Midget needs help!!

teabag73

Hi _ anybody know the best bike for a 29" inseam???

It appears most manufacturers hardtail small frames are about 15.5 - 16" with a standover height of about 29" - no room for the boys to breathe easy!!

Scott seem to do a XS with a standover of 27.4. How imprortant is standover for trials anyhow???

Any advice greatly appreciated.

D

supersonic

Standover is personal preference - some like some clearance, some get on with none at all.

I am afraid there is no magic formula for bike fit. Best thing to do is visit a shop and try different bikes. Sizing varies so much anyway that one brand's 15" is rarely the same as anothers.

teabag73

but standover is standover - surely!!!

andrewjoseph

Yes, but you don't need huge amounts of standover. On my old marin MV i had no standover, on flat feet the 'boys' were resting on the top tube. It was never a problem as I never stand with flat feet over the bike.

When riding my feet are on the pedals, when I stand on the pedals i have a few inches above the saddle, to the top tube clearance is not an issue.

When stopping the bike, I take one foot out of the pedal, put the pedals horozontal, stop the bike and step down, leaving one foot still on the pedal.

I have never crushed my nuts on the top tube, not even when falling off.

nicklouse

teabag73 wrote:

but standover is standover - surely!!!

has gone out of the widow with the advent of suspension. look at the sticky in the general section.

teabag73

nicklouse wrote:

teabag73 wrote:

but standover is standover - surely!!!

has gone out of the widow with the advent of suspension. look at the sticky in the general section.

thanks nick - had a look general consensus appears to be "some" clearance!!

supersonic

Again, is a preferential thing! It can inspire confidence for some. Others just don't need it. Up to you to decide ;-)

Reach is very important.

supertwisted

I'll save you some bother. I have the same length inside leg measurement. I've ridden numerous bikes, and for the most part none have allowed me much more than a cm or so of standover clearance.

I've also crashed, many times for I am crap, and not once have I ever mashed my life creating orbs into the top tube.

Standover clearance is not for the likes of you and I my good man.

cooldad

Let's see:
You ride a bicycle.
No worthwhile woman will be interested in you.
Your sack is therefore redundant anyway.

Frodo1095

I also have a 29" inseam and have little to no standover clearance with most small frames and I have never damaged the boys downstairs.

felix.london

@ cooldad

The Rookie

I also have a 29" inseam, AND I'M NOT A MIDGET (5' 10"), however I don't have an issue, my first commuter was a 22" MTB frame, stop with one foot on a pedal at the bottom, bike canted slightly and the other on the floor and my ass in front of the nose of the saddle, no probs.....my MTB uses a 16" Carrera Vulcan frame, I have no idea what the standover height is or what the clearance is (if any at all) as I never bothered finding out - that's how unimportant it is! Frankly you look a right knob/noob standing like that anyway!

Simon

nicklouse

teabag73 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

teabag73 wrote:

but standover is standover - surely!!!

has gone out of the widow with the advent of suspension. look at the sticky in the general section.

thanks nick - had a look general consensus appears to be "some" clearance!!

again it all depends on the bike. i have some to non. 30" in bare feet.

teabag73

Thanks for the responses guys - all helpful. But if i'm honest - non the wiser. I've ordered a XS and S scott scale into evans to try them out. Hopefully this will provide me with the answer :-)

supersonic

This is what we are saying, we can't tell you what you need, only you can. And by trying some out you will find something to your taste.

teabag73

Thanks mate - I was already trying bikes just looking to narrow it down with some friendly advice.

nicklouse

top tube length is more important. and at your size do not expect any clearance when in bare feet.

tank121

Don't know what your budget is but i'm the same stature and carried out the same search back in 2007. Ended up with a Giant Terrago Trail bike. Check out the unique top bar.