Bikes that are geared towards people with stumpy legs.
 

Anything come to mind? I am 5'7" but my inseam is about 29" and I can't seem to even fit a XS (50cm) madison.

I know it's not all about the standover but I would like to at least be able to at a stop light or something. I currently have a 09 54cm allez and that seems to fit fine (my kids do touch the top tube when i am standing over it). Suggestions?

leaders are known for long top tubes in comparison to the other parts of the geometry

I am 5'8 ish and have a 29-30 ish inseam, 50-52 is ideal, but I ride a 48cm, because it was available at the time. As always, best way to find out if a bike fits is to have it set up properly and then ride it before you buy it.

it's not so much the gear ratio you need to be concerned with when you have short legs, it's the crank arm length

this is important when you are shorted/have short legs as your feet wont have to move as far relative to each other as when you have longer crank arms

go for something in a 160mm range and you should be fine

If you get to run 160mm cranks consider yourself lucky. Well, except for your stumpy sausage legs.

Are you sure? What size pants do you wear? I've never measured my inseam but I'm 5'8", wear 30-30 pants and I usually ride a 56cm. My fixed gear is currently a 62cm. It's probably too big for me, and I can't stand over it, but once I'm riding I don't know the difference because the top tube is the same length as my road bike.

Stand over really isn't important. I can put one foot down on my tall bike without problems. Look for frames with long top tubes relative to their seat-tubes if you're really that out of proportion.

I was more concerned about frame geometry, namely top tubes.

I normally wear 30-30 pants as well, but I need to get them altered for length.

longer crank arms are for people with longer legs? what's does a bike normally come with?

Little taller than five nine-ish.

27x28. Hard to find pants, yo.

Ride 52 square. Long stem for bullhorns. Shorter stem for the drops.

165mm seems to be the norm for the smaller sizes and 170mm for the bigger size.

i run 170-172.5mm on all my fg and road bikes but i run 130mm on my bmx as it makes it easier to pedal when seated and still get plenty of torque standing up

Take a look at bikes with sloping top tubes(compact geometry), such as the Langster. They'll give you the short seat tube without shortening the reach.

+1 ....Didn't want to be the one to say it.

Still, **** a sloping TT.

Whadya gonna do? If it fits, it fits.

Trek Soho.

Just look!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...peedFixie2.jpg

I'm 5'-5 1/2" with 28.5" inseam but I still prefer longer cranks (175mm). Probably from all the years of mountain bike riding.
I know stand over height isn't that important, but I hate having a bike with only one or two inches of seatpost exposed.
I had a 54cm Allez, too (got stolen). The sloping top tube sure makes a lot of difference.

I'm in the market for a new steel ss myself. A size 49 Soma Rush is one on my short list.

The All-City Big Block may be an option. I ride a 52cm which means that the seat tube is 52cm and the top tube is 55cm.
http://allcitycycles.com/bikes/big_block_frameset/

Most road cranks are 170mm-175mm, depending on the size of the frame and how much thought the maker put into it. Fixed gear's tend to be 165mm to 170mm for safety sake.

I feel your pain though, I'm 6'4 with a long torso and short for my height legs.

Yes, because a lighter, stiffer frame with better ergonomics for a nonrace bike is *such* a bad idea.

Just call me nostalgic.