kalijasin]

“Microgravity is sometimes called ‘zero gravity,’ but this is misleading.” www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-microgravity-58.html

[@filip000]

The main thing with developing the pens in the first place is that it's a health and safety hazard to have pieces of lead floating around when they break off the pencil. The joke is funny until you think of the reasons why the regular pencil isn't actually suited for space and weightless environment.

[@Stefanosinf]

Hey guys, watch the colors, saturation and overall contrast is gone way up on the latest uploads!

[@ygtcbee23]

Someone color grading on a 4K full AdobeRGB monitor without checking output file on mobile/sRGB screen formats

[@bassmandudge]

I noticed that as well. Looks terrible!

[@awakenas]

looks very red-ish, really horrible...

[@souloftheage]

@@ygtcbee23 cant tell. one of the 6% hampered in life with the debilitating red-green color blindness. Kept me out of going to US Naval Academy to fly Tomcats....I FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED on my bicycle only now. And at 120kg, only downhill!.

[@itarry4]

Swapping the prize! Think that's a bit rubbish the arse saver doesn't compare to the capron. Bring back the capron!

[@prestachuck2867]

Nick Tarry one thing for certain is that the capron is something every mechanic needs and will use, but not everyone will use an arsesaver, and many riders already have one.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Ollie, for confirming that the dust has settled on the cobbles. I had been wondering when that would finally happen. And thanks, as always, for the show, my second fave right behind the GCN Show. You and Jon always rock the GCN Tech Show. Or at least cobble it together.

[@Metal-Possum]

I remember when our local department store started selling bikes of better quality. The prices were relative, as expected, but they were no more competitively priced as their bike-shop counter parts, not to mention the lack of a respected brand name on them tp help them sell. Lastly, they weren't assembled and had very little after sales support and a terrible warranty. Good luck to Walmart/Viathon if they can pull it off, but I suspect keen cycling enthusiasts would still prefer to support their local, or buy direct from a respected brand like Canyon.

[@MascottDeepfriar]

I feel like saying that having suspension ruins things by making it easier kind of ignores the fact that we now use aero and super lightweight bikes to make it easier. If we say using suspension to make it easy is bad then we need to consider that aero and carbon are doing the same thing.

[@egonzalez4294]

- Guys guys, we have done all possible to perfect bikes, now they last forever and don't break, we are not selling well, what do we do?... - How has the gravel bike plan gone?... - Not well only tourers and mountain bikers with PTSD are buying them. - What if we mix full suspension bikes with road bikes? - Yes introducing 2 new failure points!... that's a great idea Jonh!... Prepare the production line!... Call the marketing department, 23mm with suspension will be the new thing!...

[@luketoms6110]

The lockout was on Sagan's bike last year if you watch it back you can see him switching on and off after the pava sections.

[@ltrtg13]

When you mentioned Si's Lauf video made me smile. I can still see Si's spaghetti arms swinging the hammer.

[@WadoNeil]

Note sure about this, but aren't the physics against suspension on road bikes? By this, I mean that it takes more energy to maintain the speed, if the bumps are softened out by suspension? For off road cycling, where the alternative is smashing into some massive rock, ending your race, its clearly worth it, but if you're just dealing with high frequency bumps, won't the suspension slow you down, for the same power output? Maybe rider tiredness comes into it? If you're less tired and less battered, you can output more power?

[@ronbyers9912]

I picked up a brand new Specialized Roubaix just yesterday and have wondered how I take my wheel off in the case of a flat. Thanks for the tip. I wasn't about to carry a power drill with me.

[@kalijasin]

The suspension on my saddle helps significantly with ride-ability and comfort.

[@treyquattro]

"... turn a new leaf" - Jon making a suspension quip there that got past Ollie

[@bicyclist2]

I wouldn't mind at all riding a suspension road bike. I love the early 90's Bianchi's with full suspension. Cannondale's head shock was also a great idea, and is the most simple and elegant way to go for road bike suspension. Thanks.

[@JM-wx8ik]

I’d highly recommend getting a Moulton.

