Can Bikesdirect Standover numbers be trusted?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Can Bikesdirect Standover numbers be trusted?
So I was about ready to buy my first non-BMX bike and thought I had the sizing thing down enough to not worry too much about it, but then I actually measured myself...and it looks like I have short legs for my size. I am 5'10" but my inseam is 29.5" (measured as per the fitting instructions here). I've read a bunch of people on here saying that standover doesn't matter that much, but the assumption for that seems to be that you are spending most of your time riding. I ride mostly in the city, so there is a lot of stop and go traffic, and unfortunately I spend a good chunk of time standing over my bike.
I don't think I need to have a ton of clearance, but I'd like to have some, and that seems to put me on the smallest frame bikes that BikesDirect sells. Even the Dawes SST, with a semi-compact frame, it looks like the 49 is the only size that would give me positive standover height...and they recommend that for people between 4'11" and 5'2"!
Edit: I just measured my wife's mountain bike that I've been riding for the last few months, and coincidentally the standover is exactly 29.5". It's worked mostly fine, but it is just a tad uncomfortable if I'm stopped without leaning the bike over. Makes me think I'd probably not want to go much bigger than that.
I don't think I need to have a ton of clearance, but I'd like to have some, and that seems to put me on the smallest frame bikes that BikesDirect sells. Even the Dawes SST, with a semi-compact frame, it looks like the 49 is the only size that would give me positive standover height...and they recommend that for people between 4'11" and 5'2"!
Edit: I just measured my wife's mountain bike that I've been riding for the last few months, and coincidentally the standover is exactly 29.5". It's worked mostly fine, but it is just a tad uncomfortable if I'm stopped without leaning the bike over. Makes me think I'd probably not want to go much bigger than that.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Bozeman, MT
Posts: 100
Bikes: 2013 Bianchi Super Pista // 2013 Cinelli Experience // Kilo TT // '84 Trek 500 Series Porteur
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
buy a bike that actually fits and lean the bike over when you're standing, problem solved. don't buy a bike that's too small so you can stand over it, would you rather be comfortable riding it (which is what it's for) or standing over it (which is not what it's for). use a fit calculator online, don't judge fit by seat tube size.
#3
Kit doesn't match
A 49 would be way too small for you, and I bet even 52 would be on the small side... Really, don't worry too much about stand-over...
#5
Your cog is slipping.
Standover height is completely irrelevant when you're actually riding your bike. Any bike with a correct length to tube will typically be in the correct range as far as other measurements are concerned.
Use a FIT CALCULATOR and see the sticky about bike fit.
/thread
Use a FIT CALCULATOR and see the sticky about bike fit.
/thread
Last edited by Scrodzilla; 03-24-14 at 10:00 PM.
#6
Banned.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 523
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Check out giant. The escape line would work out great for you. Plentiful standover and long top tubes.
Escape 0 (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX 0 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX Composite (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 3 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 0 (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX 0 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX Composite (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 3 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: SoCal
Posts: 6,496
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 276 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
3 Posts
Check out giant. The escape line would work out great for you. Plentiful standover and long top tubes.
Escape 0 (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX 0 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX Composite (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 3 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 0 (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX 0 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape RX Composite (2014) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
Escape 3 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 614
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's extremely rare that I have both feet on the ground at any point during a ride, so standover isn't something I pay the least bit of attention to. When you stop, you generally should have one foot on the ground and one on the pedal, so you'd have to be on a seriously mismatched frame to experience standover issues in a real world situation. I go by TT length and have never had problems. The couple times I went by standover (when I was younger and dumber), I ended up with frames that were too small.
#9
Banned.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 523
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I'd pay an extra $170 just for the better fit alone, not to mention the benefits of having a bike shop take care of assembly and maintenance, possibly indefinitely.
Last edited by roadandmountain; 03-24-14 at 10:13 PM.
#10
Brown Jersey Winner
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: The Bad Woods.
Posts: 8,797
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 243 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
why is there so many threads on this lately?
the guy in toys r us was wrong when he told you "your feet should touch the ground when youre on the seat"
the guy in toys r us was wrong when he told you "your feet should touch the ground when youre on the seat"
#11
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
Using any standover measure I've every come across, my Europa is too big ... and has been since the 80s when I bought her ... and it's never been a problem. The Hillbrick is worse because the bottom bracket is higher (being designed for fg, not gears) and guess what, it's never been a problem. It's the fit while riding that's the issue and the important measurement there is the length of the top tube (as it controls your reach with the stem and handlebars the bits you use to adjust that).
#12
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
I had a accident because of that one day. Mind you, it was on a motorcycle. BUT, my feet could both touch the ground when I was on the saddle ... just not when I put a foot down in a pothole I hadn't noticed
#13
Banned.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 523
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
This was quite some time ago, but my first mtn bike was a 19" bike. It probably had less than an inch of standover clearance. I tried riding it off road and it was just too big of a bike. Quick toe dabs were not really possible and the center of gravity was just too high.
I paid more attention to proper sizing the second time around and bought a 16.5" bike. Nice, stretched out top tube, nice standover, toe dabs were fine and a lower center of gravity. Nice bike.
So it's not just standover clearance, but the lower center of gravity a smaller bike affords which is important. Truth be told, my 19" mountain bike wasn't that much fun to ride on road either. The 16.5 was lower to the ground and just a lot more enjoyable to ride, in the same way that a slammed sports car is far more maneuverable than an SUV.
For me, I am unwilling to give up standover clearance to get the correct top tube length, since in doing so, the center of gravity rises, and this to me, leads to very ponderous steering and a generally slow to maneuver bike.
I paid more attention to proper sizing the second time around and bought a 16.5" bike. Nice, stretched out top tube, nice standover, toe dabs were fine and a lower center of gravity. Nice bike.
