I started riding 20 yrs. ago at the age of 43, there are 2 things that keep circling around in my head. I think that going to be fitted for a tuxcedo, and finding where your dementions fit into the respected bell curves would be very benificial to bike fit. If you are in the top of the curve in all ways a bike shop can probably fit you according to the curent SM_MD_LG sizing systum. If you are at the fringe of the curve in some way you need to figure out how that will effect your fit. If your legs make up a proportionaly small amount of your hight the more importand stand over hight is. touso lingth effects top tube and stem lingth, arme lingth often effects what hight the handle bars are comfortable at. #2Several years ago I asked a phisical theripist which hand position would be more comfortable, and demonstrated the mtn bike ,straight bar, position and then the hands on the hoods of drop bar. Her response to the straight bar was, that is'nt a natural position, it's in your range of motion but your armes will never relax in that shape. She told me that with every thing equal nothing short of 100.000years of evolution is going to make mtn. bike bars as comfortable as drop bars.