Good evening cyclists! I really need your help.
A little background. I'm 220lbs and 5' 10".
Last year I invested in a nice surly pacer purchased at a very nice bike shop where the owner spent a very long time dialing it in by having me pedaling on a trainer, changing stems, adjusting the saddle, etc. He recommended a 52cm pacer with the shortest stem possible. The bike is small, but I feel great riding it. (I have a belly and short arms.)
Two weeks ago I bought a used Surly Disc Trucker on craigslist. Beautiful bike. The bike is a 52cm frame with 26" wheels. The top tube length is similar in length to my pacer, but the standover is 3 inches shorter.
I was very happy with my purchase until someone mentioned the bike looks small on me.
It's stupid, but this changed the way I feel about the bike.
My questions are as follow: How much is too much standover height? Is it possible that 3" is too much? Since I was told my bike is too small for me I feel cramped, but I think it's just psychological. The obvious thing is for me to ride it a bit more to get a better feel, but I still need to know your take.
I'm including a couple pictures. Let me know what you think.