[@lfndoo]

I like suspension not only for comfort, but for safety reasons. The bike is more stable in bad roads and it reduces the chance of having an accident and even some mechanical problems (it's more comfortable to the bike too). Yes, there's a trade-off between performance and stability, but if you're not an elite cyclist the performance loss is not significant - assuming th same wheels, tyres, groupset and legs.

[@Lacking_something]

Would be interested to know number of punctures at paris-roubaix by tyre size

[@mazerickd]

I absolutely love the suspension on my 2018 diverge. It doesnt have the lockout like the new roubiax but it has interchangeable springs for versatile riding. Hell I just did lr100 with it this year.

[@ArtzFenix]

Congrats!

[@HenryAshman]

I think suspending the actual bike is probably a gimmick as the major suspension parts are heavy. I like the bits that add compliance in the design of the frame, or the leaf spring seat post in my Canyon Endurace as they're light and not very "spongy" when hammering along.

[@souloftheage]

A good ti rail saddle will do same thing. My selle italia, I can feel flex as I go over washboard rods with my non-washboard abs. But having these items changes the riders position just a hair on the bike=inefficient. Best to get the tubeless tire situation sorted out well. Sounds like Mavic and Hutchinson have done just that.

[@leotard2536]

With regards to the future of Paris-Roubaix, as long as there are sections of tarmac, teams will favor lighter, stiffer bikes over heavy, suspended ones due to the large difference in speed.

[@AbdulSamad-np5ez]

Can I use NCX Dumping suspension seatpost on my road bike ? Is it regular?

[@EarlHare]

Ever tried cycling in london? suspension on a road bike here would increase the life of the thing by at least 50%. My bike shakes itself to pieces over these roads, especially where there's no cycle lane. Had to replace a wheel once after hitting a pothole in the rain, thought it was just a shallow puddle but it turned out to be a gigantic sinkhole in the middle of the road.

[@brunocyclist]

Is there a UCI-limit to tyre size? 35mm (or plus) rubber would seem like a much easier solution to tackle the rough stuff than road bike suspension.

[@nimaforoughi7266]

My fave presenter-combo

[@skinheadjc]

We had the same debate on suspension in the mtb World at the start of the 90's, there were those that were pro and against...... Nowdays its pretty much the normal to have a suspension trail bike. Personally I'm all for it. After all I live in the UK, pretty much all our roads could rival the cobbles.

[@Owwliv]

Seriously why not just use 35mm tires?

[@-Bonobo-]

Because a new frame cost £1500+ and new tyres cost £60, same logic with disc breaks, the bike industry makes you feel as there is no other option. GCN does it aswell.

[@spencerlemon2679]

couldn't agree more. There might be very specific scenarios where suspension is helpful but riding a cross or gravel bike with wider tires makes so much more sense 99% of the time. I think a race like paris roubaix is the exception because they're constantly going back and forth between pave and tarmac so that lockout would be nice for that

[@robbchastain3036]

Or at least a little something bigger in back, with light suspension up front.

[@heisenberg1833]

I wish 35c slicks existed! GP5000 tubeless maybe?😍

[@yoda112358]

@@heisenberg1833 A GP5K 32mm on a wide internal rim will probably end up in the 33-34mm range

[@davepatton2131]

Jon "open a can o' worms" Cannings and DR. Oliver "Aero" Bridgewood hilarious you two

[@Slogfester]

Trek's Domane SLR seems to be a good compromise between often heavy tech and the need to keep weight down. I love how I can adjust it to suit the road and how sore my back is.

[@ericsonnen5248]

I like the manufacturers suspension efforts and would consider buying. At the same time, I love riding a smooth road with 22mm tubular tires pumped to the max. 🙂

[@boogiestreet594]

Won't suspension on your headeset cause you problems when your grinding your hands into the bars on uphils? i'd presume the thing flopping around under you while you're trying to get the power down woldn't be a great thing?

[@JonCannings]

Gotta love reading through the comments

[@ArtzFenix]

Beats working.

