Originally Posted by
rseeker
I feel the same way but it's strictly for aesthetic reasons. Top tube should be horizontal, stem should parallel the top tube, rear racks should be horizontal as well. Probably a minority opinion. (Yeah, I know, you have to make the bike fit and you can only buy what the market offers...)
'Completely agree, and yes, I must admit that most of my preference for a horizontal top tube is based on my sense of aesthetics. There may be some advantages in terms of stiffness etc, but those points could probably be endlessly debated back and forth, so yes, it's mainly just that it looks better to me.