Originally Posted by
cyccommute
I wouldn't call you "short legged". You are just about average. My question, however, is how you define "standover" height. Are you defining it as standing flatfooted with both feet on the ground or are you sitting in the saddle? If you have to stand on tiptoe over the frame with both feet on the ground, the frame you have is way, way, way too large. I can stand flat footed, uncomfortably, over a 62 cm frame and I have a 32" inseam. I would never ride such a frame, no matter how much I "loved" the frame, however.
However, if you are talking about standing on your tiptoes when seated in the saddle, that's not "standover" height. Frankly, my feet can't reach the ground from a seated position on any of my bikes because I couldn't get the proper leg extension if I could. When I stop, I come off the saddle (unless trackstanding) and put one foot on the ground. The saddle hits me just above my tailbone when I do that.
A "large" frame can also have many different measurements depending on the manufacturer. An actually number might be a better indicator.
Standover - flat-footed over the frame.
A 32" inseam is exaggerating for me; closer to 31". My brother, who is 2" taller than me, has legs that are 5" longer than me, and he isn't particularly long-legged. I have a long torso and short legs. I think my Giants are 21"; anything smaller is uncomfortable. In fact, I have 120mm stems on both to extend the reach a little. I loved the reach on an old 22" Specialized I had, but standover height was an inch too high for me.
I've been riding for several years, usually over 100 miles a week and often 60+ mile rides on the weekend. While my choice of frame may not be "technically" correct, it has worked for me. (Of course, this is bikeforums and I'm sure there are plenty of posters itching to tell me how what I should be doing instead.)