This. Contrary to popular belief, whether a bike frame is "cushy" or not has almost nothing to do with the frame material and everything to do with how long the bike's wheelbase is. An aluminum bike with a long wheelbase will always have a more comfortable ride than an ultra-short-wheelbase steel track bike.

Of course, there's always a compromise. Long-wheelbase bikes are comfy to ride but a bit bland. Short-wheelbase bikes are more exciting to ride but harsh. Best is to figure out where you want to be on that continuum and look for bikes with that wheelbase.