Originally Posted by hokiefyd

I didn't say an upright riding position isn't more comfortable. All of my bikes are set up more upright than I suspect many here ride. However, an upright position is patently not as efficient at power transfer to the pedals. That's one reason riders who value speed don't sit upright on bikes.

You cited your desire to keep up with roadies, and an apparent frustration that most step-through frames are setup for casual rides, which I inferred to mean you wanted speed. In general, the more upright you sit, the more difficult it is to put power through the pedals.

Some of your choices may be good for speed. The Roll probably won't be -- it has a very slack seat tube angle that puts the bike into sort of a "crank forward" geometry. Similar to an upright seating position, this will not be conducive to fast riding.