Spring-VS-Suspension Forks?

[RedGreen]

I have the old single spring Schwinn model that is so prevalent these days. I also have a doouble spring Monarch clone that I haven't tried out yet. I have seen these other more elaborate mountain bike forks that are closer in construction to motorcycle forks. Anybody have any thoughts on any of these and why one might be better than another?
Thanks

 

[SirJakesus]

Better forks have more travel and adjustable preloading and oil dampening. Cheaper ones may be as simple as a non adjustable spring or elastomer and can cause more of a bobbing motion in the bike while pedaling.

 

[lobsterboyx]

new style mountain bike shocks will be a better ride. obviously the ride with a springer is springy...duh. it all depends on the look. i have a schwinn style springer on one bike - not the best ride, it feels kinda cheap and flimsy. i have the monark springer on my whizzer, its ok, i had to modify it a little to take the extra weight of the whizzer, but overall i really like it. but the best ride of all is my marizocci bomber fork on my kona.

if you want to sell that monark, let me know

 

[DougC]

I have the Monark repro forks on my motor-bicycle too (because I liked the way they looked) but I agree that modern MTB forks would work better overall. ...Also with the MTB forks you could run a front disk brake.
~

 

[Demosthenese]

i have no experience with springers, but i can say that since i swapped over to front suspension mountain bikes (in the mid 90's when they first became popular/cheap) I would never go back to non suspension. When i built my motoredbike there was really no question it had to have front shocks. I'm sure it helps the vibration going to the engine when i go off-road/over grass, and in Ottawa the curb where you're supposed to ride a bike is generally not much better then a field in terms of bumpiness, because we suffer from continual frost heave every year. So for me, in my city, for my application, a springer probably wouldn't cut it. They certainly do look slick and cool though, i can't argue that! If i was going to put a springer on a bike, i would probably build the bike around the fact it was going to look retro.

 

[RedGreen]

Hey Lobsterboy, you mentioned a marrazochi fork. I guess there's a wide range of prices on those. How expensive did you go. Do you think the expensive ones are really any better?

 

[lobsterboyx]

i have the one of the older bomber sires on my kona hardtail - not sure of the exact travel, but it came on my bike. only now after all these years is it going out. but im pretty sure that a quick oil change will bring it back to life