"Jonathan prestidge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:Looking for some advice on a sizing issue. I have been offered a 2003 Jekyll at a very attractive
price, but am worried that it is slightly too big for me. I'm about 5'9" and have an inside leg of
around 31 inches, and the frame is a medium. However, when I checked clearance in the shop there
wasn't a huge amount - definitely less than 3 inches. My hardtail is a 16.5" custom, which, of
course fits me perfectly, but I understand that with full suspension you have a higher BB height,
so the relationship between the contact points is different. The relationship between saddle and
bars was just about perfect for me on the Jekyll, so if I go for a smaller size, I would end up
having to fit a longer stem and compromise the handling. The other point is that the Cannondale
was not on its lowest BB setting when I tested it, so there is perhaps an extra 0.5 inches to be
gained. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Jonathan Prestidge
I'm 5'6" with a 30" inseam, and just bought a 2004 Jekyll, frame size small. It fits perfectly.
Something they don't tell you in the literature or on the website is that when you go from a men's
medium to a men's small, the top tube is no longer straight. On the small, it has a bend in it like
the "feminine" models. Check out the website and you'll see what I mean. Looks at the geometry specs
carefully and you will see the standover height go from about ~31" on the medium to ~28" on the
small. This is the reason. You will have a lot more clearance on the small.
As far as the fit, when I first went from a hardtail to a full squish I did get a little taller bike
to account for sag, at the recommendation of the salesmen. But I eventually went back to a smaller
frame with more standover, because when you have to put a foot down through a technical section, the
sag factor tends to dissappear. I am much more comfortable on a smaller frame. At your size, perhaps
the small would be a bit too small, but would recommend going with the smaller bike any time a rider
feels they are on the fence between the two sizes. This is just my personal opinion.
Also, I wouldn't put any thought into the 3" clearance "rule of thumb" that you hear floating
around. Depending on the design and your preferences, it could be any number over 1".
See if they'll let you take the medium out to the trail and tear it up for a while. See how it
feels. One thing I will say is that the supsension and overall feel of the Jekyll is absolutely
awesome. It's my 3rd full suspension bike, and by far the best.
Good luck.
