I am hoping to pull the trigger on a new bike purchase this week (Whyte t130s)  The one issue I still have to resolve is size. I fall right on the divide between L and XL. I have tried both, and to be totally honest they both felt fine.

I realize that bike size is very much a personal decision, but I would be interested in your thoughts on going bigger or smaller. I guess the XL will be a smidge heavier and with a 20mm longer wheelbase, marginally more stable? The L may be fractionally easier to chuck about.

To be honest I’m not sure I am that tuned in to tell the difference, and I suspect that tweaking the suspension will make more of a difference to how the bike rides than an extra 15mm reach…

The L will be slightly easier to fit in the car.

Can’t speak re full sus but for HTs I’ve always found hedging towards smaller is easier to adjust and more fun to ride.

It’s easier to make a smaller bike fit than a larger one

It depends on what sort of riding you do. Primarily tight twisty singletrack, or rolling out the miles on bridleways?

I’ve owned the exact same bike in two sizes, and as you say, the smaller one is more manoeuverable. But is that relevant to your style of riding?

Timidwheeler, most bikes will fit in a Transit!

Riding wise, local trails in the woods, Forest of Dean, trail centre type stuff. Some bigger days in bigger hills planned for later in the year.

I’m leaning towards the L over the XL, it certainly didn’t feel cramped.

Same size stem on both?

XL with a short stem or L with a bit longer one?

Whyte spec a 40mm stem on the L, but 50mm on the XL. There’s a bigger dropper and bigger discs on the XL too.

I’m leaning towards the L over the XL, it certainly didn’t feel cramped.

And how did the XL feel?

It’s a tricky one, but the answer is that if you are genuinely between sizes, either will be fine.

Being 5’10” I tend to fall between Medium and Large on most size charts, I used to opt for the smaller option as I thought this would make for an easier to handle more “flickable” bike, I’ve gradually come to the realisation that a slightly larger bike actually suits me better, giving more space at the front of the bike, longer more stable wheelbase and if needed a shorter stem is a better way to sort position, but then everyone is different…

I’m 5ft 11 and found the large too big. The dropper was too high even when slammed and the whole bike felt too big. Medium then felt a bit small! So ended up buying something else. Lovely bikes though!

Kinda agree with cookeea. I know all bikes differ but my hardtail is a large for the reasons cookeea mentions but my full suss is a medium because the standover on the large felt odd, but being between sizes can be a pain.

How tall are you kenburg? I’m 6ft 3 and would always go for the XL even though I technically fall between L and XL on some bikes. I rode a t-130 at the weekend and it felt great, it’s not an overly long bike anyway.

How about going for the XL, chopping the stem out for a 35mm and shunting the saddle forward on the rails? Should result in a distance from saddle to handlebar  not dissimilar to the Large and only increase the effective BB to seat angle a touch, bringing it near to the 74 degrees that seem fashionable on the latest bike designs.

Given the above,
XL inc dropper and larger rotors, then swap the stem for a shorter one. Would also create an option for wider bars….

Is a layback post fitted to any of the two frames btw?