Standover height is close
 

I am looking at a new road bike which is about everything i need. Problem is the stand over height which is close.

My inseam is 33" and the bike has a stand over of 32". This is a close out deal, and there is not another size. My ideal size is 56cm but this bike is a 58cm; the other dimensions seem to be about the same.

Anyone out there with a one inch clearance. Advice is that stand over is not a consideration much but could be.

Any light or experiences are appreciated. thanks

If everything else is comfortable, that shouldn't be a problem

All that counts is can you get on and off OK.
My clearance is about 1/2 ".

If it's comfortable when you're on it and you can get off without hurting yourself then it should be fine. Inseam alone doesn't determine right bike for you.

I will dissent a bit from the others. Its never a good idea to deviate from what you know your best frame size to save a buck.
Also...the only guys who pay retail for bike parts are those willing to do so...smart bike buyers don't.
My advice is never compromise on the most important thing in any bike purchase...the fit.
Tight standover isn't the end of the world but if you know your proper size is one size smaller than what you buy, you will end up selling the frame
sooner anyway.
My opinion only and others may disagree.
Cheers.

U can't compare two bikes based in stand over, the top tube could be higher in the smaller bike and lower in the bigger one, then based in that logic u decide to go with an extra size of the bigger one because it match what you know and end up with a frame 2 sizes bigger. Hypothetical case but clearly you are looking a 2 cms frame that apparently has maybe the same/close stand over than a 56, what that tells you? Bingo, geometry is different, BB in the 58 for sure is lower than in the other one u know or whatever u use.

Use stand over to figure it out but in general thats the reason u have reach, top tube size, and seat tube size, and always carry a METRIC measuring tape, metric error is about +-1 mm.

Agree with campy also.

+1,000,000

When you say don't pay retail, are you talking only about parts and not full bikes? i'm thinking about buying a new bike and you can definitely save money buying used but i suspect that i need to go to a good stop to get fit. this likely means paying somewhere near retail for the bike.

Standover height means almost nothing. If you can't get your leg over the top tube, that might be a problem. But more important to me is reach ... the distance between where I'm sitting and the handlebars.

I've measured my bicycles and I know what the length of my top tube needs to be for me to feel comfortable on a bicycle. Have you checked that with this bicycle you're considering?

Go by reach more than stand over. I have a feeling you're going to be selling a 58cm frame in 6 months.

The reach difference is 10mm, very little IMHO. A seat moves that much.

Too bad they ran out of 56cm, but the deal is good so 58 should be sufficient. It's hard to find steel frames now and i like the simplicity of the bike. For instance it has 8 speeds and a Sora shifter, which spells durability over a 9 speed. Repair is big with me as i do my own.

Actually i understand and can agree with most points, best to throw a ton of money at a bike or even go with a custom if money no object. i am mostly trying to understand the stand over and it appears to not be too big of an issue.

I wouldn't take the wrong size frame even if they were giving it away (except maybe to resell on Ebay). Bike fit is everything in cycling.

I ride a 56cm frame. There is no chance I would buy a 58cm and then try to make it work. A great deal on the wrong size frame is no deal at all.

I also wouldn't even pay any attention to the standover. That means almost nothing in bike fit.

People diss standover all the time but standover/seat tube length/top tube and all other fit parameters are closely tied together. A "56"cm bike, whether or not it actually measures 56cm on the seat tube, has a specific top tube length while a "58" cm has a very different top tube length. The difference is going to be around a centimeter which may, or may not, influence the ride.

If the bike is too large, it is too large. I have the feeling that Duo knows this but the 'deal' is getting in the way. Duo: A deal isn't any kind of deal if the bike isn't right. It's just a waste of money. Keep looking. There will be other deals.

if you have to compromise your seat position vis a vis the bottom bracket, you will be less than pleased with the handling outcome. if however you can keep your relative seat position, use a 1 cm shorter stem (but not shorter than 10 cm) you'll be ok.

Yes, because compromising the seat position can lead to knee problems.

"If the bike is too large, it is too large. I have the feeling that Duo knows this but the 'deal' is getting in the way. Duo: A deal isn't any kind of deal if the bike isn't right. It's just a waste of money. Keep looking. There will be other deals. "


I don't think this will convince him. He justs wants to believe it will work. LOL

Standover may not be important but if you're shifting seat forward for reach then you're compromising knees position.