[@mrkickback3105]

If you want a race that is 100% rider than you have hundreds of races throughout the year to watch, i like the fact that Paris Roubaix is a popular race where manufacturers are pushing the limits and designs of their bikes to make them faster across rough surfaces. I love the look and features of the new Pinarello Dogma, what a trick bike! I dont mind giving up a few grams for some extra comfort, and the more comfy I am (whilst staying aero) the more power I can put out for longer. Another great video guys, thanks. Bri.

[@markreams3192]

I thought the future shock was a gimmick until I rode one. I have a 2019 Roubaix comp and I find it takes quite a bit of buzz out to the road but I don’t find it bouncy out of the saddle or effect the ride quality in any other way. I think suspension is relevant on road bike as long as it doesn’t get weird as some of the old bikes you showed on the video. I find that I don’t dread rough or broken pavement as I once did. Into each riders life some rough pavement shall fall!

[@souloftheage]

Want comfort and strength?. Reynolds 853 Air Hardened Steel. Best bike frame Ive ever ridden.....buttery smooth compared to my carbon frame teeth chatterer AND it has a strength:weight ratio just slightly below TITANIUM: THE WONDER ELEMENT!!!...but cost a fortune.

[@a0um]

I’m a commuter in Torino. Cobble road everywhere in the city center plus the occasional up/down the sidewalk. I want a comfortable ride and decided to order a city bike with front suspension and seat tube suspension. I hope I haven’t wasted my money.

[@rogergauss7877]

Road bikes today are more versatile in general. Wider gear ranges and disc brakes have become the norm, so why not suspension? I recall searching for one of those Cannondale Silk Road bikes long after they were out of production without much success.

[@philt6725]

I ride a range of bikes including vintage fully rigid mountain bikes. I have overtaken riders on suspension bikes on rocky downhills while riding my rigid Kona. My arms and legs are the suspension.

[@aaronweigerber5313]

Damn these beautiful pictures! I honestly don't know how many Screenshots I've done over time because of the brilliant bikes!

[@pmiller7886]

I love Ollies Peter Satan impression, it's such a unique vocal inflection I didn't think it could be done. Fair play Ollie.

[@skulengu6854]

With the popularity of cycle cross and gravel bikes it makes sense to have suspension. The trick is to find a balance. Plush suspension sucks up much needed energy but having no suspension feels like skiing down the pyramids. A firm, but minimal suspension seems to make the most sense to me. With a maximum of 1-2 inches (25-51mm) of travel.Just enough to soak up the sharp jarring impacts, but not so much that it starts sucking up the watts. Look at Formula 1suspension. Its much faster on asphalt, but it would not be recommended for the World Rally Championship and even worse for the Paris-Dakar. So we need bikes that work on the specific types of road that we travel on. Light suspension for road bikes (both in capacity and weight) is a good idea for bikes that are hitting chip seal, gravel, unimproved roads, trails etc. But they will have to prove themselves useful enough to carve out a space that they can sustain in the bike industry. They will also have to be able to keep up with rigid bikes on smoother surfaces. That is no small feat. I personally took my 1997 Serrotta Atlanta on the local BMX track. I didn't get airborne because I am not crazy and I didn't want to destroy that beautiful steel frame, but the track was smoother than some of the places that I have taken my bike and I had to prove a point. ;-D

[@fgv3357]

I would like suspension on my race bicycle. Roads in my country are rough, even avenues. Sometimes i hit hard on some uneven roads, so a suspention would be nice to try out.

[@benc8386]

Interesting suspension designs. What about Moultons though? Small wheels and rubber springs just like a 1970s Mini for some reason... They're said to ride really well.

[@JM-wx8ik]

Ben C Yes!! Moultons are the ultimate road bike. I ride one and they are fast, rigid, agile and incredibly smooth. They use hydrolastic fluid dampened suspension in rubber. Which has its roots being first designed for the minis suspension in the early 60’s. I’m amazed at that this amazing machine isn’t more well known, perhaps because it’s highly conventional but still way ahead of its time over 50 years later.

