realskiers

I hear you -- almost every aluminum hard tail I tested was just too harsh for my liking, to the point that I was seriously considering full suspension (gasp! sacrilege!), which I really didn't want for various reasons; or rebuilding my old steel frame bike, which was not a great option either due to poor frame fit to my size.  Until I started testing 29ers, I was actually looking at the few rare steel frame 26ers that are still being made.  Jamis makes one, and a couple of other smaller makers do too.  Carbon fiber just wasn't in my budget, although I was sorely tempted.  Scandium is better than aluminum wrt. harsh ride, but was hard to find here.

If I ever start riding a road bike, it will be either a rebuild of an old vintage steel frame racing bike (there is one sitting in our garage gathering dust.....winter project?), or a carbon frame.  I cannot imagine riding an aluminum frame road bike with tires inflated rock-hard.  I'd have to slip an inch-thick neoprene pad down the back of my shorts    just to be able to ride it.