Fashion has changed radically over the years. As many vintage racing photos attest, riders used to go for relatively tall frames. I happily rode a too-tall Nishiki for 20 years, but the short top tube compensated somewhat. I gave my Peugeot PKN-10 to my elder son because it always felt too big, even after I installed a minimum-reach stem. (Its top tube was significantly longer than the Nishiki's, and this influenced my emotional perception of the height of the top tube.)
Fortunately, both Capos and my Bianchi fit me perfectly, with 55cm C-T seat tubes just barely providing standover clearance and top tubes giving me a 45-degree back angle with my hands on the hoods. Since my right forearm is at least a cm shorter than my left, I have to compromise my longitudinal fitting, much as those of you with unequal leg lengths have to compromise your seat height adjustment.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069