[@benc8386]

@@JM-wx8ik Didn't know they had hydralastic, thought they were just rubber like the later Minis. They're also beautifully made probably still in the UK. GCN should do a factory tour video.

[@JM-wx8ik]

Ben C Yes, having a Moulton factory tour would be great. Plus, they are still all hand made in the UK. The hydrolastic suspension was/is used on their more recent and more expensive Moultons - to the likes of which I’d probably never be able to afford.

[@frankeeeej]

So for a race like Paris Roubaix, I think suspension certainly isn't a gimmick. It's a race of attrition, and having a bike that's just bit more comfortable will help keep the body fresh (relatively) for the finale. Also, I'm not an engineer, but wouldn't it make much more sense to put the springy bit in between the rider and the bike (meaning, the seat tube), rather than the rear wheel and the rest of the frame? If you suspend only the rider, you'd keep maximal structural rigidity and power efficienty through the frame and stuff.. But heyho, I'm no engineer or anything :d

[@glenspringle7337]

That was the concept behind the Softride beam. I have been riding them for many years and love them.

[@CanonFirefly]

Road cycling purists turn their nose up at suspension, but as it gets lighter and more advanced it will be come very common place in road racing. It's inevitable.

[@the.communist]

If u live in roubaix, you buy a bike with suspension

[@glennoc8585]

A mtb looks pretty good

[@martbaischful]

The Communist no need to... the roads around there are silky smooth.

[@jonburnell532]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you not ride a Madone Ollie? And do these not have a sort of suspension system? 🤔

[@prestachuck2867]

Jon Burnell They do indeed feature trek’s Iso-Speed Decoupler which is functionally a single-pivot leaf spring suspension.

[@chrishey6891]

Surely the weight penalty for heavier suspension (front and/or rear) for the short sections of cobbles over the non-cobbled sections means overall using them is a negative outcome? You might save some watts on the cobbles with a smoother ride, but then dragging the extra weight over the whole course costs you those watts and more.

[@ltrtg13]

It's easy to line the tyre logos on a fixed wheel bike. You line up the front type with the rear tyre.

[@ygtcbee23]

Bike vault is rough this week!!

[@CM-id3gg]

Can you do a Paris Roubaix follow-up on the Dogma FS? VAN BAARLE, Dylan (SKY) was the highest placing rider at 21st. Did he use it or his regular Dogma? BTW: Peach Airline doesn't permit bikes with suspension on its flights. Tire clearance is the best suspension system. Road condition where I live has definitely been getting worse over the last 5 years or so.

[@JasCar1967]

Any idea what bar tape is on that Bianchi...looks cool

[@rogercmerriman]

I have a gravel bike with reasonably fat tyres, be interesting to see what difference the very low amounts of suspension add, at a point you end up at the Monster Cross bike, and clearly the then question is why not just get a XC MTB. Personally I like the relative simplicity and lack of cost generally of the gravel bikes, while I love the MTB it’s a big complicated beast.

[@francop2666]

Think you might had missed the mark on this one. I think, especially if you are talking about carbon fiber, the suspension is to provide give to the frame and help prevent stress on the frame when hitting bumps on the road. The stress on the frame might cause flex, stretching and cracks.

[@James-ye7rp]

Is it possible to have variable pressures for your tires, such that you can change the pressure while riding? That would be quite interesting.

[@souloftheage]

Place a small heater next to the tire: p1t1=p2t2....voila!. Youve increased the diameter of your tire.

[@James-ye7rp]

@@souloftheage Now, that's thinking outside of the rim.

[@joogotv]

6:02 For those who don't know, I will say that using a regular pencil in the special environment of space stations can cause an explosion and is extremely dangerous.

[@sbsb4995]

The suspension on road bikes is not gimmick. Disc brake is.

[@orangepeace9900]

I want one i am here in metro Detroit keeping it gangster in a good way!! We need more bikes keeping up the good work

[@JakeVonDoom]

Russians took a pencil but quickly ran into issues with floating graphite particles getting into circuit boards and air filtration systems. They now use the Nasa pens. #USA

[@philipaddyman7402]

I think the Bianchi frame is 2003, not 2006 because that tattoo design on the top tube was introduced in 2003 range.

