General Cycling Discussion - Top Tube Geometry Question

Being a biking noob, I have a question(s) about bike top tube geometry that I'd like some help with. I'm somewhat in the market for a new bike but I'm confused on the difference between the classic straight top tube and sloping tube. How much difference is there between the two? Is there a difference in the ride? The riding position? Anything?

Please enlighten me. :)

Thx

Frames of the same size, but from different brands, can vary in the seat-tube angle and the top-tube length (or its horizontal equivelent). Just having a dropped top tube makes no difference to your saddle or bar position.
It does allow you to ride with a lower top tube, and more exposed seatpost which, some people think, makes the frame stiffer, lighter and the ride better, but others disagree.
The main advantge is to the bike manufacturer, who can supply a variety of seatposts and stems to fit a small number of frame sizes to a large number of people.
The only disadvantage of a dropped tube is where you want to fit a luggage rack, and the threaded eyelets on the seat-stays are very low. If they are below the top of the wheel, then you have to use extended, and bent bits of metal, which weakens the triangulation of the rack.

w/ compact frames, you measure the effective Top Tube. It is and imaginary horizontal line from the center of the Head tube to the Center of your seat post.

So the way you measure a traditional geo. frame would be the same, and the geometry comparable.

As for differences, the compact Geo. frame is stiffer than the traditional frame. As compared to a "traditional" bike, I can accelrate and climb better w/ my specialized s-works, but the ride is not as good as my other bike. Both have CF forks.

As for differences, the compact Geo. frame is stiffer than the traditional frame. As compared to my "traditional" bike, I can accelrate and climb better w/ my specialized s-works, but the ride is not as good as my other bike. Both have CF forks.

Are you truly comparing apples to apples? As I recall, your traditional frame bike is a lugged steel bike with small diameter tubes while the S-Works is an Al frame with big oversized tubes. I'm sure the larger tube cross-section contributes more to the stiffness than the compact geometry.

Are you truly comparing apples to apples? As I recall, your traditional frame bike is a lugged steel bike with small diameter tubes while the S-Works is an Al frame with big oversized tubes. I'm sure the larger tube cross-section contributes more to the stiffness than the compact geometry.

No, I'm not referring to my steel roadie.. I have tried on a Al traditional geometry '00 Schwinn roadie, 105 equipped. Sorry, I have mislead you
As for differences, the compact Geo. frame is stiffer than the traditional frame. As compared to my "traditional" bike,, please omit the "my", the bike is owned by one of my riding buddies who is trying to sell it.. A size 50cm too, just my size.

Thanks for the help.

So, if I understand this correctly, there's little (or no) difference between the 2 types of top tubes as far as the geometry is concerned.

One of the reasons I asked this question is that, when test riding new bikes, I was feeling a little cramped on some bikes as compared to others. I was attributing this to the sloping v. horizontal top tube which now appears to have been wrong. It was probably a difference in the overall length of the top tube.

Thanks again.