Originally Posted by BobbyG

My wife's upright comfort bike has a suspension stem, a suspension fork and a padded seat with big springs. It does a pretty good job of isolating the bumps except the tires. While the tires are 26 x 1.75 they are stiff and sturdy even when inflated to the minumum psi.]. I put supple WTB Slick 26 x 1.85s on my MTB-based commuter and those would cushion even more, just remember to not inflate too much.

I also have been padding my bars with foam pipe insulation to help with "crampy" hands.

But FWIW, I myself do not ride upright bikes or suspended bikes. I commuted 9 miles each way for 28 years and found that riding on the brake hoods of a drop bar bike works best for me. Not so far forward that all the weight is on my hands, but a good balance between hands and butt. Also, using my hands and feet to support my weight and provide biomechanical suspension using my knees and elbows, like a jockey.

Even before I converted my MTB to drop bars, I used slightly up-swept bars and threw them forward to give me a more "road" posture. The only reason I converted to drops is that my hands no linger like straight bars.

Also, riding in a more forward position builds "core" muscles that help support the back. Twice a day for 28 years, and I rarely had back issues. Of course everybody is built differently and has different physical issues, but leaning forward and using my own legs and arms to cushion the ride works best for me.