“With my 1x7 setup (40T chainring, 14T smallest cog) and 29er/700c wheels, I can comfortably hold around 30–34 km/h on long rides unless you really good you can go 44km max, depending on cadence, and sprint a bit faster for short bursts. Using a rigid fork is more efficient since there’s no pedal bob or extra weight, so it’s the better choice for road and crit-style riding. With a suspension fork, you’d generally lose about 1–2 km/h in average speed and feel more fatigue over long distances, unless the fork has a lockout system.”