I was making fun earlier, but there was a touch of seriousness there too. Unlike most people apparently, the stated ST length of a vintage bike is almost irrelevant to me. The ST length measurement was never standardized. Sometimes it is measured from center of crank to center of lug, sometimes to the top of the TT, sometimes all the way to the top of the ST. However, I know what the sweet spot is for me in turns of 'reach'. If I'm looking at a bike, I'll always ask the seller what the TT length is ctc. If it's 57-58cm, for me, I know I can get a good reach-feel by putting on the appropriate length stem for the type of riding I want to do.
I used to own, what was sized as a 62cm ST, touring bike. If I stood flat-footed over it, my boys might as well have been playing volleyball with each other. It had a 57cm TT however, so I could ride it fine. I finally did sell it as "too big". I think my "boys" were releaved.