I have owned a bike frame that was 2 cm larger than I needed, seemed like a great compromise given the closeout price. Changed seatpost, stem, saddle.... never got comfortable, got rid of the frame.

False economy.

Wait it out.

If the seat-to-crank geo is comfy and the reach is comfy, and you're not going to castrate yourself on the TT, I'd say giddyup.

Lol, good luck finding any bike that would have been deemed your size 25 years ago. Fit is very important, but has not stopped riders for over a century and it probably won't now. That being said, if you are like and among the rest of us that can feel almost every and any difference between bike positioning and fitting, you will notice the size difference. That difference will ALWAYS be there in your mind. Even when your riding you will always say "Man what a great bike, if only they would have had my size, it could have been better." To me, it's worth the peace of mind knowing I am sitting on the right bike, since we have these luxuries today - use them.

Same here. I could have bought another bike or two with what I've bought in fit equipment. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say that it is generally best for a cyclist who has had more than one bike, (say, if you have been riding for a year or two and have already had a bike that you have gotten comfortable on), to get subsequent frames in the smallest size they will be comfortable on. An alternate rule that may have the same result: Buy only frames that fit you optimally when you are in your peak physical condition if you ride often, OR the way you will be 90% of the time, if you are more casual and sometimes don't ride for long intervals.

If a 56 is ideal, do not buy a 58.

It's as simple as that. It's not a deal if the bike doesn't fit as it should.

my 2 cents: avoid emotion when bike shopping

Agreed.

I also agree that standover height is not a highly important fit variable and it is plausible that a properly fit bike could have minimal standover....but if the bike does not fit you should not buy it.

Thanks for the replies, part of the problem is i can't even try the bike to see if it does fit.

and this is why... http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm

Yep that's the bike and this would be the first time ordering from such a place. It's kind of like ordering something from behind a curtain. The only reason i can see to order off the net is to try to save a few bucks of course.

i like the bike as far as imagination serves; but the only size left is 58cm.

Horse of a different color entirely. Everyone has been assuming a sloping top tube like most modern bikes. This one really does have a 58 cm seat tube. If a 56cm sloping top tube bike fits you, this one is going to be very different.

They have other bikes, keep looking or wait for this year's models. The price really won't be all that different.

Not sure where you are getting this from...?

^This.

Top tube length is the biggest factor in a good fit, because it's the least conducive to adjustment. There's not much else you can do besides messing around with different sized stems; everything else on a bike can be adjusted for any fit you want.

i get it from pretty much everywhere; 8 speed chains have about twice the durability of the thinner 9 and 10 speed chains. Not a big issue, but i do like durability.

The attractiveness in a steel bike is durability and vibration absorption. This seems to be dawning on whoever is buying bikes at BD and they are taking the lead in supplying steel on the low end of price.

They have a steel bike at 300 but the next bike sells for 600, that's quite a jump in price. They say more low end steel bikes are coming but it will be months, and those will probably sell out fast.

Not sure if i would like an aluminum bike as all my stuff is steel (mountain bike, road bike and tandem)

You should just buy this bike and be done with it

It is a cheap no-name steel frame though with lousy components that probably doesn't fit you as well as it should. You also don't have any idea of the ride quality of that frame. There are high quality steel frames and there are lousy steel frames.

If you want a better frame, you could easily find a used steel frame that would be far better than this BD one. A couple years ago I found a much better steel Bianchi that was virtually new with Shimano Tiagra for about $500. For $100 more, I had a far better steel bike than this bottom of the barrell BD special.

Reynolds 520DB butted Cro-Moly with outer butted seat tube, Double water bottle mounts, Rear Rack Mounts http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm

It may be cheap but better than my Giant 'Hi Ten' steel road bike. Guess it's a matter of perspective. Trek makes a touring steel bike for 3 times the price, but that IS the issue.

>>>You also don't have any idea of the ride quality of that frame.

True, but ride reports from others indicate the bike is great for light touring use; good enough for me. My research seems to say that the low end aluminum frames are basically 'bone rattlers' so why bother?

>>>A couple years ago I found a much better steel Bianchi that was virtually new with Shimano Tiagra for about $500. For $100 more, I had a far better steel bike than this bottom of the barrell BD special.

Been watching Craigs list for this, but very few and far between. Sounds like you found a gem.