There are a lot of great comfort upgrades for gravel bikes, but for me, the ultimate upgrade is the gravel suspension fork. Suspension forks have made gravel bikes faster, more capable, and of course, more comfortable. We are entering a golden age of gravel suspension with lightweight and effective options like the Cane Creek Invert, RockShox Rudy, Fox 32 Taper-Cast, and more. It’s easy for anyone to slap a suspension fork on the front of their gravel bike, and Litespeed is now offering titanium gravel bikes with suspension forks and suspension-corrected geometry.
I chose to order a new Litespeed titanium race bike with a suspension fork to take on tough events like UNBOUND Gravel, and these days, I consider a suspension fork a must-have. But do YOU need one on your gravel bike? Let’s weigh the pros and cons of gravel suspension and then examine the reasons why I won’t ride without one.
Pros: The Benefits of a Gravel Suspension Fork
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More comfort
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More control and traction
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More speed on rough terrain
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More room for error
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More fun
After testing most of the gravel suspension fork options currently on the market, the clearest benefit for me is the massive increase in comfort. All else being equal, having a suspension fork is always more comfortable than having no suspension fork. Good gravel suspension forks quiet down the numbing buzz of washboard dirt roads. They soak up bumps, chatter, and impacts from rocks and potholes.
Suspension also adds extra capability on technical terrain and singletrack trails. Just like they do for mountain bikes, suspension forks help keep the front wheel in contact with the ground. This means traction is more consistent, which improves your ability to brake, steer, and control your bike when things get loose or rough.
The bumps, chatter, and impacts you experience on rough terrain also suck away your momentum. Suspension forks allow you to blast through chunder faster than a rigid fork. They are also more forgiving if you take a bad line or encounter an unexpected obstacle. With the extra traction and the ability to absorb harsh impacts, you can maximize speed on rough terrain and have more room for error to avoid potential crashes.
Finally, gravel suspension forks are just cool. They make any gravel bike look extra tough and capable. It’s fun to have more options with line choice. And every time I show up to a group ride with my suspension-equipped gravel bike, curious riders have to come look at my bike and maybe give the fork a squish.
Cons: The Downsides of a Gravel Suspension Fork
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More weight
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More complexity
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More cost
The added weight of a suspension fork is perhaps its most significant downside. Compared to rigid carbon forks, suspension forks can add an extra 500-800 grams to the front of your bike. That’s a lot for a bike! Is a bit of extra weight always a bad thing? Plenty of riders won't notice or care. But an extra pound of bike weight might be a hard sell for gravel riders and racers who care about having the lightest bike possible.
Suspension forks also add extra complexity to your gravel bike. Adding moving parts means you’re also adding more potential failure points. Modern forks are incredibly reliable, so I wouldn’t actually worry too much about this, but it’s important to realize that most suspension forks will require periodic maintenance. It's just an extra thing riders will have to think about compared to a basic rigid fork. There’s also a bit of added complexity if you’re a rider who prefers to lock out their fork on pavement for extra pedaling efficiency. Some riders might prefer a fork they never have to think about while riding.
Finally, and this might be the biggest downside, suspension forks aren't cheap. Upgrading to one will cost several hundred dollars. Unfortunately, the high cost can put suspension forks out of reach for more budget-conscious riders.
Do You Need a Gravel Suspension Fork?
Here are the types of riders who should probably consider using a gravel suspension fork:
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Riders looking for maximum comfort
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Riders exploring rough gravel or singletrack trails
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Riders who think suspension forks are cool
Ultimately, the terrain you ride is probably the main thing that should drive your decision. A suspension fork will expand the capabilities of your gravel bike, encouraging you to venture onto rough roads that might be uncomfortable to explore on a rigid bike. Places with long, rocky descents, like the Rockies or the Appalachians, are prime terrain for gravel suspension forks. Suspension forks also make a lot of sense if you like mixing singletrack trails into your gravel rides. They’ll let you tackle rougher trails and ride with more speed and confidence.
Suspension forks might make less sense on tamer gravel roads. If your terrain is smoother, I'd likely consider simpler, less expensive options like wider tires, thicker bar tape, and suspension stems first. But if you need maximum comfort, adding a suspension fork is the final frontier. In my personal experience (see below), a suspension fork will take gravel bike comfort to the next level.
Is a Gravel Suspension Fork Worth It?
"Next time I'm using a suspension fork," I said, lying on the ground completely broken after UNBOUND 2022...
Due to several old and lingering injuries, my hands and wrists are often my weak point during any long gravel ride or race. For the last few years, my big target event has been UNBOUND Gravel, which is notorious for both rough terrain and extreme distance, and in the 2022 edition, my hands experienced intense pain and suffering. For the entire last half of the race, I looked at every rider with a suspension fork with extreme jealousy, wishing I could steal their bike.
