So I’m about to take the plunge & buy my first ever DH bike.

I’m 5’9″ & would normally go for a size Medium or 17.5″ there or thereabouts. My main ride currently is a 2012 Nukeproof Mega in Medium (which feels about the right size for me – I certainly wouldn’t want to go any bigger)

I’ve read a few threads where people seem to go for smaller DH bikes than perhaps you might if you buy a trail bike, so I’m considering whether I should go for a small or medium.

I’ve been looking mostly second hand, so considering a Nukeproof Scalp, Kona Operator etc.

Would be great to hear feedback from those of you who have a DH rig, how tall you are & what size you went for?

Cheers

Hi, I’m about the same height as yourself and have owned a couple of DH bikes – a Session and a Summum – and both have fit me great in medium.

If anything the trend these days seems to be for people to go a size up, for extra stability at speed – but I’m more into the slower, natural stuff than balls-out tracks so I find a large bike a bit cumbersome. Used to have a small/med freeride bike and found that a bit twitchy, so in summary it’s medium all the way for me.

Saying all that, I’ve decided to get something a bit less full-on so I’m flogging my Summum, just in case you should be interested…
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1575362/
😉

I’d say you’re about spot on for a medium.

6’0″ and on a large Aurum

I’m 6ft and went for a large Morwood Makulu (25″ top tube), I also ride a large Mega TR (24″ top tube).
The Makulu feels perfect, previously I had a medium Intense Socom (23″ top tube), always felt cramped and unstable.

I also recently rode a medium Morewood Kalula, bike felt really cramped (23″ top tube). Maybe I could get away with riding a medium Makulu, as it would be a 24″ top tube (same as my Mega), but prefer the stability the longer bike gives me.

You will notice I have used the top tube measurement, rather than seat tube measurement (which is pretty irrelevant for dh bikes due to some odd frame designs!). My Makulu is effectively one size larger than my Mega TR, which goes against the ‘buy one size smaller’ ethic.

Something else which is very important, is getting the bar height and position setup, as it can ruin a bikes handling. I ran my bars pretty low on the makulu when I first built it (Atlas stem, low rise atlas bars and boxxers as low as possible), it was horrid until I rode another makulu with a much higher front end. So I ended up dropping the forks through the crowns, fitting a set of atlas riser bars (+20mm over the low rise bars) and a 10mm spacer under the direct mount stem. Bike handled far better after that, really good in the air and on the steep stuff and find I can lean on the front end more in the turns.

Cheers for the advice everyone – I’ll be going for a medium.

Chakaping – if you were a bit nearer where I am then I’d be interested – Wigan is a bit too far away unfortunately

People sometimes fanny around with dh bike sizing but that mainly means they’re buying badly sized bikes. There was a trend for tiny wee frames for a bit but now it’s all about the wheelbase.

Coincidentally 😉 I decided to sell my 224 Evo in medium, if you were interested… Has no wheels though.

Dh bikes are usually smaller than trail bikes (seat tube) for the same given size. Im 6ft and rode a s/m supreme dh for a year and didnt realise it was too small for me until I had a go of a large dh bike which ft infinitely better.

Medium sounds perfect for you.

At least a medium for you and possibly a large. It depends on the bike sizings some are longer than others. I’m 5’8 and have a large carbon v10 after a medium before. The larger bike is definitely better/faster.

Medium, but depends on what frame as top tube lengths are changing these days.