from Rookie’s keyboard,
Hello, friends
Today, I will talk about a feature of touring bikes that may seem confusing to some rookies out there.

If you analyze touring models (from low to high-end), you will see that the vast majority are rigid. Or in other words, neither the fork nor the frame has a suspension element.
This isn’t accidental. It’s a strategic choice. Rigid frames and forks simplify the bike (fewer things can go wrong) and make pedaling more efficient as there is no loss of energy due to suspension flex.
Modern suspension forks are refined and capable of facing extreme challenges, but their mechanism comes with complexity that may turn into a severe weakness when touring.
It may be impossible to repair the fork (or the shock) due to a lack of tools and parts. And if the failure happens in the middle of nowhere, you better have shoes with thick soles.
Even the most sophisticated suspension fork cannot match the reliability of a rigid fork due to the involvement of multiple moving elements, oil, suspension fluid, air chambers, and other components.
To reduce the chances of abrupt failure, touring bikes rely on steel forks for a reason – steel tends to bend before breaking and is easier to weld.
Maintenance
A suspension fork comes with a list of maintenance tasks:
- The stanchions have to be cleaned after every ride.
- The lubrication oil and the suspension fluid have to be replaced occasionally.
- The seals and O-rings have to be replaced relatively often too.
- Air forks need a periodical readjustment of the pressure via a shock pump.
Hardcore touring cyclists who spend most of the year riding may see fork maintenance as an inconvenience.
Another downside is the lack of parts. There’s a great number of suspension forks out there. And while they all work similarly, they require exclusive pieces for proper maintenance. This makes servicing more difficult, especially when you’re exploring new territory.
If the fork fails when you’re in a small city with a single bike shop low on replacement parts, you may have to buy a new one or wait for the needed bits to arrive. Of course, this is a custom scenario but realistic nonetheless.
Meanwhile, rigid forks require nothing outside of occasional cleaning which isn’t as critical as servicing a suspension fork. The main objective is to prevent rust and contamination of the brake rotor and pads if the bicycle has disc brakes.
Fewer Front Rack Options
A front suspension fork cannot work with a “primitive” front rack that attaches simultaneously to the legs and the crown via metal rods.
You will need a rack designed specifically for suspension forks. Such racks exist, but they are fewer than those made for rigid models.
The table below lists racks that fit the bill:
Model | Weight | Capacity |
Minoura MT-4000SF | 1500g | 15kg/33lbs |
Faiv Hoogar | – | 16kg/35.2lbs |
Thule Tour Rack | 1100g | 10kg/22lbs |
ZEFAL Lowrider Raider | 750g | 18kg |
Axiom Journey Suspension & Disc Lowrider | 575g | 18kg |
Old Man Mountain Sherpa Frame Front Rack | 700g | 31.8kg/80lbs |
Another problem with installing a front rack on a suspension fork is the effect of the extra weight on the entire spring system.
There are three possible ways to mount a front rack to a suspension fork:
a. To the lower legs
b. To the crown
c. To both but with a moving mechanism
The first scenario is a lot more common but has a real downside.
When you attach weights (e.g., panniers) to the lower legs of such a rack, you’re immediately turning them into “unsprung weight”.
The term “unsprung weight” refers to mass that isn’t supported by the springs of the suspension because it’s positioned below them.
The increased unsprung weight has a negative effect on the suspension.
The goal is to have less unsprung weight in order to make the suspension more reactionary to input thanks to the smaller inertia that it has to overcome.
Well, the front racks attaching to the lower legs do the exact opposite.
Unfortunately, however, there are only two popular models that turn the rack and subsequently the gear attached to it into sprung weight – Tubus Swing and Faiv Hoogar.
Tubus Swing is a discontinued product which tells us two things:
- You can only find it second-hand.
- The demand for it probably wasn’t all that great. After all, why would it be discontinued otherwise? This outcome backs the idea that suspension forks just aren’t all that popular among touring cyclists.
The Faiv Hoogar rack is available, though. It has two connections – one to the crown and one to the lower legs.
This design does not hinder the performance of the fork.
This point alone is stronger than the previous two (reliability and maintenance) because efficient transportation of luggage is of vital importance when touring.
Limited Full Fender Options
Full fenders are a necessity for touring as they protect your body, gear, and the bike from the dirt and mud on the road better than the partial options.
This creates another incompatibility issue – many suspension forks do not have mounts for the installation of full fenders.
While it is certainly possible to install a full fender on a suspension fork even if it doesn’t have eyelets, the task requires tinkering which isn’t a process that everybody looks up to.
