Nashbar touring frame size.
 

Nashbar has there touring frames discount priced and have only three sizes available as I am writing this. 50, 52, and 54. In my bare feet my floor to pelvic measurement is 31.5 inches or 80 cm. I did my body measurements and calculations here.
http://www.ebikewarehouse.com/Tiemey...Calculator.htm
According to the calculations for a touring frame I should by the 50 cm frame. I was thinking the 52 cm frame would be about right as I ride a 54 cm road bike frame and I've read several threads that you should order a frame 2 cm smaller than your standard road bike. I don't really need one but $140 sure makes it tempting. I would really like to get the correct size frame, of course! Any comments would be appreciated.

My measurement is 31.5 to the bone while wearing my bike shoes (you are with no shoes). I have the 52cm LHT and Surly advertises a stand-over height of 30.5 with the tire they used. I use a continental top touring and with that tire my bike's stand-over height is 30.25. Overall this frame seems to be a good fit for me, so I bet the 52cm would work for you in the Nashbar frameset.

Throw a dart and you're as likely to get a good answer as you are with that fit calculator and any advice you get here. Going by something as rough as a couple of measurements will get you in the ballpark, but that's it, and you're already in the ballpark based on your road bike size.

You can't compare the LHT frame to the nashbar frame as a comparison for fit. The LHT frames use 26-inch wheels below 56 cm so the geometry is different as the nashbar frame uses 700c wheels for all sizes.

It would help considerably if nashbar would just add stand over to the frame information!

Consider getting the 54, but before you do that you will need to read this:
http://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_y...g_a_frame_size
http://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_your_bike/pbh
Its rivendell bicycles site. It have some insight on measuring for touring and not for racing.

I think Riv puts way too much emphasis on seat tube length at the expense of top tube length, although it helps that their bikes are somewhat designed around this principle. Bikes not designed that way (like the 520) can be harder to fit that way.

Stand over is of minimal significance. If your frame is right in other dimensions then stand over is going to be fine. Besides, how do you spec an accurate stand over on a bare frame? You can spec it with one specific tire, but most of your customers will buy something else so the stand over measurement will be different.

I was thinking the 52 cm frame would be about right as I ride a 54 cm road bike frame and I've read several threads that you should order a frame 2 cm smaller than your standard road bike.

Scott, Personally, I like a touring bike with a larger frame size, not smaller than a standard road bike. That way I get longer wheelbase and chainstays and fork rake too; more stability descending swiftly under heavy load, the bike is less likely to lose control if load is not balanced, and a more comfortable ride, think Cadillac soaking up every road bump, instead of bouncing along in a VW Bug.

On the other hand, bigger frames lose efficiency and agility but touring is not racing. My racing bike is 2 inches shorter than my touring. 38 inch wheelbase racing, 42 on the touring. The racer is fun and agile, the touring bike boring, stable, comfortable.