So it's not just standover clearance, but the lower center of gravity a smaller bike affords which is important. Truth be told, my 19" mountain bike wasn't that much fun to ride on road either. The 16.5 was lower to the ground and just a lot more enjoyable to ride, in the same way that a slammed sports car is far more maneuverable than an SUV.
For me, I am unwilling to give up standover clearance to get the correct top tube length, since in doing so, the center of gravity rises, and this to me, leads to very ponderous steering and a generally slow to maneuver bike.
#14
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
This was quite some time ago, but my first mtn bike was a 19" bike. It probably had less than an inch of standover clearance. I tried riding it off road and it was just too big of a bike. Quick toe dabs were not really possible and the center of gravity was just too high.
I paid more attention to proper sizing the second time around and bought a 16.5" bike. Nice, stretched out top tube, nice standover, toe dabs were fine and a lower center of gravity. Nice bike.
So it's not just standover clearance, but the lower center of gravity a smaller bike affords which is important. Truth be told, my 19" mountain bike wasn't that much fun to ride on road either. The 16.5 was lower to the ground and just a lot more enjoyable to ride, in the same way that a slammed sports car is far more maneuverable than an SUV.
For me, I am unwilling to give up standover clearance to get the correct top tube length, since in doing so, the center of gravity rises, and this to me, leads to very ponderous steering and a generally slow to maneuver bike.
I paid more attention to proper sizing the second time around and bought a 16.5" bike. Nice, stretched out top tube, nice standover, toe dabs were fine and a lower center of gravity. Nice bike.
So it's not just standover clearance, but the lower center of gravity a smaller bike affords which is important. Truth be told, my 19" mountain bike wasn't that much fun to ride on road either. The 16.5 was lower to the ground and just a lot more enjoyable to ride, in the same way that a slammed sports car is far more maneuverable than an SUV.
For me, I am unwilling to give up standover clearance to get the correct top tube length, since in doing so, the center of gravity rises, and this to me, leads to very ponderous steering and a generally slow to maneuver bike.
#15
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I appreciate the feedback. I did search for threads discussing standover before posting, and got some of these comments, but I also found a fair number of people who said don't worry about it too much as long as it isn't negative, which it seems all of the bikes I'd be looking at that would normally be my size would be at least an inch or two negative.
That might be what the bike is made for, but it's not how it actually gets used when I'm commuting around town. Most of my time is spent stopping, standing, and starting up again. Compared to my BMX, the mountain bike is already hard to get started again, just because I can't stand over the seat. I've occasionally ridden a friend's fixed gear that feels fine when riding, but it is way too tall, and I'm scared every time I have to come to a stop.
buy a bike that actually fits and lean the bike over when you're standing, problem solved. don't buy a bike that's too small so you can stand over it, would you rather be comfortable riding it (which is what it's for) or standing over it (which is not what it's for). use a fit calculator online, don't judge fit by seat tube size.
#16
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks. Never heard that term before, will have to take a look. I had looked at step through frames, but the ones I had looked at were pretty heavy and seemed hard to carry, which makes them less than ideal since I have a 4th floor walkup.
#17
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Standover height is completely irrelevant when you're actually riding your bike. Any bike with a correct length to tube will typically be in the correct range as far as other measurements are concerned.
Use a FIT CALCULATOR and see the sticky about bike fit.
/thread
Use a FIT CALCULATOR and see the sticky about bike fit.
/thread
Escape 3 is only $420 with the same geometry as the composite hybrid, including the same generous standover and long top tube he is probably looking for.
I'd pay an extra $170 just for the better fit alone, not to mention the benefits of having a bike shop take care of assembly and maintenance, possibly indefinitely.
I'd pay an extra $170 just for the better fit alone, not to mention the benefits of having a bike shop take care of assembly and maintenance, possibly indefinitely.
p.s. sorry about the multiple posts earlier, just figured out the multiquote.
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Another quick fit question. I've read that going with a slightly larger size allows for a more relaxed upright riding position, while a smaller size would be more aggressive. I'm having trouble visualizing why this is? It would seem that a longer toptube would keep you farther away from the handlebars, meaning you have to lay over more to reach them? I'm obviously missing something here.
#20
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#21
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So I took another look at the specs for the Motobecane Fixie Cafe, and S.O. height is 600mm for the 54cm and effective tt length is pretty close to the 53 Kilo WT, which is 180mm taller. The Cafe had been a top contender for awhile since I like flatbars and now that I know that it is a better fit for my short legs I think that seals the deal. Now I just have to wait for a 54 to come back in stock.
#22
Your cog is slipping.
That might be what the bike is made for, but it's not how it actually gets used when I'm commuting around town. Most of my time is spent stopping, standing, and starting up again. Compared to my BMX, the mountain bike is already hard to get started again, just because I can't stand over the seat. I've occasionally ridden a friend's fixed gear that feels fine when riding, but it is way too tall, and I'm scared every time I have to come to a stop.
#23
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 36
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yeah, sorry that wasn't very clear. I know you're not supposed to be able to stand over the seat on most normal bikes, but that's how I learned, and now even after months of riding a "real" bike it is still pretty awkward getting started when you have to stand a little forward of the pedals because the seat is in the way. But I'm definitely not looking for a bike that I can clear the seat, just clearing the tt would be great.
#25
Your cog is slipping.
Yeah, sorry that wasn't very clear. I know you're not supposed to be able to stand over the seat on most normal bikes, but that's how I learned, and now even after months of riding a "real" bike it is still pretty awkward getting started when you have to stand a little forward of the pedals because the seat is in the way. But I'm definitely not looking for a bike that I can clear the seat, just clearing the tt would be great.