MTB Standover/Clearance and customer satisfaction...

[scrooge]

What's "normal" in the area of MTB crotch clearance? What's "minimum"?
What do you do if you've bought a custom bike (that you signed off for on the geo) and don't think you got enough once you took delivery and built up the frame?

Oh, semi-technical front range Colorado riding. (It would be enough for swoopy smooth Michigan single track....)

[Ginger]

All depends...FS or a hard tail or old school no suspension at all?

[gdw]

I like 3-4 inches standover and would consider 2 inches the minimum for general trail riding in mixed terrain but unfortunately a number of 29er's and full suspension designs offer less than 2 inches with the proper length top tube. You can get used to the higher clearances but I'd just as soon avoid them. Contact your builder and see what he advises. He has a pretty good reputation locally.

[maddog17]

+1

2 inch minimum for standover. remember too that some frames do have a bit of slope to them too

[scrooge]

All depends...FS or a hard tail or old school no suspension at all?

HT...
Seems like more should've been easily doable...I recall the builder saying s/he wasn't worried because I'm a tall guy and I'm wondering if s/he got a little sloppy....

[WadePatton]

As a lifelong MTB'er I've never worried about standover anywhere but the in the bikeshop showroom.

And I've never smashed the homies on the TT.

As a HT SS rider, I really really don't care for the radically sloping TT's and the now common "bent" TT. I do like a gracefully curved TT, ala Garro, but those are curved upwards.

I guess I spend more time riding than standing over. :bike:

[scrooge]

I can understand that...I just get a little paranoid about the man parts riding steep techy stuff...think it might free me up a bit to have another inch or two.

As a lifelong MTB'er I've never worried about standover anywhere but the in the bikeshop showroom.

And I've never smashed the homies on the TT.

As a HT SS rider, I really really don't care for the radically sloping TT's and the now common "bent" TT. I do like a gracefully curved TT, ala Garro, but those are curved upwards.

I guess I spend more time riding than standing over. :bike:

[paczki]

I can understand that...I just get a little paranoid about the man parts riding steep techy stuff...think it might free me up a bit to have another inch or two.

Think of it as providing a powerful incentive for masterful technical riding.

[Ken Robb]

while I KNOW it only takes once--I think standover is oten overdone. When I have an unplanned get-off the bike never is vertical so an inch or so has been fine for me. until that time it isn't :rolleyes: yeeeow!

[mgm777]

When I purchased my HT 29er, I was concerned about the same thing...only an inch or so of TT standover clearance. The reach on the bike was perfect, but the standover thing was concerning. I was told that it is difficult to design a lot of clearance into a 29er geo. I eventually put my concerns aside and bought the bike. I've now owned it for 18 months and absolutely love the rig. I haven't thought twice about standover clearance. It absolutely has not been an issue. I live in the Boulder area and ride a fair amount of single track. Bottom line - if everything else about the bike fits well, I wouldn't worry about standover clearance.

[Peter P.]

One rule of thumb I use is, your mountain bike frame size should be 2-4" shorter than your road bike, specifically for the extra crotch clearance necessary.

I imagine with a 29-er, you could subtract another inch to achieve the same standover clearance.

Is that the suspect mountain bike linked on your post? Assuming your seat height is set correctly, then eyeballing the amount of exposed post I see, it looks like you should have plenty of clearance.

What makes you uncomfortable (no pun intended) about your frame size?

[Ginger]

I've been thinking about this...

You're not supposed to get off the bike.

If you're going off the bike in a way that's going to cause you to hit the top tube it isn't going to matter what your clearance is, you're going to hit the top tube.

The only time I've found top tube clearance at standover really matters is when you stop and get off the bike on a steep incline and if the incline is steep enough, clearance won't save you from hitting the top tube anyhow.

the other place is in the parking lot when you're standing around bs ing about the ride trying to look cool.

But you know...it's all about your comfort zone, not ours.

Wade: check out Carl Strong's ti 29'r...very sweet.

[markie]

As a lifelong MTB'er I've never worried about standover anywhere but the in the bikeshop showroom.

And I've never smashed the homies on the TT.

As a HT SS rider, I really really don't care for the radically sloping TT's and the now common "bent" TT. I do like a gracefully curved TT, ala Garro, but those are curved upwards.

I guess I spend more time riding than standing over. :bike:


SNAP!

I feel the same as you. Although I do like the look of radically sloping top-tubes.

I wonder if this comfort with frames with minimal stand-over comes from being able to track-stand/having some skills? Perhaps standover is an issue for the less experienced?

[scrooge]

SNAP!


I wonder if this comfort with frames with minimal stand-over comes from being able to track-stand/having some skills? Perhaps standover is an issue for the less experienced?

That's probably true. As I said in my initial post, I'm an (overly) cautious rider.
Ginger: You're right about the steep stuff--and that's where I get nervous. Trying to get my front wheel up some big rocks and needing to put a foot down, or riding steep inclines (slick rock trail?) and not quite making it up.

