The document is current, not 2012 and I have linked both above.
https://www.ridefox.com/service.php?m=bike
I did speak with Trek and specialized engineers as to why they design their commuter bikes the way they are doing. It is to keep it nimble (less weight) maintenance-free and for longevity.
Anyone can call their nearest premier Trek dealership and ask why they don't build full-suspension bikes for commuting. Most dedicated riders would not pick a full suspension bike because they know what it entails.
I am always rooting for anyone who spreads scientific knowledge and there will always be inherent bias when we are benefiting business wise.
FS bikes work well for deep potholes or large inconsistencies in the terrain but it is not an improvement for small bumps or high frequency inconsistencies. It is one of the reasons Schwalbe's balloon tires are such a hit (Supermoto-X) and BodyFloat suspension seatpost is a great upgrade.
I will list some points so people can educate themselves.
Co-motion cycles out of Portland is a world renowned touring bike manufacturer. Their non E-bikes cost more than R&M ebikes and none of their bikes have suspension.
https://co-motion.com/bikes/bikes-grid-touring
Koga out of Netherlands is another world's most respected touring bike manufacturer and their signature world traveler has Rohloff E-14 but no suspension.
https://www.koga.com/en/bikes/e-bikes/collection/e-worldtraveller.htm?frame=H
Asserting oneself authoritatively does not make anyone into an expert and shrewdness is not intelligence.
Clarity comes with saddle time and experience.
This is completely inaccurate. I have demoed numerous rock shox and fox forks and shocks from 2014 to 2018 and small bump compliance is absolutely outstanding in the most recent models. Go to any dealer or demo day, get forks and shock setup for your weight and preference and go hammer. The latest suspension is fantastic.
If you want the highest level of comfort, use high quality suspension from rockshox and/or fox, paired with a carbon frame. Carbon wheels and/or handlebar will add further comfort. Even plastic pedals will take the edge off of pedal strikes. But at this point we're talking about far more expensive bicycles.
Third, plus sized tires, especially set up tubeless, are phenomenal for added comfort.
As you can see from the rec. service intervals, riding in dirty, wet, muddy conditions means shorter service intervals. Riding in dryer, cleaner conditions hitting only occasional bumps means longer service intervals. Just common sense. What is absolutely necessary? Hard to say, since fox and rockshox and suntour are just as concerned with liability as performance and so will err by recommending shorter service intervals.
As far as why trek doesn't offer full suspension for the road, the answers are very simple: cost, lack of demand, and possibly due to a hit in performance on the street. A hardtail with optional suspension seatpost will cover the needs of most riders.
There is a subset of riders here however who are older, have had significant injuries or simply more sensitive to road shock, who are willing to put up with the tradeoffs. A 500 to 750 watt motor will certainly help with any performance in hit in pedaling efficiency! For me a hardtail with suspension seatpost will be fine for road riding, but I can't speak for everyone, much less the entire industry or even one particular brand.
This is a great thread. Thanks to both
@Ravi Kempaiah and
@Chris Nolte for putting some great information and perspectives out there.
And now to add my own two ducats:
I love my R&M Charger, and consider it a great bike. I have, however, ridded a lot of different bikes over the years, some of them quite nice and more than a few not-so-nice. So I think I have a bit of sensitivity to what I would vaguely call "road feel".
The Charger is an aluminum-framed bike, and like all such bikes it is quite stiff. The thicker i-beam "tubes" and the longer chainstay and slacker geometry in general all combine to make the bike very stiff and at times more than a bit ponderous. I think R&M is kind of forced by those design features to go for full suspension, or at least a front suspension and a suspension seat post.
I think an interesting experiment would be to retrofit a Charger with a really nice and springy steel front fork and a suspension stem (I've not yet found a fork that would come even remotely close to working). Preferably also with a set of Jones Bars.
E-bike motors force manufacturers to alter frame design. Mid drive motors necessitate longer chainstays usually. This could change in the future as motors become smaller, but generally speaking, long chainstays on e-bikes are the design norm. This means slower steering, but it also increases comfort and high speed stability and may benefit climbing.
I do agree that aluminum is less comfortable than carbon but then there are tradeoffs involved there as well (cost and differences in frame failure).
