Giant Escape or Roam for ebike conversion - is even cheap suspension better than rigid fork?

[Tawse57]

I am thinking through converting a bike to an ebike and wondering about the pros and cons of suspension versus rigid fork.

I know that the likes of the Giant Roam have a basic front suspension but is even a basic front suspension better than a rigid fork for an ebike? I notice that most of the touring / hybrid ebikes from Cube, Scott, etc, with Bosch motors, all seem to come with some kind of Suntour suspension - often not that impressive Suntour models at that.

So is there a reason why these firms opt for fairly basic suspension over rigid forks? Does the suspension help deal with the weight or motor and battery? Or give some vibration protection? Or are they just being cheap? Or what?

I have the option of a Giant Roam or an Escape in the sales at the moment. Just wondering about sticking a Tongsheng or Bafang onto one of them to get myself a commuter ebike?

Or is it worth paying more for a 'proper' mountain-bike with a better fork? Or is that overkill? Or is rigid just fine?

I will be cycling on mainly tarmac roads with occasional gravel tracks and maybe some light off-road - country paths. No mountain-biking as such. Lots of hills. I currently ride on a rigid fork commuter but have begun to feel the roads getting bumpier. That might just be the bike fork getting old or the roads getting worse... or me getting older and feeling it

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[gstheo119]

Dont bother with cheap forks, I have a nasty suntour on my Cube 500 hybrid and it would be vastly improved by a stiff carbon fork OR a much more upmarket suspension fork. IME Cheap ones offer little comfort and ruin the handling and braking feel.