Reach

When I stop at lights, I usually just lean my hand on a street post. If there isn't one, I usually get off. My friend tells me that I should be standing on the ground, right pedal halfway, with my crotch on the tube, but I basically have negative standover height (aka my nads are pressing against the tube)! My LBS tells me that the 17 mountain bike I'm riding is perfect, and a 15 would be too cramped. What's the correct way to stop and idle?

khanom

"Track stand"

Mr. Beanz

The Mtn bike is perfect? For what, road riding? Mtn bikes are designed for mtn biking. There is a reason it's called a mtn bike and not a roadbike. Usually mtb's run a bit smaller for added clearance on bumpy terrain. If you have a negative standover clearance on a mountain bike, it is too big!

dahut

Thats kinda what I was thinking. Because a person works in a bike shop doesnt guarantee they know what theyre talking about.

But you mean how to be stopped at an intesection? Whatever looks the coolest, has you in a balanced, ready stance for when you start off and doesnt have you falling over like a doof.
Your friend is pretty much spot on.

This works too:

wahoonc

As long as you stop you are good, IMHO.

I agree that if you are negative on the stand over on a mountain bike there is a fit issue. FWIW my rough stuff mountain bike is a 21", when I use one exclusive on the road I go one size larger to 23" my road bikes are 25.5" I have been riding long enough that I don't usually listen to what bike shop sales people have to say about fit. Unfortunately too many of them don't have a clue what proper fit is.

Aaron

guadzilla

Not necessarily. You dont get off a mountain bike and straddle the TT - depending on the terrain, adequate standover on the road may not be enough on the trail. MTB geometry varies a lot more than the standard 73/73 road bike geo, and sometimes, you do have to trade off nad clearance for other factors. My own MTB is a nad-crusher by conventional standover measures, but a perfect fit for actual riding.

OP - if you need to dismount, lean your bike. That gives you a little more standover clearance and is also a technique you can use on the trail. Practice dismounts on either side.

Machka 

20 years of cycling, and I didn't know there was a "correct" way to stop at red lights.

Mr. Beanz

So what did I say that was any different from your correcting(?) statement? My statement is that the MTB frames are smaller to allow for bouncing while riding offroad. The word "usually" is thrown in my statement to show it is not written in stone, as are your words "not necessarily".


By "actual riding", you mean riding offroad as MTB's are designed to do? If so, then your MTB is too big for you.

Loose Chain

If your "nads" are on the tt on a mtb then the bike is WAY TO BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MTBs suck on the road BTW, in fact, they suck everywhere but in the dirt.

dahut

Aint it so? There's a reason for the names given to things.

MTB's turned into road bikes are functional, i.e., they go down the road and get you from point to point. But they are a compromise on most levels., requiring you to adapt to them. It can be done, sure... anything can be done. Is it the highest and best use? Often, no.

In other words, there 'aint nothing like the right tool for the job at hand.

guadzilla

"If you have a negative standover clearance on a mountain bike, it is too big!" This wasnt qualified.

My point was that standover clearance is over-rated and sizing a MTB based purely on standover clearance is not a good way to do so. Ideal fit depends on the mix of typical terrain and rider's strengths/weaknesses and body type. For a lot of riders, a longer top tube/shorter stem (ie sizing up one) can help. Sometimes, that means a bike where the nads can brush, gently touch or softly graze (depending on how much you love your bike) against the TT when you straddle it.

However, I do agree with you that if Dz Nuts are *actually* being squashed, then the MTB is *most likely* too big.

I'll give that all the attention it deserves

V.

Mr. Beanz

That's funny, first MTB sizing search comes up with the same result I've read and known for years. I'm sure just about any search will produce the same re*****.

If you ride offroad, you need clearance.

3/4 down the page........#9 long top tube ok but bottom line, make sure there is plenty of clearance.



https://www.mountain-bike-world.com/m...e-fitting.html

A longer seat tube will however increase the height of your top tube and reduce your standover clearance – be careful here and make sure there is plenty of clearance in case you come off the bike.


If another rider is willing to smash his nutties by way of inccorect frame sizing, be my guest! But then again, the OP is using an MTB for roadriding for which it is not designed, but like mentioned above, functionable. Using the right tool is the key so I guess if he isn't concerned about using the right tool, why worry about the right sizing?

guadzilla

Yes, I know what the "typical" fit measurements say. I can also find you some articles online which talk about selecting road bikes based on fraction of inseam. That used to be the standard way to size people for road bikes, remember? The point isnt that standover isnt important, but that it is ONE of several factors which come into play when deciding what MTB to get - and in the grand scheme of things, is not the most important one.

