Sizing question - before I pull the trigger

Santa

Member
Oct 4, 2019
39
24
Montreal, Canada
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.
 

Astom22

Well-known member
Jan 11, 2020
138
183
Celina, TX
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

Member
Jun 11, 2019
43
60
Lancaster
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

Member
Aug 24, 2019
30
38
California
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.
 

MTB_MIKE

Member
Dec 20, 2019
98
95
Southern California, USA
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

Member
Jan 18, 2020
57
54
Acquiring
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

Member
Aug 11, 2019
41
44
Frankfurt - SW London
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

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2019
360
267
USA
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
 

9748simonb

New Member
Oct 28, 2019
19
14
Uk
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.
 

butthead

Member
Dec 10, 2019
25
11
Stafford
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.
 

MarkH

Well-known member
Patreon
Aug 12, 2018
234
264
Manchester
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.
 

Subzilla

Member
Jan 13, 2020
32
8
NW UK
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

Member
Aug 24, 2019
30
38
California
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.
90E9D907-D282-4229-B8FC-AC11A85DDEE8.jpeg
 

YT_DAVE88

New Member
Feb 9, 2020
34
10
Crumlin South Wales
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

Member
Oct 4, 2019
39
24
Montreal, Canada
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

Member
May 6, 2020
182
79
Rockville MD
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.
 

Barty_NorthVan

New Member
Apr 22, 2020
41
41
North Vancouver
@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

Member
May 22, 2020
139
75
UK
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.
 

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
182
79
Rockville MD
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

Member
May 6, 2020
182
79
Rockville MD
Folks do you think this Decoy29 Large looks about right if I'm used to Jeffsy29 Large geo?

2018 JEFFSY 29 carbon2020 Decoy 29 PROCHANGECHANGEQuality
LL%mm/deg.
TOP TUBE LENGTH (mm)616.0608.0-1.3%-8.0shorterTOP TUBE LENGTH (mm)
REACH (mm)445.0462.03.8%17.0longerREACH (mm)
STACK (mm)623.0624.00.2%1.0higherSTACK (mm)
SEAT TUBE LENGTH (mm)480.0445.0-7.3%-35.0shorterSEAT TUBE LENGTH (mm)
CHAIN STAY LENGTH (mm)440.0458.04.1%18.0longerCHAIN STAY LENGTH (mm)
HEAD TUBE ANGLE67.566.0-2.2%-1.5slackerHEAD TUBE ANGLE
SEAT TUBE ANGLE75.077.02.7%2.0steeperSEAT TUBE ANGLE
BB DROP (mm)24.031.029.2%7.0lowerBB DROP (mm)
WHEELBASE (mm)1178.01235.04.8%57.0longerWHEELBASE (mm)
HEAD TUBE LENGTH (mm)110.0105.0-4.5%-5.0shorterHEAD TUBE LENGTH (mm)
 

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