Mountain Biking - High standover heights?

Hi,

As new entrant to the world of MTB I’ve been reading through many interesting of the posts on here.

I’m sorry if my first post touches on an already well covered topic - and Ihave searched through, but I do have a specific question I would like to ask.

I am in the process of getting a Giant XTC bike, my height is 5-11 and inside leg about 31.5”, the frame size I had mind was M 18”.

However looking at the Giant XTC geometry page:

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/mountain/1410/29688/geometry/

(link now corrected)


and converting the dimensions to inches gives the standover height of even the XS frame to be just over 30”. Bearing in mind that a lot of people seem to say that you should allow yourself about 3” or more standover clearance, it seems that you would have to have pretty long legs to give yourself enough clearance to fit even a XS size frame – surely this cant be right.

I know that there’s more than just standover height to take in to account, but I a bit surprised by the seemingly high standover heights of these frames and am now a bit confused!

Thanks

Standover height isn't a good way to size a frame at all.

I am in the process of getting a Giant XTC bike, my height is 5-11 and inside leg about 31.5”, the frame size I had mind was M 18”.

However looking at the Giant XTC geometry page:
and converting the dimensions to inches gives the standover height of even the XS frame to be just over 30”. Bearing in mind that a lot of people seem to say that you should allow yourself about 3” or more standover clearance, it seems that you would have to have pretty long legs to give yourself enough clearance to fit even a XS size frame – surely this cant be right. What's 31.5"? Your pants inseam? That would seem reasonable for someone your height. If so, your total leg length, including shoes, is certainly a bit longer than that...a couple of inches, maybe. A "medium" (stand-over height = 31.4") would give you a couple of inches clearance in that case.

By the way, your link is screwed up.

Sorry about dodgy link, this is the correct one!

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/mountain/1410/29688/geometry/

What also surprises me is that SO height only spans 3" over the entire range XS - XL

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Have you tried out the bike? If I fit then standover height wouldn't be a big concern for me.

Bearing in mind that a lot of people seem to say that you should allow yourself about 3” or more standover clearance, it seems that you would have to have pretty long legs to give yourself enough clearance to fit even a XS size frame – surely this cant be right.

I never heard of that. Am I supposed to do this 3" measurement while wearing boxers or briefs? :D

Thanks for the replies.

I tried out a size medium in the bike shop and with my 31”ish inseam (in briefs!) giving me about 1.5” – 2” clearance thought it would be ok. Only later did I start to see things on the internet saying that on a mountain bike you should have 3”, 4” or even 5” clearance – although in fairness I did see other things that said standover isnt everything, but just don’t want end up with the wrong frame size.

On seeing the specs on the Giant geomtry page I think I may as well stick with the medium as even the XS Giant wouldnt give me much more clearance and would squash me up horizontally. Just amazed how the difference in standover heights from XS to XL is so little!

Standover is measured with your bike inseam, not pants inseam. For me, it's a difference of 2.5".

size by top-tube length. get the cockpit length fit right and worry about seat-tube length/TT height second.

Standover height isn't a good way to size a frame at all.

For my money - it isn't even a factor. You will be riding - not standing over your bike.

... Brad

For my money - it isn't even a factor. You will be riding - not standing over your bike.

... BradYeah. but you don't live your life riding on the bike...you have to start and stop...get on and get off...sometimes unexpectedly.

Yeah. but you don't live your life riding on the bike...you have to start and stop...get on and get off...sometimes unexpectedly.

*generally* as amounts of travel go up, stand over heights go up as well. obviously true with larger frame sizes. if someone really wants longer TT lengths and low standover/short seattubes, you eihter shop around like crazy to find a frame that has the numbers you like, or have a custom frame built.

suppose one could have a custom mixte frame built if one was really that anal about having gobs of standover room.

A full suspension mixte could be well, uh yeah.

A full suspension mixte could be well, uh yeah.

hey, since the OP is looking at hardtail frames...

hmm. you'd probably have to stick with a simple single pivot to really make it doable without getting too crazy. not much triangulation going on to stiffen the front end up though - make it a 1.5 headtube with fat frame tubes maybe. monocoque mixte single pivot sussy frame! i totally think there is a market there. in steel.

hey, since the OP is looking at hardtail frames...

hmm. you'd probably have to stick with a simple single pivot to really make it doable without getting too crazy. not much triangulation going on to stiffen the front end up though - make it a 1.5 headtube with fat frame tubes maybe. monocoque mixte single pivot sussy frame! i totally think there is a market there. in steel.

It'd probably end up looking like one of the Trek Y bikes.

My inseam decreases by 97% when I don't have briefs on. :D :D