Nice rip! Good air! What bike do you ride, and size? I’m 5’9 168lbs and ride a large with 27.5 tires. I’m thinking a medium might be better for more control? I’m hearing that a lot from other riders. Technically there large, but bought medium for more control…
I'm 5'8 and am riding a large YT Jeffsy 29er. I know the Jeffsy is a bit on the small side, so I would normally be a medium in many other bikes. I would say sizing is somewhat personal preference but you're definitely correct that a smaller bike is more nimble and easier to control. I would test ride some different sizes and bikes at a shop and see what feels best for you. There are other factors that could affect the handling like geometry and cockpit setup, etc. too. Hope that helps!
I think it depends on what you like to ride, if you want a chunk destroyer then sizing down wont help you at all but if you are riding jump lines all day then it will be just what you are looking for. I had the same dilemma and I found that the ultimate solution was a) buying a bike meant for freeride whick are hard to find these days (something along the lines of a Banshee Darkside: short chainstays small wheels) or size down on a bike that is usually too long and slack for your average rider (something along the lines of a Norco shore). Another interesting option would be a Norco sight which many find to be too big in their own size and is significantly more pedalable.
