Sense of Aesthetics result from the era you were raised in and what you were exposed to. I started riding seriously in the early 70's, and my bike reflects the values I derived in the 70's and 80's: level (or even just slightly forward-sloping) top tube, level stem, head tube the same length as the amount of seatpost showing. Stem set just above the top head lug, so the bars are well below the saddle. Close-coupling, so not a lot of space between the rear wheel and the seat tube, so short stays and about a 100-cm wheelbase.

I find that I just abhor the mountain-bike style backward-slanting top tubes, the stems that rise upward, and bars set to the same height as the saddle, which results in too high a stem, or too many spacers, or not enough seatpost showing. I don't like too long a head tube in relation to the rest of the bike. I just find all this stuff ugly, but it seems to be the way they're making bikes nowadays.

But as with most aesthetics, tastes do tend to change as you get used to the changes. But I really wish it was easier to find stems with the minus-17-degree rise (therefore flat on a 73-degree head tube). All they seem to sell nowadays are the stupid stems with the 8-degree rise. Just plain ugly!

Luis