SpongeDad

Was pondering getting a real cross bike last night (my Bianchi is really a touring bike) and I noticed that Ridley lists the X-Fire 50cm frame as having a standover of 83.5cm. Even the 48 is 82.5cm.

Is that right? That's pretty tall.

myclem

High bottom bracket.
50cm Ridley frame has BB drop of 5.7cm.
Road frames are usually around 7cm drop. Maybe more if you've got a touring frame.

crhilton

They are tall. I normally ride a 54 and I believe to get the standover right on a ridley I'd need a 48. I've thrown my leg over a 54 (ouch) and a 52 (uncomfortable).

I noticed that by the time you go that small the angles start getting pretty crazy and it soured me on the bikes. Besides, as a rider with short legs/long torso I'd be riding a *really* short bike to get the standover right.

Also, as I understand it, Ridley measures their sizes different. They measure to top tube center instead of top tube top, IIRC. So you end up with a "54cc" really being a 56.

ProudDaddy

That is correct on the Ridley measurements. Best advise: go test ride them. I had a shop tell me not to go bigger than the 48, but that bike just felt too cramped for me, and besides it came with 170s and I use 172.5s on the road and 175s on my mtb. And ime standover is over-rated anyway. How often are you standing over your top tube with the bike straight up besides the start of a race? Don't forget to test the standover with mtb shoes and cleats on. I have a 29-30 inseam without shoes but can stand over my 50 Ridley X-Night flat-footed with shoes on (barely). The higher BB does make for higher re-mounts compared to lower BB bikes, but I've gotten use to this.

SpongeDad

I know standover is the be-all that it was when we were kids, but I'd prefer to have a little space. Definitely going to check it out at my LBS.

TXBDan

i'm 6'3 and ride a 56cm crossbow (x-bow now). It has a 60cm seat tube and about a 57cm top tube i think. I have long legs and it fits me perfectly. comfiest bike i've ever had. i'm often too stretched out on a normal geometry road bike

crhilton

Standover becomes important when it's necessary to not rack yourself.... I stop and go the old fashioned way:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/starting.html

mzeffex 

I ride a 56 cm crossbow and just barely clear the top tube with an 89 cm inseam.

NoRacer

I'm 5'7" and this is me on a 50 cm X-Fire:

SpongeDad

Just took an initial look at a 50cm Xride - I'm 5'7" as well and I could stand over it okay in deck shoes. It's not a lot of clearance, but it's enough.

Just noticed your location - are you doing any of the local races?

NoRacer

Not yet. I have my 2010 license, but just haven't had the nagging urge, this year, to use it.

I'm going for 15,000 miles for the year, since I was entered in a mileage contest with the Severna Park Peloton. I've been giving that higher priority since I can win more money doing that then racing.

SpongeDad

Well, when you get the urge, give me a shout. There's several BF members at just about every race, and it's a lot of fun. The races are tough, but afterwords it's more of a festival atmosphere.

milliron

I really want an 09 CrossBow and I'm 182cm tall with an 86cm [cycling] inseam. Sounds like a 54 is as tall of a bike as I can get but then I'm left with a much shorter TT and HT then I'm used to. Thoughts? My Ridley Damocles has a 58.5 cm TT and 20.5 cm HT. I wouldn't think I'd want less then the 56's 56 & 18.5 cm.

SpongeDad

You really need to go stand over one in a bike shop. I thought I'd have to go with a 48, but a 50 would be fine. Now granted, I'm talking about a bike I'll race, not ride around with the kids or go touring (in which case a bit more stand over would be nice).

milliron

Don't think anyone around here carries Ridley and I'm not too fond of the idea of going into a shop to size up a bike that I'm going to buy online.

This is for racing. But really, how much does standover matter? I've never paid attention to it on road or mountain bikes. Doesn't seem like it matters if you're properly mounting or dismounting?

pacificaslim

Do you dismount (by swinging leg over cyclocross style) everytime you come to a stop on your bike? I mean, if I was only going to race the Ridley, then maybe I'd be ok with little/no standover. But for life in the real world where we stop at lights or to wait for friends or whatever, being able to straddle the frame with one foot on ground and one on pedal is "proper". And no, leaning the frame to one side is not a solution. No leaning allowed!

fietsbob

"size" is typically BB center to top of seat tube, which extends
above the center-line of the tube.

If you are given BB height, C to C measurement of seat tube
& diameter of top tube [to halve and add to C - C.]
a rough estimate of stand over can be calculated.

milliron

After talking with the Competitive Cycling sales person, I errored on the small side and ordered one. Went with the 54 when I normally ride a 57. The 56 seems to give me no standover. Worst case, I have to ship it back for the next size up or a refund.

Hopefully I can get everything sorted out and dialed in before my first race on Oct 16th.

pacificaslim

Just got the postcard from Competitive today with the Ridley's discounted even more than on the website!. Unbelievable. I have absolutely no need for one right now since i just finished building up a new bike, but it's very hard not to buy one anyway!

dbh

Curious what the additional discount was. Didn't get anything from CC in the mail, though I've bought from them before.

SpongeDad

Doing a run-up followed immediately by a steep drop in this weekend, I didn't have time to clip in so I was standing on one the pedals as I crested the hill - clipped a bit in the mud. And yes, I thought, "gee I bet that wouldn't have happened if I was on a Ridley."

mzeffex 

I was on a Ridley. This is indeed, a fact. (That you won't clip the ground there)