[@bradcomis1066]

24:05 I think joining the chain at the correct point would be something to be expected for super nice. Details!

Brad Comis Unless the gearing is 1:1 you just have to turn the cranks until the tire logo lines up, right? 😉

[@eunyoungchae2621]

Used it for a lawn party and it was a big splash!!!

[@BrianK04]

no mention of trek isospeed?

[@Stefanosinf]

Not really a suspension but a decoupler , maybe that's why, but it should had been mentioned..

[@MarkARebuck]

You can get the crank/tire logo position correct unless your gear ratio is a perfect multiple, which it never is. Might take many spins of the cranks, but sooner or later things will line up close enough. No need to break/ attach the chain!

[@simonemarin]

or use a pencil instead, to rewind your wheel

[@henrybikeman]

Really futuristic...........like the 1962 Moulton F Frame. Revo thing a gummy!

[@BrianMcElwain]

Those Icelandic suspension forks aren't actually new themselves. Trailing/Leading link forks have been a thing for motorcycles since mode 20th at least

[@richardnick2216]

I usually always vote for vintage steel but this time it had to be the shed because I cannot tolerate people ruining beautiful steel frames with 1x and electronics.

[@ketjuariittaa]

24:40 I allso had that black saddle some time ago. It was prostata splitter. 😬

[@walkerericsson7943]

If your narrow wide 1x setup with a chain catcher drops chain, it won't be onto the other ring... but not dropping the chain is kinda part of the point.

[@jwsuicidesjwsuicides1920]

I'd Love that old suspended bianchi in my bike collection. I reckon it looks mad.

[@Hella-ob8fz]

That Parlee is rad but doesn’t the uci have some rule about fairings?

[@Rubber_Deccy]

If walmart is releasing bikes like they released "High end" desktop computers I wouldn't even consider buying one

[@Patang_Jr]

I have there road one and it’s great and 2 grand cheaper than what the parts would be on a specialized

[@Psyrecx]

Disc caliper fairing... Because what calipers need cooled?

[@julmeissonnier]

Paris-Roubaix is still 80% (over 200Km) of Tarmac, so being fast there is important too. I have a suspension bike it is my steel frame and fork with 650Bx35...

[@elisteiger6909]

Correction at 3:13 you said Walmart invested in Rapha and this is not correct. Two of the grandsons of the founder used their private investment company purchased Rapha. They are both avid cyclist

[@SebBrosig]

23:56 you can line up tyre logos and cranks on a fixie.. unless the number of theeth is commensurate on front and back. e.g if you have 52:13 then after one crank rotation the wheel has moved 4x and is in the same position. But if you have 51:13 you are at (4 - 12/13) wheel revolutions after 1 crank revolution, and given enough patience yo can indeed line it up!

[@archetypex65]

I think you guys miss some crucial points about full suspension on road bikes. As 3D and 4D printing become more viable and affordable, printing suspensions is going to drop the prices drastically. Coupled with MOD, (manufacturing on demand) it's going to allow more affordable options. The second point you missed is that Materials Science we'll also allow for lighter yet stronger componentry to be utilized in suspensions. And as componentry and bikes in general become 'smarter' Integrated Systems will be the norm. The future bike will be fully suspended fully electronic hydraulic disc or possibly fly-by-wire disc brakes. I'm a little disappointed you guys couldn't think outside the scope of the topic

[@souloftheage]

Yeah, ummmmmm...ME TOO!. ALL that he wrote plus some calculations Ive done but didnt have the keyboard to write such techy things. Maybe FLYING LAP PRODUCTIONS could um...come up with that soon?

[@TarmacSkin]

If you ride on bad roads constantly yes. Is there a big market for it? idk. But I would never buy one. I rather get a bike with 30 or 35 cc tires.

[@andrexperia96]

Hi guys, I love the channel, always the best ones! What do you think about seatpost and handle bar suspensions? Are they worth it? Would you make a video about it? Thanks again!

