Sizing question - before I pull the trigger

[Santa]

Hello, I need input on sizing before I place an order for a Decoy. I am 5'8" and I always fit Medium size bikes in every other brand I've owned (2 Pivots, 3 Giants, 1 Intense, 1 Scott). I have proportionally long legs and shorter upper body.

BUT the reach numbers on those Decoys apepar to be so low.

I currently ride a Pivot Firebird 29 as my main bike and reach comes in at 455, which I really like for DH duties, but is a little short for trail riding.

The reach on the Decoy comes in at 430 for the Medium and 450 for the Large.

On the other hand, since an eBike is heavier and I want to keep things more playful, then shouldn't the shorter bike be a better option? In terms of style of riding, I see this e-MTB as a shuttle to get me up the hills faster so that I get more descents in. I really enjoy enduro/DH steep and tech as well as jump lines. Trail riding is not my thing unless I have no choice.

 

[Levo Laland]

Have a read of this:

What mountain bike frame size should I ride? - MBR

 

[Astom22]

I used the sizing chart from their site and went with the bigger one of the two I fit in and couldn't be happier.

 

[Lee]

I'm also 5'8" and i tried both the medium and large 2019 which were 435 and 455 respectively as the fork was slightly lower and bought the large, up until then I was always a medium as well. when discussing it with YT they stated many people were preferring larger sizes on the demo days.

They are currently selling the 2019 models at bargain prices.

 

[nativeracer]

To me the Decoys felt smaller then the rest of the YT line. I usually ride a large but it felt more like a medium and went with an XL on the Decoy.

 

[westcoastmtbr]

Agreed, YT definitely is a bike you may want to consider going one size larger. I ride a L on a Yeti Sb130, went XL on the Decoy.

 

[MTB_MIKE]

5' 7.5" without shoes but with longish arms and legs and went with a large. Run a 170 dropper but may upgrade to a oneup 210mm dropper.
My other bike is an S3 Specialized Enduro which is even bigger/longer than a Large Decoy and fits great on me.

 

[Changleen]

5’7”, regular build, I went for a Medium in the end and I am very happy. I’ve come from a short bike background (BMX and old short and sharp XCs). I can move around the bike but it still feels long compared to what I am used to.

 

[filotnie]

5‘6’’ here and I took M at tight turns legs are coming in a way a bit.. and I am opposite to you in terms of proportions.. short legs and longer upper body..
I am happy with M but L would work for me too.. I would recommend L for you without a blink.

 

[squeegee]

5'9" here and got to test ride both sizes before buying. Went with large because it felt better for me than M did, even though I have never owned an L in my life. Mentally took me a while to forget that it's a large but it's been great. I chalk it up to new geos and body positioning too. My regular bike, '15 Intense Tracer is an M, after riding Decoy for months it feels too small. Now running a -25mm offset head on dropper for Tracer.

All that being said, as a rider you can adapt to a lot more than you think, so there's that to screw with your noggin too

 

[damo]

I'm 5'8" and the Large I rode on a demo day was a perfect fit

 

[9748simonb]

If your a medium on other bikes go for the large on the decoy. I’m just under 5’10 with short legs and it’s quite compact. A medium would have felt small for me.

 

[Sand0kan]

I have a medium capra but a large Decoy which fits like a glove. I am 1.75 m. IMHO it is a 'short' bike.

 

[butthead]

My Capra was 445 reach before (L) and I went for a large Decoy - feels very similar but could easily go larger. I'm 5' !0" so if I were you I'd probably go large too if you are used to longer reach bikes.

 

[akuria]

I am technically a XXL with the decoy but went with a XL instead and glad I went smaller.

 

[MarkH]

Demo'd a medium and small, and even though sizing chart puts me (@5.6) firmly on a medium, I bought a small. Both sizes would have been ok but the small is so much more chuckable. Stability isn't an issue as the weight provides that.

 

[TX1911fan]

To me the Decoys felt smaller then the rest of the YT line. I usually ride a large but it felt more like a medium and went with an XL on the Decoy.

Nativeracer, how tall are you? I'm 5'11" with a 32" inseam. Ordered a L but wondering if I should have gone XL.

 

[Subzilla]

large here too, it felt wrong doing so, but the stand over is so low it’s not a problem, I’m 5’9’’ and my Large decoy is just right.

 

[nativeracer]

Nativeracer, how tall are you? I'm 5'11" with a 32" inseam. Ordered a L but wondering if I should have gone XL.

I’m a little over 6ft tall, even my buddy who normally rides a medium went with a large on the Decoy. Plus the 2020 Decoy has a shorter reach compared to the 2019 version because of the 170mm fork. Stand over shouldn’t be an issue what so ever, it’s pretty low compared to some other bikes.

