How to calculate bike stand-over height using frameset geometry and wheel radius? While it's best to buy through fitting a bike in store, it's not always possible (discussed here).

On some websites, the stand-over height of a bike may not be listed as part of the specifications.

However, simple geometry would dictate that there must be a way to calculate the stand-over height from knowing the frameset's tube lengths and angles, as well as the wheel diameter alone.

Or is there more to consider?



For example, taking the Genesis Day One Disc in the 60 cm variant as an example:




Seat tube (centre-top): 600mm
Effective Top Tube: 575mm
Head Tube: 185mm
Head Angle: 71.5°
Seat Angle: 74°
Chain Stay: 415mm
BB Drop: 64mm

Stem Length: 110mm

H/Bar Width: 44cm




That's more or less OK, but what size are the wheels?


Hubs: KT-SY1F / KT-MX7R 6-Bolt Disc 
Rims: Alex XD-Lite Disc 32H
Tires: Continental Cyclocross Race 35c (wire)




I would like to know the standover in order to determine clearance between my crotch and the top tube.
A good approximation can be made using some basic trigonometry and common sense.

I will use WR as wheel radius (i.e. half the wheel diameter) and the numbers refer to the distance indicated in the picture you uploaded.

First of all, the height of the vertical tube (aka the vertical projection of the tube) is just sin(5)*1.

Then the distance between the ground and the bottom bracket is WR - 8.

So, the distance from the ground to the top tube would be H = sin(5)*1 + (WR - 8)