[@patrickhvid1314]

Suspension is a good thing, because active bike riders get back and knee injuries over time, therefore i ovn a converted full suspension merida mtb. however it´s so hard finding onroad parts fitting the mtb so i almost pulled out most of my hair. :-)

[@bewster7]

Springs are for mountain bikes, rolls and Tigger. That is all.

[@willbaren]

The fact that 3 out of the top 5 used an S-Works Roubaix is confounded by the fact that one of those riders was last years winner, Peter Sagan, and the other two were from Quickstep, a team that has placed in almost every Paris-Roubaix since 1995, so you can’t come to any conclusion about whether suspension gives a competitive edge. Now if the three were complete rank outsiders that would be a different thing. Team Sky, a great team with a poor history in the classics, also rode state of the art suspension and didn’t do well, no better than if they had used bikes without suspension. I rest my case.

[@hogdog567]

If you can have suspension that's aerodynamic and still get near the UCI limit then the question should be why not?

[@appa609]

Anonomosomous drivetrain losses. Probably.

[@robkingcomposer]

You lads must have been riding somewhere nice, you've got canny sunburns!

[@amfearliathmor8213]

Makes you wonder if the Steel moulds at the Chinese factories have been re-milled from a previous years frame model to save costs on the pretence that this years models is different from last years model. Fatter, stiffer tubes, year on year are really just more steel material skimmed of the mould?

[@CptnKremmen]

Just a quick observation on the NASA pen story: an ordinary ballpoint pen will in a micro-gravity environment due to the capillary action of the ink in the narrow tube. As for using a pencil (true or not); you wouldn't want electro-conductive fragments floating around your space capsule.

[@unreal1066]

The first future shock bike which i have is brilliant. A true 5 star bike. I've never thought its heavy. It would be better for me to carry less on my ride.

[@beeble2003]

10:13 "I don't want to see Roubaix start being won just because someone has got, you know, this ultimate bike just to go across it. I still want it to be that challenge." Honestly, if any of this tech -- suspension or whatever -- turns out to be such a game-changer, the UCI will probably ban it. They're very keen for cycling to remain a (wo)man-vs-the-road challenge

[@technodrone313]

The only road bike suspension I would use is called steel.

[@souloftheage]

I JUST WROTE THAT!. Carbon fiber is marketed as both vibration absorbing AND compliant. My Schwinn Peloton with Reynolds 853 air hardened steel was THE BEST!. That steel is just slightly below Ti strength/weight ratio, at a fraction of the cost.

[@jonathanzappala]

Rapidian wildlife management area! My ancestral homeland! Kirtley Mountain

[@davidide1525]

The Cervelo should turn the seat pack around , he has the reflective stitching facing forward ;-)

[@filip000]

Bianchi is pronounced bee-ankh-ee. It's been around for 130+ years, let's pronounce the name properly :)

[@prestachuck2867]

filip000 And that other bike is not a Vine-er. It is pronounced Vee-nuhr.

[@prestachuck2867]

daAnder71 You’re weird.

[@EmilyKira]

I would love to see a compilation video of Ollie's impressions -- of Sagan, American accents, etc.

[@zack_120]

Like everything else, there are two sides of it. Some like the physical challenges of hard riding whereas others like the comfort and smooth. So there is no one single word or answer for whether suspension road bike is good or not. All depend on YOU.

[@peterliljebladh]

What about the 3:1 rule? Or has it been replaced with a 17:1 counterpart?

[@Rose_Butterfly98]

I really liked the k8s. But it doesn't get much use on road bikes. It's still awesome but not very practical most of the time

[@K82-f2b]

what is swift?

[@jameswoods4656]

With the popularity of bicycle commuting becoming ever more popular I definitely see potential for shocks on a road bike.

[@FFVoyager]

Since the early 1960's..... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpOYlmdso6maa7s

[@nicholasdaly7355]

With roads in poor condition road bikes in the real world would benefit from some sort of suspension

[@ArtzFenix]

More than padded gloves, extra bar tape and good padded shorts? Guess it depends how long you're going to be in the saddle.