This downside is technically a symptom rather than a reason why touring bikes don’t implement suspension.
If the rest of the issues with front suspension didn’t exist, the manufacturers would have a strong stimulus to collaborate and build multiple suspension forks offering easy full fender installation.
Somewhat ironically, most of the forks that offer than functionality at the moment are found on trekking bikes running modest suspension forks.
The higher-end forks are designed primarily for mountain biking and therefore do not make fenders a priority.
Inefficiency On Paved Road
Suspension shines when riding off-road because it absorbs the irregularities of the terrain, increases traction and makes the ride safer and more comfortable.
But when the road is smooth, the suspension eats a lot of the pedaling effort.
The simplest way to witness the inefficiency would be to climb a hill out of the saddle. You will feel how a big part of your effort sinks into the fork.
You can minimize this effect by locking the suspension, but if you find yourself riding with a locked fork all the time, what is the point of having suspension at all?
You would be getting the negatives (maintenance…etc.) with none of the benefits (comfort).
Anti-Traditional Looks
Touring cyclists are purists who prefer the appearance of an old-school bike without suspension and often criticize the effort of the industry to turn bicycles into motorcycles that you pedal by adding a variety of new tech.
The popular touring cyclist known as UltraRomance is a good example of this mentality. He prefers his bicycles to be “retro” and “rusty” and is rarely if ever seen on models with suspension.
Wide Tires For The Win
Wide tires set at low pressure provide “continuous cushioning” and are more effective than suspension when riding over roads with a high density of small irregularities (e.g., cobblestone streets).
On my hardtail, I was running Schwalbe Big Ben (a balloon tire) on the rear at relatively low pressure (around 2.2), and it definitely softens the ride noticeably.
Alternative Cushionning Methods
Suspension isn’t the only way to boost cycling comfort. There are other options such as:
- suspension seat posts
Suspension seat posts could be surprisingly effective as they reduce the stress from small bumps and thus minimize the rider’s discomfort and fatigue.
Another benefit of suspension seat posts is that they are easy to maintain and can be installed on any bicycle.
And if something were to go wrong with the seat post, you could just replace it with a cheap rigid one and fix it later.
- suspension stems
Suspension stems are even less popular than suspension seat posts and have developed a bad reputation due to the initial versions which offered subpar performance.
Times have changed, however. Suspension stems have improved over the years. For example, many people are giving good reviews to the Redshift Sports ShockStop suspension stem.
The Primary Features of a High-end Touring Bike
The primary features of a high-end touring bike are as follows:
A Solid frame. Most top touring bikes have a high-quality butted Cr-Mo frame because steel is reliable, easier to weld than other metals such as aluminum, and also compliant.
Some touring cyclists pay premium money for a custom made frame. To them, it’s worth it because the frame will fit them like nothing else and steel is practically eternal if taken care of.
Touring frames have a longer wheelbase (the distance between the two axles) for extra stability and come with the necessary eyelets for the installation of racks, full fenders, and many bottle cages.
Top tier disc brakes. Disc brakes are highly beneficial to a touring set-up as they offer solid braking power even in wet conditions.
Both hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes can be found on a touring bike. Mechanical are more common since they are easier to repair in the middle of nowhere whereas hydraulic require a bleeding kit and brake fluid.
Having said that, there are experienced touring cyclists who use hydraulic disc brakes and see them as very reliable.
Bulletproof wheels and tires. A touring bicycle needs strong wheels that can sustain a lot of abuse without losing their shape. Hence why high-end models rely on ultra-strong rims and a high number of spokes.
The tires also have to be of high quality to prevent unnecessary punctures. Schwalbe’s best-selling model Marathon Plus is among the most popular choices.
Dynamo hubs. Cycling tourists carry a lot of electronics (phone, lights, cameras, power banks…etc.). For that reason, dynamo hubs with USB charging support are considered an indispensable tool as they charge your devices while you’re riding. This further increases the self-sufficiency of the bicycle. However, the entire set-up is not exactly cheap.
Top tier saddle. The saddle is among the components that contribute the most to the rider’s comfort. As expected, top of the line touring bicycles come with a saddle that matches the rest of the machine. A popular choice would be a leather saddle from the Brooks B17 family.
A decent drivetrain or a gearbox. An expensive touring bike would rarely come with a drivetrain that isn’t at least Shimano Deore level.
Some of the more luxurious models use a belt instead of a chain combined with a gearbox such as Rohloff Hub or Pinion Gearbox.
The biggest selling point of a gearbox is that it’s protected from the elements and performs well regardless of the weather. The downside is that gearboxes are very expensive and difficult to service.
Until next time,
Rookie
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