Originally Posted by
FarHorizon
My bad - I read your post not as "standover issues," but rather as "standover measurement issues," since that was the topic under discussion.
The problem that I've consistently had with compact frames is not standover per se. It's getting a decent fit and reach. Too low a standover means that the knee over pedal spindle at 3:00 is impossible because the frame is too small. A standover that fits at the seat / top tube junction may allow adequate KOPS fit, but has NO standover safety margin at all, since the top tube climbs steadily toward the steerer tube.
The various manufacturer measurements for compact frames don't help with these issues.
So to summarize - thrice burned = perpetually shy of compact frames. Your mileage may vary...
You can ignore standover when thinking about KOPS. Seattube angle, seatpost setback, crank length and cleat position (or toeclip size) are the specs to think about when looking at achieving KOPS.
Actually, you can pretty much ignore standover all the time unless you intend to straddle your bike a lot.