For those wondering what standover height is, this article will take you through the most comprehensive basics that you need to know. Like any other bike adjustments during fitting, standover height plays a crucial role in determining your overall comfortability when bike riding.
Well, growing up is a very active part of anyone’s biological clock. While growing up, we often tend to undergo various physical changes that mainly include increased body mass, height, and appearance.
As a rider, it is always important to consider and factor in most of these changes when fitting and readjusting our bikes. For starters, these alterations and measurements commonly influence the type of bike you should buy. That is if you are out looking for a good bike.
For more convenience, most veterans and experienced bike riders will agree with me that newbies and other bikers must consider keeping a height chart close over the years. This will help you quickly determine the proper adjustments and size for your biking needs as you grow.
That aside, let us now dig in a little deeper into standover height.
Essentially, finding standover height is easy provided that you first get and use the suitable materials. There are two significant steps for finding your standover height: the first one includes measuring your full height, and the other is estimating your inseam.
To do this correctly, it would be best to do the measurements while wearing your biking gear.
You will need a bulky book, tape measure, a marker pen, and a straight wall to get started. First, measure your total height while standing straight against a wall. Put a mark on the wall at the highest tip of your head, and estimate the distance between the floor and the imprint. For accuracy purposes, it is recommended that you ask someone else to help you take the measurements.
For the second bit, here is a step-by-step guide on how to measure your inseam height:
Given that different types of bikes feature different designs and makes, it is best to leave up to 2 inches of clearance to the measured standover height. This is commonly considered as best practice across several different biking communities.
The essence of standover height cannot and should not be ignored. Failure to consider or factor it in your biking preferences might lead to health complications and even cause accidents. But since nobody would like to harm themselves, we will go over a few advantages of knowing your standover height.
Now that you have established your standover height and have learned how to measure it, you should remember that standover height helps reduce landing complications in case of emergency braking.
If your body and the framing tube on your bike are in contact when you stand on your feet, your chances of ramming into it are very high. Ouch! I know that it doesn’t sound pretty.
But this is not to say that you should consider getting a bike with too much clearance space between the crotch area and the tube. Such bikes commonly have riding issues, and this ample clearance will take a toll on your pedaling.
The good news is that there is a way to evade all these adverse outcomes and have a beautiful biking experience.
Well, since fixed bike types commonly lead to standover height issues, you should consider getting a custom bike that can be readjusted appropriately. Just make sure that you first confirm if the standover height is calibrated to match your measurements.
Whether you prefer mountain bikes to road bikes, learning how to measure your standover height will help you choose the right bike for your biking needs. This knowledge will help revamp your riding experience by ensuring that you are always safe from injuries and other long-term health complications.
To find your standover height, you can quickly use the discussed steps in this article but remember to ask someone else to help you with the measuring. For those looking to buy a new bike, you should consider getting a custom one that matches your estimated standover height. To be safe, remember to always add up to 2 inches of clearance to take care of body growth. Otherwise, investing in a good pair of brakes should be enough to maximize your riding experience.