 

[Fatbap]

I went with yts recommendations after a discussion with them I’m 6’1 an went with a xl an it’s spot on

 

[YT_DAVE88]

100% go with the large, I am 5'10 riding a large decoy as I went with yt's suggestions. it fits me ok but my buddy went for a XL decoy and its just that little bit more comfortable for me.

 

[Santa]

UPDATE AND FINAL CONCLUSION- Spent the weekend at Fat Tire Festival in Ocala, and got to try the Decoy finally. Definitely preferred the MEDIUM over the large. In fact tge (amazing!) staff at the YT booth advised to actually size DOWN for ebikes to keep the playful and compensate for added weight.

wile at FTF I also demoed several other e-bikes including Levo, Levo SL, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Cannondale Moterra. Decoy was clear winner including: Most playful (except SL), best climber, best jumper, best descender.

Order placed!

 

[Jeffsy29]

Nativeracer, how tall are you? I'm 5'11" with a 32" inseam. Ordered a L but wondering if I should have gone XL.

@TX1911fan - Did you get your Decoy yet? How's the fit? I'm torn between L and XL myself. YT says to upsize to XL for me at 5'10".

 

[Jeffsy29]

100% go with the large, I am 5'10 riding a large decoy as I went with yt's suggestions. it fits me ok but my buddy went for a XL decoy and its just that little bit more comfortable for me.

@YT_DAVE88 - when you rode your buddy's XL, was there anything you *didn't* feel comfortable with? Like standover? Or anything else? I'm the same height and have a Large '18 Jeffsy but thinking of sizing up to XL on the Decoy.

 

[YokoOno]

@TX1911fan - Did you get your Decoy yet? How's the fit? I'm torn between L and XL myself. YT says to upsize to XL for me at 5'10".

I'm 5'9" and am comfortable on a L
My friend is 5'11" and is comfortable on a L

 

[Barty_NorthVan]

@YT_DAVE88 - when you rode your buddy's XL, was there anything you *didn't* feel comfortable with? Like standover? Or anything else? I'm the same height and have a Large '18 Jeffsy but thinking of sizing up to XL on the Decoy.

Hey Dave,

I'm 5'10" and got the large - I shortened the stem to 35mm and put the flip in High setting and now it feels just like my Medium Norco Range. Playful and poppy.
Cheers
Barty.

 

[nickfrog]

Because they have a XXL, all the sizing is now offset. I am normally a L but went XL in Decoy 29. It shows, as if needed, that looking at actual measurements and ignore sizing (S, M, L XL) is the way to go as those vary from one brand to the other.

 

[Subzilla]

I'm 5'9" and am comfortable on a L
My friend is 5'11" and is comfortable on a L

I went large normally ride a medium, the large is spot on and stand over is lower than my other bikes

 

[Jeffsy29]

Because they have a XXL, all the sizing is now offset. I am normally a L but went XL in Decoy 29. It shows, as if needed, that looking at actual measurements and ignore sizing (S, M, L XL) is the way to go as those vary from one brand to the other.

@nickfrog - what's your height? what reach measurement are you used to on your previous bike? I ride a gen1 Jeffsy29 (L) with reach of 445mm and top tube 616mm. It's been fine but could use a longer reach. The fixed all this in gen2 but oh well.

Decoy 29 (L) shows: Reach 462mm; TT 608mm (shorter than Jeffsy)
Decoy 29 (XL) shows: Reach 482.mm; TT 631mm

Do you know the standover height on your XL Decoy?

 

[Jeffsy29]

Folks do you think this Decoy29 Large looks about right if I'm used to Jeffsy29 Large geo?

	2018 JEFFSY 29 carbon	2020 Decoy 29 PRO	CHANGE	CHANGE	Quality
	L	L	%	mm/deg.
TOP TUBE LENGTH (mm)	616.0	608.0	-1.3%	-8.0	shorter	TOP TUBE LENGTH (mm)
REACH (mm)	445.0	462.0	3.8%	17.0	longer	REACH (mm)
STACK (mm)	623.0	624.0	0.2%	1.0	higher	STACK (mm)
SEAT TUBE LENGTH (mm)	480.0	445.0	-7.3%	-35.0	shorter	SEAT TUBE LENGTH (mm)
CHAIN STAY LENGTH (mm)	440.0	458.0	4.1%	18.0	longer	CHAIN STAY LENGTH (mm)
HEAD TUBE ANGLE	67.5	66.0	-2.2%	-1.5	slacker	HEAD TUBE ANGLE
SEAT TUBE ANGLE	75.0	77.0	2.7%	2.0	steeper	SEAT TUBE ANGLE
BB DROP (mm)	24.0	31.0	29.2%	7.0	lower	BB DROP (mm)
WHEELBASE (mm)	1178.0	1235.0	4.8%	57.0	longer	WHEELBASE (mm)
HEAD TUBE LENGTH (mm)	110.0	105.0	-4.5%	-5.0	shorter	HEAD TUBE LENGTH (mm)