Is there such a thing as a comfy hardtail frame that can take a beating?

I have a Rocky Mountain hardtail but it is pretty harsh on the old rear, so I’m thinking I might replace it with something that is a bit more comfy, based around a 120mm fork.

When I say “take a beating” I mean something with a 67 deg HA and will feel at home in the air, on steep technical stuff, drops offs etc, as well as being ok on the way up.

And no, I don’t want to go down the route of a suspension seatpost.

Id guess you’re going to have to make a compromise somewhere there. 67deg HA, take a beaging AND comfy. At least you’ve not asked for it to be cheap

I suspect if you changed your wants from a 67deg HA’d 120mm bike to 68/120 or 67/140 you’d have more choice to go at? Unless you’re considering an angle adjust h/set
Not sure what the angles are on the 456evo but IIRC 456s aren’t the comfiest ride, nor Orange P7s?
Guessing you want to be considering things like (Ive ridden none of them so no idea on comfy):
Cotic Soul
Cotic BFe
Dialled PA
Dialled Alpine? Or are they 130mm+?
Genesis Altitude/Latitide (not Alptitude, unless youll go to 140mm)
Sanderson Life perhaps
Charge something, not the duster. STmag had one recently. Said it was very slack
Pipedream R853 Sirrus maybe?
Other high spec tubed stuff in steel

Ive a Sanderson Life with 120mm forks (Around 68deg HA) pretty comfy and seems fairly downhill capable despite thin diameter tubes. Is alright at small-medium ish drops, a long ETT 20″ frame with 90mm stem aren’t the most conducive to feeling at home in the air
Not the best climber with 120mm forks, though I think thats down to the stupidly slack seatangle. ETA on the fork (a lockdown) helps when its steep, but worse when rough ..
I cant say it gets that much of a beating as I use it as a XC hardtail most of the time, only when its acting as spare bike when the suss bike is down that it gets taken to more jumpy and rocky places

Yes many options.

As above I’m loving my BFe with 150/120 dual position forks, it’s a great fun bike to chuck about plus comfortable on 6hr rides. Have a PA on order, bought as a comparison. If you’re fixed on 120 fork then Soul and PA over BFe perhaps.

I should have said 67/68 HA, just something that isn’t “racing” steep.

Comfy is probably the wrong word too: I should probably say a more forgiving ride than the bone-rattler I have at the moment.

Damn the red wine hahaha

C456 with a slackset, light cheap and strong!

Try a carbon seatpost in your current frame maybe? I used to have a BFe, but the rear end was too stiff for me, plus it was probably waaaay too much bike for a rider like me!

Is there such a thing as a comfy hardtail frame that can take a beating?

BFe – I can confirm they can take a beating, and also ride comfortably enough for day long epics. Can pick them up at the moment for £300, but rumour is a new version is due in next month with 44mm headtube and cowled dropouts, and the price will be rising to £350.

Stanton Slackline?

Yesterday I went for my first proper sort of ride on my new (to me) Prince Albert. I sold my Charge Blender for it. Wow…. Its the sort of bike you get on that just feels……right. The blender was slack front and seat, but this one feels much more capable for pedaling but still very playful (its wicked for wheelies :-)….)
Fantastic ‘do it all’ frame, get one. Plus of course you get to ask people if they want to see a photo of your Prince Albert and enjoy all the ensuing hilarity…..

and the price will be rising to £350

yes, but they will be available in that lovely green 😀

+1 c456

Orange P7

The later BFe frames are more forgiving. Cy from Cotic openly admits he overbuilt the first generation frames. I found the 2011 (blue) frame to be very comfy and fantastic down most techy Peak District Bridelwsys. Much fun. Nearly as quick as my FS bike in a straight line and more manoverable over drops and round tight corners. fab bike. Wish I hadn’t sold it…

+1 for P7

mag experts seem to say the c456 is over stiff.
I found my 456SS to be uncomfortable, bought a c456 and love it. whether the frame is stiff or not, it’s light, so never a dead weight and can be hopped and skipped over stuff easily, it’s easy to get airborne and throw around, I don’t particularly find it stiff, uncomplient and certainly not uncomfortable. £249 now, I believe.

That sounds like my Cotic Soul. Mine has 140mm forks, measures about 67.5 degrees at ride height. 120mm forks would be the same unsagged. My idea of a great local XC ride is criss-crossing the South Downs trying to link up as many DH runs as possible, pushing back up if it’s too steep to pedal, riding the biggest drops/jumps I dare (about 4′ is my current limit) and then heading off to the next mini-DH spot, via as much interesting singletrack as possible. Any smaller dirtjumps enroute will also be sessioned.

I had a Boardman HT before and the Soul feels much slacker and more stable, far stiffer when you push it hard into corners or down rocky stuff, goes where you point it, but damps the trail buzz to the point that you feel like you’re running lower pressures than you actually are. If you’re much heavier (I’m 12.5 stone) and/or harder riding than me i can imagine the stiffer BFe frame could be better on the gnarliest stuff but won’t be as comfy when munching the miles. Thinking of trying some local DH races once I’ve got to grips with gap jumps and bought a fullface…