need opinions about "stand over height"

[mayqueen]

I appreciate the feedback! Its been hard because I've been waffling back and forth. I hear one thing, then someone else tells me something the complete opposite! All I know is that buyers remorse is something that I want to avoid. Thanks! I will post pics once I buy my new bike.

[Cataboo]

All I can say is test ride... You may be able to find something with more sloping geometry that works for you standover height wise if you're not comfortable... Sounds like you need a long top tube... that can be extended by putting a longer stem on the bike. You definitely shouldn't be looking at women's frames, so if you are test riding wsd's or women's bikes, try the male versions of those bikes... they tend to have longer top tubes.

How tall are you?

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html


http://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...izing_position

[mayqueen]

Was at a shop coupled of days ago and the tech said the exact same thing. I think the mens version is called the Rapid. I have compared the specs and it looks like the SO height is about .5 shorter, BUT the length is longer. I am assuming that womens bikes are made with "shorter torsos" as the only difference. Man, there are soooo many choices! Oh, I'm only 5"7 1/2 , but I've got a short inseam.

[Yelsel]

The men's standover height is about 0.2" lower for the same center-top tube height (the seat-tube angle is slightly steeper on the women's bike).

Drop down in height one size on the men's, get almost an inch of clearance. The top tube would be 5 mm / 0.5 cm *shorter* than the women's. You could try it and see how it feels. With a relatively long torso, you probably will fit better on a men's bike.

(And there is an error in the geometry -- the standover height for the M / 50 cm Dash bike should be 31.2", not 32.2".)

[mayqueen]

Hmm... Thanks Yelsel. I need to relook the chart over. Btw, is there a men's Dash, I could have sworn it was called the Rapid. Great help though everyone. I'm going to look for a few more options, more test rides!

[Cataboo]

Hmm... Thanks Yelsel. I need to relook the chart over. Btw, is there a men's Dash, I could have sworn it was called the Rapid. Great help though everyone. I'm going to look for a few more options, more test rides!

Women's bikes are made for long legs, short torsos.... Since you're exactly opposite of that, trying to fit yourself to a women's bike is probably not going to turn out too well. Try the men's version, size down if you need like Yelsel suggested and remember that they can put a longer stem on the bike to make up for the difference in top tube... .5 cms shorter for the sized down mens version top tube compared to the women's is not much at all, and you could totally get away with a longer stem.

Alot of the women on here, myself included don't ride women's bikes, because they don't fit us as well as the men's frames do. You're at a height where there should be plenty of bikes available to try ... if you were really short where there's a shortage of bike options, then I'd say it's not a bad compromise to have your crotch bumping... But seriously, at your height, you really shouldn't have to make that compromise. There should be a reasonable variety of bikes available that will fit you.

[mayqueen]

Thanks, I think that I definitely need to open my spectrum to looking at universal or men's bikes. My main problem is that what i am looking for is somewhat limited. I am specifically looking for a flat bar road bike and as you gals probably know, there argent too many options right now (well at least in my price point of $900 or under). I have had a "balance" disorder for about 12 years now and lets just say that the "drop bars' are not my friend! For some reason I cannot balance right to save my life. So if anyone has any suggestions about more flat bar road bikes, that would be awesome!

May