I’ve done a lot to my bike over the years to try and cushion my dainty, broken hands. I’ve had a few professional bike fits and moved to a more upright riding position. I have fat tires at super low pressures, thick and cushy handlebar tape, and I’ve even tried out a few different suspension stems, too. These were all great for absorbing vibration and chatter, but my setup never felt “complete” until I experienced the extra comfort of a suspension fork.
The big thing gravel forks add is the ability to absorb harsher impacts—the type caused by riding into potholes or square-edged rocks embedded in the road. Hitting these always sends a painful shock into my hands, and they're what I fear most on any gravel ride. This is exactly the type of impact the air springs in modern high-end suspension forks are perfect for.
I think the terrain at UNBOUND suits suspension. Photo: ENVE
In the fall of 2022, I installed a Fox 32 Taper-Cast on my bike and rode one of my roughest local roads at a speed that would usually cause me pain. The fork didn’t erase every bump (I wouldn’t expect that from a mere 40mm of travel), but it dulled them enough that bad pain became “good” pain. Bumps weren’t a nuisance, they were feedback. This experience was a revelation. I could feel the terrain without fearing it. Instead of dragging my brakes and picking my way around rocks and holes, I was able to let go and blast straight through safely and confidently. I rode faster than ever.
This is important to me because I like gravel racing. You might think that someone trying to race would choose lower weight over more comfort and compliance. But the extra cushion of a good suspension fork gives me a competitive advantage. In events that are super chunky and rough (like UNBOUND), you can push harder on technical sectors while others are forced to hold back. You can follow the wheel in front of you as closely as possible without worrying about smashing into rocks or potholes that you can’t see.
The extra bump absorption can even prevent race-ending punctures, mechanicals, or crashes. I experienced this at UNBOUND 2024 when I smashed my front tire into a rock in the notorious Little Egypt section at nearly 20 mph. I bottomed out my suspension fork so violently that my hands ached afterward. Without it, though, I might have crashed. I punctured my front tire, but it sealed in seconds, and I kept rolling. I believe that if the fork hadn’t dissipated all of that energy, I would have caused a puncture too big to seal, or worse, cracked my rim.
I ordered my new 2025 Litespeed Toscano with a suspension fork.
The thing that really sealed the deal for me was my experience in the last 40 miles of UNBOUND 2024. I was in a small group of riders racing to finish under 12 hours. After a full day of smashing through chunky gravel, everyone was constantly shaking out their hands to relieve pain and soreness. I didn’t need to, though—me, the guy whose fragile hands have always been his weak link. When I decided to order a new titanium gravel bike for 2025, I knew a suspension fork was a must-have.
Cane Creek Invert vs. RockShox Rudy vs. FOX 32 Taper-Cast
The Cane Creek Invert, RockShox Rudy, and FOX 32 Taper-Cast are currently the three most popular gravel suspension forks on the market. Litespeed will be offering all three as upgrade options for the Toscano, Ultimate G2, and Flint gravel bikes.
I’ve had the good fortune of owning and riding all three forks, but if you’re looking for a detailed breakdown on the strengths and weaknesses of each, you’re about to be disappointed. In all honesty, all three of these forks feel very similar. With only 30-40mm of travel to work with, there isn’t much manufacturers can do to separate one fork from the rest of the pack. With a gravel suspension fork, the important thing is that it works effectively and feels smooth. All three do that, and all three are good options!
If I were forced to pick out some differences, though, I’d say the Cane Creek Invert is slightly better on smaller, more repetitive hits. It reacts a bit faster and is slightly more effective at smoothing out chattery terrain. The RockShox Rudy and Fox 32 Taper-Cast, on the other hand, are slightly better at absorbing bigger and harsher hits. I find they provide a bit more comfort and capability on seriously rough terrain and singletrack, while the Cane Creek is a bit easier to bottom out or overwhelm on really big hits. If weight happens to be your biggest concern, though, the Cane Creek Invert SL is the lightest fork by a healthy margin.
Ultimately, I’d be happy with any of the three. My advice is to just pick the fork you think looks the best, or the fork you have the most brand affinity for. I have the Cane Creek Invert SL on my current bike because it was the last of the three I hadn’t tried!
Do You Need Suspension-Corrected Geometry?
Gravel suspension forks have a longer axle-to-crown height than traditional rigid gravel forks. If you install a suspension fork on a “regular” gravel frame, you might run into issues because the fork will lift the front end of the bike and alter its geometry. It will increase the stack and bottom bracket height, shorten the reach, and slacken the head and seat tube angles. At worst, it can introduce additional stress to the headtube area of the frame, which could cause damage or failure. Many manufacturers don’t recommend installing a suspension fork on a frame that isn’t suspension-corrected.
This isn't a concern with the latest Litespeed titanium gravel bikes because every frame is built to order and fully customizable. When you order a Litespeed gravel bike with a Cane Creek, RockShox, or FOX suspension fork, the frame will automatically be built and delivered with suspension-corrected geometry. This ensures that your bike will handle and perform exactly as Litespeed’s engineers and framebuilders intended.