Quote Originally Posted by nuliajuk View Post
You should not be expecting to put your foot on the ground from the saddle. This can be done by cruiser riders on things like Electras with the extreme (almost semi-recumbent) seat tube angle. On a normal road bike, you'd have to have the saddle far too low to be able to do that.
The usual way to start on a road bike is with one foot on the ground, the other on a pedal (usually the right, if you're right-handed) at the high side of the pedal stroke. Push off, find the other pedal in a standing position, then sit down.
If you're feeling stretched out on the WSD bikes you've been trying, a Surly (unless it's very tiny) will probably feel even more so. I looked at their frame geometry charts a couple years ago when searching for a touring bike and found that the top tubes were quite long compared with other makes in the same size.
I think it's easier to find the second pedal if you sit down as soon as you push off with the first pedal. You're more stable at low speeds when you're seated.