I’ve a yearning for a long travel hard tail. I also have long Marzocchi forks and 26″ wheels all ready to go on it so limited there.

Most of my riding is 30 minutes XC blasts or a weekly 2 hour or so local ride. While I’m blessed with riding from the door, longer rides are a bit out of the question due to family, work etc.

Looking to buy second hand and like the look of Ragley Baggers, Stanton Slacklines and the like.

I know they’re not ideal for those 2 1/2 hour XC rides, but they are for the 30 minute blasts. I’m a light but fairly crap rider so longer forks I can smash my way through / bounce over obstacles with is appropriate and I’ve always had a softspot for hardcore(ish) hardtails.

Is a Hornet just going to be ridiculous with a seatpost up at pedaling-properly height or will the trade off be bearable for the fun coming down?