How much standover

[mdeeds71]

Well in going with my everlong Serotta purchase, and with great help from the forum members...Two frames were sent that fit my dimensions....But! The CSI that is a 58, without the headset installed, only gave me about 1 cm of standover in cycling shoes (able to get my fingers between but not much more)....The other choice is the CDA sloper that well gives much more standover but is somehow shorter in the TT than was originaly thought, supposed to be same as CSI but is a little less...I have been fitted and for stock available these are the two left...Any ideas on the standover....Also the CSI is 1" threaded since it was NOS that Serotta had available...Will I have problems with this in future changes???

Again thanks to you all for my exploits. Someday I will have a pic to post...Hopefully about 2 weeks. But need to get the frame thing nailed down...I got limited since I decided to go with in-stock frames.

[Dave]

According to the geoemetry charts, the HORIZONTAL TT length is the same.

I would never buy a frame that large (vertically). 3cm of clearance in bare feet is about as large as I'd go. That would make the sloping bike a far better choice, if you're buying for the TT length and head tube length. Otherwise a smaller frame or a custom that fits properly would be advisable. Silly to spend big bucks on a frame that has a compromised fit.

[dave thompson]

I've listened to folks judge frame size correctness by standover, yet could never understand the 'why'. To me, standover is a non-issue as I can't recall 'standing over' a bike with both feet flat on the ground. I've had several bikes built to fit, including a Kirk, and in both cases the bikes fit me properly, and the top tube was 'right there'. I really don't care for slopers, so to get the head tube up where I need it, a tall top tube is required. But standover, what's the deal?

[Ken Robb]

I'm with Dave--standover is meaningless unless you are very short-legged. I've never seen a bike that fit in the top tube dimension and had insufficient standover. What I do care about is can I get the bars up to about level with saddle.

[Peter]

Standover IS a factor to consider; just consider it in conjunction with the other important fit factors-top tube and seat tube length. It truly is a safety issue.

Clearance is usually not a problem if the seat tube is sized properly, but if you desire a top tube which doesn't commonly come in the frame size you seek, you could experience clearance problems.

That said, 1 to 2 inches is the range for crotch clearance on a properly sized, horizontal top tube frame. With a larger frame such as the 58cm you're interested in, you could err toward the 2" figure as long as the top tube fits and the drop to the bars is acceptable to you. I wouldn't exceed that.

Here's a suggestion: See if the bike shop is willing to slip the lower half of the headset into that 58cm frame and throw on a couple wheels. Put your shoes on, straddle the frame, and pick it up until the top tube bottoms out. With the wheels level, if you have your 1" now, and your fit session determined the top tube length is good for you, then the 58 is your frame. And if the bike shop offers to slip the headset in for test purposes, you've found a GOOD bike shop.

As for the 1" fork: If it's a steel fork, then go for it. The new oversized dimension was to overcome the inherent weaknesses of carbon and aluminum in the smaller, 1" diameter, so you're likely to find 1" composite forks slightly flexier and replacments less available. Otherwise, I'd lean towards that compact frame assuming it has the 1 1/8" steerer standard, and the top tube isn't so much shorter that it requires an unusually long stem say, 14cm.

[Len J]

The CSI may have a lower BB drop (I think you said it was older), which would account for the "seeming" difference in standover between the two bikes.

Dave's suggestion about standing over the bike with bike shoes and cleats on and pulling it up into your crotch is a great way to determine real standover.

I think standover is a relativly minor issue and most people have way more standover on their bikes than they need.

Ride what fits horizontally.

Len