But yes, you're right--a little courage would go a long way. But until I get some...

Oh, and I checked last night--I probably have three inches standing straight up.

[gdw]

Experience certainly is important but there are situations beyond your control. A few inches of clearance really comes in handy when you're riding in groups or racing on steep or rocky trails. Trackstands aren't an option when the rider in front of you falls in a rock garden or comes sliding back down at you as you're getting ready to negotiate a steep climb. If you ride in Boulder and the Front Range you often encounter runners, hikers, horses, off leash dogs, and other riders on some of the more popular trails. I've had to do a few emergency stops on some easy climbs, Dowdy Draw, where the trail is too narrow for two users to pass and some standover was certainly appreciated.

[markie]

Oh, and I checked last night--I probably have three inches standing straight up.


I would consider that more than enough. It still sucks if you are not completely happy with your new frame. But if those are the details you were really concerned about you probably should have made sure the builder was on board.

[scrooge]

. But if those are the details you were really concerned about you probably should have made sure the builder was on board.


I tend to be a "builder knows best" kind of guy. I asked about standover, he said it should be enough. Most of the other frames I've seen of his slope a lot more than mine, so I figured I was in the clear...

[WadePatton]

Oh, and I checked last night--I probably have three inches standing straight up.
Geez, we're getting personal in here. :D

Back to the subject--I just don't get dismounting while keeping the frame perfectly vertical. A handful of degrees of lateral tilt moves the TT away from the crotch. It's just second nature and usually necessary to lean the bike if I'm putting a foot down atmo.

Ride what you like.

[Satellite]

Who built the bike for you? Most custom builders will work with you until you are happy that is why you buy custom. Just curious who built your frame and what kind of fitting process you received.

[gdw]

there are those rare occasions when you're in a rock garden, climbing, riding off camber trails, etc when you're forced to stop immediately. You tilt the frame and try to plant a foot only to find that the firm ground is lower than expected. If you're riding a frame with minimal clearance you might find that your lower anatomy makes painful contact with the top tube or if you're real fast and tilt the frame quickly, that extra distance you moved you leg in the process of leaning the frame could put you in a world of hurt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir97936_CYo

There are an awful lot of variables in mountain biking and I prefer to choose frames with more clearance just in case things get ugly. Extra crotch clearance is like having a reserve parachute when you're skydiving. You may never need it but....

[fierte_poser]

I tend to be a "builder knows best" kind of guy. I asked about standover, he said it should be enough. Most of the other frames I've seen of his slope a lot more than mine, so I figured I was in the clear...

I feel for you. You don't want to micromanage the build or look over any shoulders, but you also need to be your own advocate. Tough to balance the two sometimes I suppose...with any custom process. :crap:

[scrooge]

That's exactly what I'm talking about...Rock Garden fears.

As to the video: wow.

there are those rare occasions when you're in a rock garden, climbing, riding off camber trails, etc when you're forced to stop immediately. You tilt the frame and try to plant a foot only to find that the firm ground is lower than expected. If you're riding a frame with minimal clearance you might find that your lower anatomy makes painful contact with the top tube or if you're real fast and tilt the frame quickly, that extra distance you moved you leg in the process of leaning the frame could put you in a world of hurt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir97936_CYo

There are an awful lot of variables in mountain biking and I prefer to choose frames with more clearance just in case things get ugly. Extra crotch clearance is like having a reserve parachute when you're skydiving. You may never need it but....

[WadePatton]

Yeah, I hear ya. Just hasn't been an issue for me in 22 years. Trust your builder.

[Peter P.]

It doesn't sound like many of you ride in New England.

The trails are rocky, rooty, and the terrain is changing constantly. Hasty dismounts at speed are a real possibility. Bailing out at the last minute is sometimes a necessity. You NEED crotch clearance, boy and girl alike.

I just checked my ATB; I've got 3" of clearance and I never have problems. I can remember when I had a mountain bike whose seat tube was only 2" shorter than my road bike. After whacking my _____ a second time, I knew I needed a smaller frame.

Like I said in my earlier post, judging from your seat height alone, it looks like you should be okay.

[vandeda]

Being short (5'3") and loving my Niner Air9 .... I have no choice but to accept about 0" top tube clearance. But then again, in all my years mountain biking ... I've never hit the top tube with my crotch. I've bashed my knee many times on the stem, hit my nads on the nose of the saddle a few times (one of which was mad painful), etc., but I've never hit the top tube.

When I'm stopped, I'm usually either track standing or holding onto something (if I'm waiting for people or we're just taking a break/chatting), so I spend very little time ever standing over the top tube.

Based on all that, my requirement for standover is that I can stand over the bike flat footed. If I actually have clearance ... ok ... if not ... ok. I've learned that it really makes no difference for me. And this is in rocky, rooty northeast riding with my favorite trails being the rock gardens that you have to pick your way through. Maybe I just have no nads haha.

Shrug ... ymmv