Mountain Biking - what do you think?

I would like to know what everyones thoughts are on stand over hight verses top tube length, but first let me tell you were I'm comming from. Earlyer this season I had the chance to take a friends '05 15 inch rockhopper for a decent ride. Got real muddy on a horse path around a local lake; I was hooked. Fast forward to me now having put a way the cash for one of my own. This bike will be for off road riding in pastures, hay fields and were ever else I can find to go in southwest Iowa. I went in to a LBS and told them what I had road and what I was looking for. Salesman was very helpful but said I should be more concerned with the top tube length then the stand over hight. I know I need to ride them both and see what one feels better, but I live 90 miles from the nearest shop and I want to have as many ducks in a row as I can before I go in. The guy at the shop was very good and didn't try to push me one way or the other, but he would have to order a 15 inch bike if that is what I wanted. Sorry to ramble.

Jesster1

We can't fit you over the internet, but give us more info anyways. How tall? Inseam? Would you say your torso is long, normal, or short for your height.
That ride on your friends bike probably told you everything you need to know, Was it cramped? If you came off the saddle to pedal, were your knees hitting the bars?
We need more info to even start the speculation and guess work that will follow.

15 is a small bike and TT and ST measurements are proportional. Unless your short I would order at lest a medium..

small bikes are ok for short distances and tricks, but in hay fields you will want to be a little more stretched out

I'd agree with the shop guy that top tube is more important than standover. Unless you have freakishly short legs, standover shouldn't be an issue with the vast majority of bikes. b2b is correct - we need more data to help you out better.

I'm 5'10" and my hardtail is a 15" but I like a smaller bike. Most folks my hight would opt for a 17" ride.

For me specific I'm 5'6" with a 30"inseam on my pants. I've stood over a 17" bike and there is just a bit of clearance between the tub and my boys. When I road my friends bike I didn't notice being cramped at all, but then I was just so thrilled to be riding that I may not have noticed. I know you can't fit me over the net, I was just looking for some insight as to if one measerment was more important then the other.

Jesster1

Cockpit length (top tube) is definitely the more important consideration, at least in my book. You appear to be pretty size-proportional, and my guess is that a 15-16inch ride will be in the ballpark.

I'm 5'-10" with a 30inch inseam, and my bikes are 17-18inch. I have a proportionally longer torso, and 15-16inch bikes have always felt too cramped for my tastes.

As others have said, though, ya gotta demo the bike(s) to really know which bike/size speaks to ya.

I am 5'8" and ride a 16" Hardrock and a 15" Monocog 29er, so I would put you on a 15" frame for off road riding. If you were primarily going to be road riding, a bigger frame would be more comfortable, but the smaller frame will be more manuverable on trails.

I'm 6' and on a 13" frame. Only because that's the only size my hardtail comes in.

5'10" here [5'11" on a good day], 33.5" inseam and I usually ride 17" - 18" hardtails with short stems.