Well my brother replied,.....with an essay
"Pain in shoulders and wrists is a complicated problem with cycling. To answer your question is simple - tricycles do not normally come equipped with suspension, but all bicycles can be equipped with front suspension. Tricycles are generally considered to be exclusive bicycles today - with few manufacturers - and are expensive, and generally well specified...Not crap!
However, even a well specified, good quality tricycle with suspension may cause wrist and shoulder pain!
First, we must assume that a certain level of discomfort is to be experienced upon starting, or resuming, a new exercise regime ( even if a bicycle is to be used as transport, we should consider it exercise). This is not just in the legs - which are obviously used in cycling - but also the torso "core" musculature and those muscles and joints associated with control and support on the bike ( neck, shoulders, and arms)...Not to mention the problems associated with saddle soreness.
The primary consideration before choosing a new bike is to find a suitable position. This involves the question of use - will I be racing, training, or commuting. Racing requires a different set of compromises of sitting position than commuting - racing relinquishes comfort to a better/ faster sitting position. If you are commuting, or recreational cycling, you should strive for an upright position that takes pressure from the hands on the handle-bar. Or you should find a bike that is suited to your needs that is not too long. By not supporting too much of your weight with your arms and hands, many of the problems associated with wrists and shoulders can be negated. It is common to see bikes that are too big for the riders, especially mountain-bikes: they have plenty of room below the crotch ( the traditional rule-of-thumb concerning size), but are too long.
Assuming that a bike is chosen that is of the correct size, we can also do much to alleviate potential problems in the arms and wrists by selection of an appropriate handle-bar. Many people have problems holding a "modern" straight handle bar - they tend to stretch the outside of the arm, and put pressure on the scaphoid bone in the wrist. This can also be exacerbated by pressure on the carpal-tunnel - often due to poor adjustment of the controls on the bar. There is a renaissance of the classic mustache bar for commuting which sweeps the hands backwards - giving more of ski-pole grip of the bar: this releases pressure on the wrist-joint and often alleviates shoulder rotator-cuff stress.
If the controls are adjusted so that the wrist is flexed, with the knuckles being pushed back toward the body, the wrist is vulnerable. Setting the brake-levers so that the wrist is held straight and the meta-carpal bones of the hand are pointing at a natural angle toward the ground ( in line with the arm) many problems can be alleviated. This is very hard to do on a bike that is too big for the rider.
For commuting, suspension is not desired! It is both heavy, and requires extensive service. Considering the nature of roads today sufficient suspension can be had by correct tire choice. There has been a trend toward narrow tires for riding on roads - led by the 80's 10-spd bike fashion, which emulated the racing-bikes of the day. However, a little scientific study shows that tires that have a larger volume and lower pressure roll better and give more comfort than narrow tires at commuter speeds. In your choice of bike ability to mount larger volume tires is perhaps the best suspension you could possibly have."
More than anyone would want to know