For paved (and unpaved) road bike riding, I've tried a Lauf fork, lock-out XC shocks, whatever it is that Canondale called their headshock, and a few other options. The only one I can recommend is Redshift's StopShox stem (and seatpost). They do the right thing, and without a huge weight penalty.
For more technical mountain biking, shocks can really help, and full-suspension can help with handling, not just protecting your rear end and back. (Standing up on the pedals on a hard-tail or road-bike going over bumps can significantly reduce their impact.)
Last edited by Cyclist0108; 04-24-21 at 03:03 PM.