Road bikes designed after about 1986 are designed for indexed shifting. There is one precise location for the rear hub that provides the best shifting.

No bike "gets better" because it has a shorter wheelbase. A shorter wheelbase makes handling a bit faster, an advantage in the midst of the pro peloton. But, the longer the wheelbase, and the longer the chainstays, the better the "ride" quality of the bike, the better it absorbs road shock, and you also have a longer, straighter chainline, which improves shifting and increases chain life.

In 2005, "Cycling Plus" editors road tested team bikes used in the 2005 Tour de France. The bike they picked for having the "best ride", the one that was "a pleasure to ride" for a hundred miles a day, was the Trek Madone SSLx. It had the longest chainstays, longest wheelbase, and most "relaxed" seat tube angle.

The bikes with shorter, more aggressive geometry earned comments such as we felt "beaten-up"...

Getting more of the rider's weight over the rear hub can help with traction and acceleration. The relaxed 71 degree angle of the Trek's seat tube moved the saddle back closer to the rear hub. That gave the Trek the "advantage" of a shorter wheelbase, without also having the numerous problems that come with a shorter wheelbase.