I’ve sort of half convinced myself that life would be far better if I owned another bike, but I need help finding that bike.
I’ve got a 26 FS, which goes quite nicely up hills, not great downhills but who cares about the downhills. I was wanting something that’s a bit faster cross country with a future ambition of a WHW IAD if I ever get fit enough.
I recently bought a Trek Domane and am astounded by how comfortable it is compared to my aluminium road bike. If a similarly compliant frame design exists for a 29er then I reckon I could get something comfy enough for doing long rides at reasonable speeds.
I tend to ride sat down most of the time so bent lots of seatposts on my last hardtail, it was also quite slow since I wouldn’t be pedaling much on the horizontal bumpy surfaces. But if I can get something carbon with a fair amount of flex in the right directions then that might do the job.

Most of the carbon 29ers that I have seen rave about how stiff they are and how awesome they are for racing.

Can you recommend any that are just as light and sprightly, but with a more endurance/marathon bent to them?

cheers

My Scott Scale is pretty comfy – has 5mm vertical flex engineered into the rear triangle to soften things… raceable but more than capable as an all-rounder too..

Had Salsa Ti 26er with 2.35s and Ti post. Now have Whyte 29c with 2.25s and syntace p6 flex post. The Whyte allows me to wear one pair of bib shorts whereas I always use 2 pairs on the 26″ bike. The biggest think I noticed moving across was the comfort. How much of that is down to the spooky seatpost which moves visibly I don’t know.

Scale, I have a 920. 34.9 seat post so unlikely you will bend that one. It is comfy for a hard tail but don’t expect it to be a lovely sofa type ride. Not ridden my nomad since I bought it. Anyone want a mrk1?

Rode a 29c with the stock post and it was pretty comfy – had the carbon wheels too, and I don’t suspect they add any comfort.

i have a Titus Rockstar Carbon 29er, i like it very much, i sold the titus fireline to get it and i wouldnt go back

Cannondale Flash and Merida Big.Nine seem to come out as “comfiest” in most reviews. A lot of this sensation probably comes from the seatpost and tyres so perhaps take it with a pinch of salt….

I tend to ride sat down most of the time so bent lots of seatposts on my last hardtail, it was also quite slow since I wouldn’t be pedaling much on the horizontal bumpy surfaces.

A hardtail will never be a sofa and shouldn’t be ridden like one IMO.

I’m just in the process of building up a Niner Air9 carbon frame, so will be able to comment in about 2 weeks time. However, I will be running the niner RDO forks, but then most of my off-roading over the last 4 years has been riding an Argon18 full carbon cx bike with mnaximum 33mm tires/ tubs so it’ll probably seem quite comfy.

Really enjoying my Trek Superfly (9.8). Feels really quick and was comfortable enough on a 74mile\6hr bridleway bashing ride (plenty of rough lumpy rooty tracks), I’d only started riding it that week so I was surprised how spot on it felt straight away. I haven’t done any long “proper” MTB rides on it yet, but enough to throw up any comfort issues. Don’t forget, tyre choice and pressure will make a big difference to both requirements.

but who cares about the downhills.

I think the guys at Repack were quite keen on them when our beloved pastime was created 😉

On-one Lurcher manages to be stiff and comfy and cheap(ish)…not overlay light though…

Astounded at how good an all rounder the Spesh Camber comp is!

Have you looked into a steel frame? Surly 29er steel frames are super smooth compared to aluminium.

Also, I had a kenisis maxlight xc pro 2. It was scandium with a carbon fiber rear triangle. It soaked up way more bumps than a ridgid frame has any right to….