Anyway, I have made my point (ie, reach and overall weight distribution should take priority over standover).

Enough people on MTBR.com and other places will agree with it, and anyone who is interested can do their own research. I know what works for me, and I'd rather have my Niner with its reduced standover rather than, say, a Trek with a greater standover - while I am happy to provide more info on why this is so for anyone who is interested, winning an argument or proving anything to you or anyone else isnt very high on my list of priorities.

Knock yourself out with whatever works for you.

Cant argue with that.

V.

pacificaslim

I'm having trouble picturing any case in which having no standover clearance would be acceptable. Even in the case of a freakishly proportioned body where one's legs are super short but torso and arms super long, such that one would need the top tube length of a larger frame, one should simply choose a frame with "compact" geometry so that the top tube slopes enough to provide plenty of standover clearance. Nearly all mountain bikes made in the last 20 years have sloping top tubes anyway.

guadzilla

Well, it is a case of whether or not it is worth accepting this one compromise if other elements of the bike's geometry fit perfectly.

For my riding style, I prefer to have my center of gravity "between the wheels" and a long wheelbase. I can size anywhere from 19-21" frames for MTBs. 19" gives me more standover but I tend to go OTB a little more. So that leads me to a 20-21" frame. For my preferred geometry (Niner's 29-specific geo), that meant a 21" frame with a standover that leaves about an inch to my nuts - but the rest of the bike is perfect. The front wheel stays planted even on really steep climbs and I feel really, really stable on fast, bumpy downhills and on loose-over-hardpack singletrack - far more than I have ever felt on a smaller 18-19" MTB. This bike fits me in a way no 19" bike that I have tried ever did - and I am able to clear more technical stuff than I ever could before.

On the trail, when the ground is uneven, even 2-3" of standover can sometimes not be enough, and besides, every time I have dismounted, it has been to the side and not straight forwards onto the TT. So this is a compromise I happily accept.

Ok, so the distinction is that I do have about an inch or so of clearance, while the OP has no clearance. Point is, just standover is a bad measure for calculating bike fit for MTBs, just as it is for road bikes.

V.

colombo357

Lock both brakes, lean forward so the rear wheel lifts up about 6", then pull back hard to get on the rear wheel. Hop on the rear wheel for a few minutes until the light turns green.

HTH

travelmama

A stop is a stop as long as you are not moving.

DieselDan

Some places, like Texas, require one foot down to stop at a stop sign. I got a warning in Allen, TX for track standing at a stop sign, and the cop told me it was state statute.

Mr. Beanz

Winning an argument or proving anything to me? Geeze, everything you say is pretty much agreeing with what I said from the start.

Usually does not mean JUST as you put it. Not sure where you got JUST from in my post.

Even you have an inch, the OP has a negative, his bike is too big!

I made a general sizing statement, you argued then came out with the same result, you have an inch clearance, again the OP has negative clearance!

How about posting some links where the riders prefer a negative standover like the OP has on his bike (which isn't too big in your opinion)?

garethzbarker

I'm with Mr. Beanz. If your MTB is crushing your balls then it's not the right size. You should be able to stop a bike and not be in pain. I understand compromise on geometry, both my bikes are a tad high on standover (my road bike let's you know it's there for sure) but if a bike causes you pain in you nuts when you stop on flat ground that's just not a functional tool for a normal recreational rider. I mean you can't even mount the damn thing properly.

I used to stop by putting my foot on crap but a wind blew me over once (haha i know) so now I stop like your buddy does usually.

garethzbarker

guadzilla

I have made my point - re-read my last post. If you have anything to discuss re the specific content, by all means. Otherwise, I have no desire to debate who has "won" this argument. You have, happy? The medal ceremony will be later

wheeldeal

How to stop at a red light properly? This is what I do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X975EVV3Egg

PS - if your mountain bike gives you 0 standover clearance, there's a 99% chance it's too big for you. Most mountain bikes have a sloping top tube. Why didn't get go with the 15" bike with a longer stem and/or a setback seatpost? Are you a young teenager who's still growing?

I am actually really interested to see a picture of you on the bike. It's actually pretty damn dangerous if you do any dirt riding. In emergency situations where you have to put a foot down, you'll be very sorry.

CCrew

That's a cop there that needed more to do

calamarichris

Sigh.... I wish I were the bowling ball that those thighs could surely crack.

Red light...? What were you jokers talking about again?