Originally Posted by
sumgy
I don't even believe it makes that much sense on a MTB.
In 20 odd years of MTBing, I have NEVER managed to crash or emergency stop where I landed with both feet on the ground on perfectly flat ground on my MTB's.
Not saying to get a MTB with no standover at all, but it is not a measurement I even look at (MTB or road).
But I see so many people who think it is vitally important, including a post I was just reading where the poster said it was the most important measurement for them as they could easily adjust their saddle height, tilt, fore-aft, stem length etc.
Again, I really do not disagree with you but I have dismounted flat footed, not on purpose and more than once. But the good thing that makes standover really not important, agree with you, is that most MTBs today and even in the past had/have sloped tops tubes. If one is even close in their frame size choice, they will have plenty of standover thus, again, agreeing with you, makes standover a tertiary consideration. But, like the other fellow said, other things can be adjusted, standover cannot be.
Funny thing, I just bought a new Bianchi Pista SS/Fixie and the owners manual boldly and specifically states that if you do not have standover do not even attempt to ride the bicycle, so Bianchi (the world's oldest existing bicycle company, 134 years) must consider it important or their lawyers do, one or other. Good thing, I have about 1.5 inches and the TT is my (for me) magic 56cm. My Surly Cross Check 54cm, 56cm TT, has a ton of standover considering it's cycle cross DNA and my new Pista not so much. These two bikes, the Surly 10 years ago and my new Pista a few weeks ago are the only two new bicycles I have bought since 1996. But I have rescued quite a few over those years.