kross57

To be right for me, my bikes require the low standover height of a 19-20" frame, but a higher seat, and consequently higher handlebars. Finding the right frame size has not been difficult, but I do need to switch out the stem for a longer one. Is this unusual, or fairly common?

55murray

That is a little out there. So you have long legs but short torso and reach... Why not a bit bigger frame and a stem with a short reach?

kross57

With, say, a 21 inch frame, the standover height is too much.

bark_eater 

You need a drop bar mountain bike or hybrid with a short seat post, long top tube. Unedgimicated opinion as to fit would be to get a shorter arm crank set and bring the seat back.

I'm also of the taller sitting down tribe, but ride "french fit, dress left" on 23" frames, so I might have a different tolerance for standover height.

smashndash

I have long legs and a short torso/arms. From what I can see with your bike, you have negative saddle to bar drop. Most quality road race bikes are not designed with that kind of geometry in mind. I run somewhere around 4” of drop saddle to top of bars. The bike in the picture is obviously designed to be very aggressive with its miniscule headtube.

Also, oldschool straight top tube bikes have poor standover compared to newer bikes with sloping top tubes (like mine).

I agree with the comment above that says you need a hybrid, not a road race bike. Or maybe a very lax, endurance or even gravel oriented bike. It may come with flat bars, but you can put drops on it.

EDIT: To answer your question, I think your problem is extremely common. It seems that previous road bikes were very hardcore, with huge gears, straight top tubes, skinny tires and short headtubes. Newer bikes cater more to the average cyclists, with taller headtubes (a necessity with threadless steerers), sloping top tubes (which allow for more standover clearance with taller headtubes), smaller gears (I can hit 43mph with a 50:11... not sure why so many people think a compact crank is only for beginners) and wider tires (my tires measure out to 29mm). Your problem is only one of many that modern bikes have attempted to solve.

kross57

I actually had a modern bike with upright bars and wider tires. Hated it! I had almost given up riding until I rediscovered the bikes of my youth.

I'm OK with the tires and gearing, but the bikes that fit me best (standover) have diminutive head tubes that don't allow much in the way of adjustment. If they were set up for a more aggressive riding posisition, and/or a different body geometry, then that would explain my predicament. It could be that a more recreation-oriented C&V bike would have a different set-up, but none of the ones I've ridden do. All the 49-51cm frames need taller bars for me. Using a taller stem is no big deal, and once I do that, the bikes fit like a glove. I was curious how often this occurred.

Anyway, I appreciate the info.

sumgy

How much standover are you looking for?
On my square frame I have somewhere around half and inch of standover if I am lucky.
On my sloping top tube I have more.
You really don't need much standover (unless you are incredibly adept at falling from your bike directly onto both feet at the same time on flat ground).

I am lost for words about the rest of that fit.

sumgy

Only with people who have incredibly poor bike fits.

sumgy

Seriously, I think you are spending too much time worrying about standover, at the expense of getting a bike that actually fits you.
Do you spend lots of time standing over your bike, or do you spend much more time RIDING it?
Whichever thing you spend more time doing should have priority with regard to your fit.
Would love to see a pic of you, because unless you have incredibly short legs, zero flexibility in your back, and incredibly short arms, that bike does not fit you.

smashndash

Wider tires, I understand. But you can always put skinnier tires on any bike.

Why did you hate the upright bars? It seems like you need upright bars. Or did your hating the modern bike have nothing to do with fit?

riverdrifter

Maybe not exactly the same, but this is similar for me. This is a 51 cm Jamis, with a sloping top tube. I think I could go to a larger frame in this model, but the way I have it set up now feels great.

Phamilton

IMO with that much seat post sticking up, there's no way you couldn't handle a 21" frame with plenty of standover. The saddle is all the way forward as well. I'm guessing it needs to go down a little and maybe back some. Then reevaluate your stem situation.

kross57

Half an inch to an inch is plenty for me. I was only asking to see if someone else had similar issues. Not for a lesson on bike fit.

Hey, maybe all the people that tell me I have huge cajones are right.

Phamilton

Also worth considering that all the people telling you your bike fit looks incorrect might be on to something. I mean that magnanimously.

Phamilton

And your cojones won’t love you very long if you keep riding with your saddle too high. Especially if they're as big as you claim. Sorry. As big as other people claim.

kross57

And you would be wrong. I have a bike with a 21" frame, and it gives me zero (maybe negative) gap for standover.

I did adjust the saddle after that photo was taken. It made no difference in the stem I need.

Again, guys, not looking for a lesson in bike fit. I do appreciate the suggestions, but not what I was asking for.

Phamilton

No problem, then. To address your original question: No. I've never seen anything like that. Looks pretty bizarre to me. Good luck.

Edit: Beautiful bike, BTW. I love Fujis.

kross57

Maybe also worth considering is that the bike set up the way it is, is awesomely comfortable and functional for me. Why would I change that? Bike fit is all about doing what works for you. Not adhering to some arbitrary standard. There is a reason they make longer stems, right?

Once again, checking to see if anyone else has similar issues, not bike fit education. But, thanks anyway.

kross57

But, remember, the saddle isn't "too high". It's at just the right position for me. As far as the cojone size issue, yes, I have no personal opinion.

kross57

Hurray! Someone gets it! Yes, and if you wanted the bars at seat level, like I do, and the head tube was very short, like my bikes, you'd need a longer stem.

kross57

Thanks!

riverdrifter

The photo of the Jamis above is misleading, because it's sitting at an angle. Actually the bars are just slightly above the saddle, and yeah that bike has a really long head tube.

Ground to top of saddle is 38", ground to top of handlebars (flats) is 38.5". Standover is 29". Cranks are 170.

Hard to picture it, but sitting on flat ground, the basket is perfectly level.

Phamilton

Out of curiosity, how much standover clearance do you have on that setup?

riverdrifter

29" standover. I edited the post above with more info.

Phamilton

Ok - sorry! I meant, how much clearance do YOU have standing over it?