Hello,

I’m in the process of trying to size up a Zesty 327 as part of my insurance replacement, I’m currently stuck on sizes so looking for some advice based on owners experiences.

At 180cm the Lapierre website suggests I’m looking at a large frame, however with a 29/30″ inside leg and having ridden 17″ hardtail frames for years (rightly or wrongly) I’m worried about not having the standover height to move around comfortably and feeling stretched when reaching the bars. On the other hand, going for the medium I’m concerned about feeling cramped, will that extra half inch reach really make the difference?.

I’ve had a play on a large in a shop car park and it felt OK, but I can’t seem to find anywhere with a built up medium for love nor money. Are there any owners out there a similar height, which size did you go for and how do you find it?

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

You can make a small Bike fit but not a Bike that’s too big. I’ve similar inside leg and am on the medium. If it’s git a lev dropper you won’t get it to work on the larger frame because you’ll need to drop the post so far, mine just works on the medium.

Lapierres have quite high BBs. From memory the BB is only 12 or 20mm below the wheel axles of 27.5 Zesty and and X-Control. I don’t know how they measure virtual top tube length but their tape measure clearly doesn’t have the same graduations as mine – you’ll find the top tubes shorter than stated with saddle height at the height you’d expect for the advised size based on height.

I advise measuring your current bike then finding a Zesty to measure up. I suspect you’ll end up with a medium and change the stem to get the right length. I ride a medium X-Control 627 with a 32″ inside leg.

I had a medium 26″ wheeled zesty and I’m 181 cm with a 32″ inside leg, if that’s any help. It felt fine.

I’ve had a play on a large in a shop car park and it felt OK

I’d go large then, they’re not know for their lengthy top tubes but standover’s usually fine.

I just sold my 2011 medium and looking back it probably was a bit short for me (I’m similar size to you).

i don’t know if i’m going to be helpful or not here…!

I’m 5’9″ (176cm) and my 327 is a size medium. It feels fine to me and i wouldn’t really imagine that another inch would compromise that.

What i would say, and i don’t know if this is relevant to you, is that i got my 327 as an insurance replacement when i ad my 314 stolen. I loved that 314 and opted for the 327 as i expected it to have a similar feel. It doesn’t and I’m not over keen on it!

I don’t like the very wide frame at the back and i don’t like the 2×10 gear ratios.

If you haven’t already then try before you buy!

I had a 317 and went to 427. Love the feel width a back feels planted and the 2×10 works great for Scottish borders climbs. Just shows you’ll get as many opinions as answers.

metcalt

I’ve had a play on a large in a shop car park and it felt OK, but I can’t seem to find anywhere with a built up medium for love nor money. Are there any owners out there a similar height, which size did you go for and how do you find it?

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

I’m 5’9 and had a medium 2013 Zesty/Spicy. My gut told me to go for a large, but stand over was an issue. So I bought the medium. It was twitchy, over damped and hopeless on high speed dh terrain. It did climb well but that was about it. Happily it snapped clean in half after about 6 weeks.

The newer bikes have revised geometry, but not enough imo as they were already pretty flawed.

5’8″ 32″ inside leg on a med 514. If I put a short stem on it I feel that it’s too short for me. If you like the wider bar route and short stem at your height, you will feel better on a large.

Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated. Managed to get a play on a medium and as some have said here it felt a bit short, a large with the dropper collar down to the seat clamp feels spot on.

Thanks again!