Cletus Lee wrote:

I had a bike with front suspension and the same bike later with a
different fork. I can't really see a benefit to having suspension on
a road bike that can justify the additional weight.

Depends on the roads. I can overtake a fitter friend on her carbon
framed Look racer on "interesting" backroads around here thanks to the
Streetmachine's suspension. And it pays even more when you're loaded
up. On roads with a good supply of bumps and potholes (and the sort of
roads I like to ride on to get away from it all often do) it makes the
bike /more/ efficient, as well as more comfortable.

Climbing with a
recumbent is really telling. There are lots of things you would
really like to have on a bent besides weight.

IME, which includes a fair bit of climbing with touring loads as well as
empty, everything on the Streetmachine adding the weight is useful. And
that includes the suspension. Well done, it makes a real difference.
Indifferently done, I would agree it's pretty pointless, but HP Vel know
how to do it right. You can put a rigid fork on it if you like: a
dealer we visited in NL had one delivered from HPVel like that, 'cause
he didn't like front sus.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/