I ran "black" springs on my Clubby and I liked them just fine - black ones were only available thru Huddersfield - everyone else had blue or red. Blue was considered too soft and red too harsh. I think now that I'm *ahem* older the blue ones would suit me just fine. I've tried several different rubber cones over the years, and the Smooth a rides are hugely better for ride quality, but I agree tires make a big difference too. By far standard sized 10" tires give the absolute best ride. Unfortunately I run 13" wheels......

SPAM ALERT

"Finece1999" is a SPAMMER.

I have a '78 Clubman that I drive daily on rough roads in the Midwest. I've tried both cones and blue springs, and I find the blue springs to be quite smooth for long drives.

Ian brings up the topic of shocks. Shocks do effect the harshness of the ride. Softer the better. 

Oooops Can I blame spell checker ?? :)

Yo add to what Ian says, new cones should perform as he says. However the Smootha-Ride front cones are taller than the stock ones and do settle in. (The rear cones are stock size). My original mid -1980's cones did go down. The extra wall height on the front cone is a little thinner and the overall wall section profile is a little different, giving a more compliant ride when lightly stressed but still progressively firm when heavily loaded. I think I get I get a little more body roll in hard cornering (street corner!) until the outer wheels load up, but I have nothing stock to compare with.

Left to right in the photo: Original cone, new rear cone (stock height), new Smootha-Ride front cone.

Yes small wheels and big holes is an issue, as is a very short wheel base. But the Smootha-Rides took out most of the road joint/crack feel.

Ian: "300 YO" cones eh? They must have been REALLY hard!

The tyres (esp for 10") play a large part in a Minis ride compliance..... as do shock settings (assuming you can change them).  I used to adjust my pressures and shock settings before driving home from a competition..  No more than 26/23 for most road use (perhaps a bit more for prolonged freeway trips).  

I would also suggest you're better of with the newest OEM cones you can find rather than anything you can readily buy new.  Back in the Nineties I replaced the 300 YO cones in my S for second hand ones from a mid 70s car.  They're still there (150K miles later).  I read about people adjusting heights after putting a few miles on new cones.  If you've fitted the new cones properly I can't see why you would do this (I haven't) unless there was something wrong with the cones...  One of the geniuses of the Mini was its rising rate suspension afforded by the rubber.  Springs can be designed to mimic this but not in the space available in our cars.

When the rubber hits the road I think you just have to accept that small wheels don't like holes and that there's no free lunches.  Minis handle well because of their inherently stiff suspension... its feature not a fault :)

Cheers, Ian

My mini is my only mode of transport. Not a garage queen or a weekend warrior. I found the cones hard to live with, the daily ride was too uncomfortable. I tried the adjust ride and found them to be very active. The reds and blue springs are active as well. Having only 3 coils is not actually a spring because the middle coil has nowhere to move. A 4 coil spring have the two inner springs that actually flex. I have been using the 4 coil springs which gives a lot of roll and travel but is much more livable as a road car and daily driver.

Dan has a point about broken springs. It does happen. It happened to me. I put a mini lump where the passenger seat was and transported it 100 miles up a hill. My mini did not like that at all. Threw a fit. Overheated, bent the screw in the trumpet and then a few days later the I heard a loud bang. 

I had red springs at one point but did not like the ride as much as the cones.  It felt more springy in the corners than the rubber cones almost like the rubber absorbed the shock and was more transitory than the springs.  The downside to rubber is they will eventually sag where the springs will not.  I still have the set that I used for about a year with the oversize rebound buffer before switching back.  If you are interested I will cut you a good price on them if you decide to proceed that direction.

John

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I don't think anyone has ever broken a rubber cone yet.  I opted for the Moulton Smootha-Ride kit. The ride was very much improved as my original cones were collapsed and hard. 

Mr. Moulton designed the original rubber cone suspension for the Mini. Somewhere about 25 years ago, he redesigned it for a smoother ride. Here's a guide on how to install the system. 

https://www.minisport.com/blog/how-to-fit-moulton-smootha-ride/

I am confused on this subject. I have gotten completely opposite answers on this question depending on where i go. I have a 79 pickup and looking to redo the suspension. I drive it often on Tennesse roads that have alot of bumps and potholes, some so big they almost jar my teeth from my head. I want to make the ride as smooth as possible. I am going to get hi-lo's and adjustable shocks. some resources say that the cones provide a better ride and some say the blue springs. Anyone have experience with both and what are your thoughts. Thanks