Is there a touring bike with low standover height?

[IBrakeforPastry]

I'm looking into maybe getting a bike for longer distance, supported touring. I won't be riding loaded. I like the idea of steel, but they all seem to have pretty horizontal top tubes and I've got short legs. I think I need something sloping. I'm also looking for an excuse to check out a Bike Friday

All suggestions are welcome. I'm not planning to buy anything soon. I just enjoy the hunt.

[indysteel]

My Jamis Aurora has a sloping top tube. I think it's a 47 cm.

[Catrin]

There are touring bikes with low standovers - my LHT was a 47 cm but no real sloping TT and I am short. What stand over room are you looking for?

[IBrakeforPastry]

Indy, I just looked at their website. The standover is almost 28" on the Aurora. And the top tube looked horizontal. Is yours a women's model that they no longer make?

[IBrakeforPastry]

Catrin - we were posting at the same time. I haven't done the precise measuring yet, but about 25". I'm used to tilting the bike when I stop, just not too much. I'm really hoping to get a Surly Pacer to fit. Their website says the smaller frames can take smaller wheels, but then a different type of brake would be needed.

[Catrin]

Catrin - we were posting at the same time. I haven't done the precise measuring yet, but about 25". I'm used to tilting the bike when I stop, just not too much. I'm really hoping to get a Surly Pacer to fit. Their website says the smaller frames can take smaller wheels, but then a different type of brake would be needed.

The smaller Surly LHT take 26 inch wheels. They are bomb-proof, very cushy, and make great touring bikes...or for transportation after the Zombie Apocalypse. The smaller sizes could be considered on the over-built size, but I loved my LHT (I just happened to love my custom bike more so sold the LHT). I don't know that there IS a touring bike with a sloping TT, but just because I've not seen one doesn't mean they don't exist

[tulip]

Bike Friday--you have permission.

[Sylvia]

I have a 25" inseam and I have a Bike Friday and a Terry Trixie (it is a mixte that Terry used to make several years ago). I believe the woman I purchased the Trixie from used it for touring.

[Crankin]

Terry makes an xsmall touring bike, but not sure what your price range is. I kind of wanted what you are describing, and I ended up with a custom titanium relaxed geometry road bike. It has mountain gearing on the back, regular Ultegra shifters, and I can put both panniers and my Arkel Trail Rider trunk on it. However, I have a 28.5 inseam.
I would also endorse the steel Jamis bikes. They give you a lot for the $ and I loved my Coda.

[goldfinch]

In steel I can stand over the smallest Long Haul Trucker and the smallest Salsa Vaya, but both are taller than 25" even though they have 26 inch wheels. IIRC, the standover is about 27.5 on both of these. Which is my inseam. However, when wearing shoes I found the clearance just fine.

The Jamis Endura is carbon but set up for touring, with the ability to take wider tires and it is set up for racks. The standover is slightly more than 27 inches on the smallest.

When I checked there were no steel Jamis bikes that would fit me.

Terry does have a steel touring bike that will have a lower top tube than these but you are getting into the custom price range, at over $3500.

[eofelis]

I've had a 42cm LHT and I have a 50cm Salsa Vaya. They both have a standover of 70cm.

I have a couple frames (built as my commuter bikes) of mid-1990s 13inch Novara Randonees. Back then they offered the smallest sizes with 26" wheels. They are decent steel frames, lighter weight than the burly LHT. I've kind of been hoarding these frames. They have a low standover, about 67cm. I keep a permanant watch on ebay for Novara stuff and I got one of these frames on ebay a couple years ago and I have not seen one since. There has got to be some more out there.

[Sky King]

Also consider the She Devil by Handsome Bikes and the even the Soma Bueno Vista. I know many on TE ride the Bueno Vista as a round town bike but supported touring would be great as well.
As I invite you to read this post on touring bikes for help too and not get to hung up on stand over height

[goldfinch]

The problem is how tough it is if you can't actually standover a bike's top tube. It is at best awkward. And, the secondary problem, which seems common with touring bikes, is the very long effective top tube. For example, if I used the Bike Hermit's seat of the pants calculation for effective top tube sizing I would need a bike with a 46 or 47cm top tube. There aren't any off the rack adult bikes that "short." This is probably why one of my bikes ended up with a 60mm stem and another a 50mm stem. Seat tube angle fits into all these measures as well as I understand every one degree of difference creates a one centimeter difference in fore and aft position.

[Trek420]

The Soma Mixte comes with braze ons for touring, fits fatter tires. Can't beat a mixte for low standover height

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=24182

[Sylvia]

The very smallest Soma Buena Vista mixte has a 42cm frame and a 25" standover. Since your inseam is about 25", you might want to check with Soma to see where that measurement is taken. Or better yet see if there is a dealer near you that might have one in stock.

You should definitely be able to get a Bike Friday that will fit (I'm a fellow 25" inseamer and have a Bike Friday). Otherwise you may need to see what is available with 24" wheels or try a Terry mixte (if you can find one).