Here you go, a tale of 3 bicycles......
The old black Bob Jackson I had built many years ago, its 531 lugged construction, its 23 1/2" (for a 5'10" man
) because in those days the forward extension bit of quill stems was resolutely horizontal, and it was the only way I could get the bars high enough. I had it built with a short top tube at 22", if it had been 23 1/2" top tube, I don't think I would have reached the brakes in the days before compact drops. It was my best bike for years.
The blue Orbit happened along when I wasn't looking for a bike, but it was too good to miss, so I bought it and stuck it in the loft. Its 56cm (or 22") and I assumed it was sloping top tube, because most bikes were by then...however, that one was horizontal top tube and 1" quill stem. Then my winter hack got into such a state it wasn't worth sorting out, so (with something of a heavy heart) I downgraded the old BJ to the winter hack and got the Orbit out of the loft. I rode it for a while as original, (quill stems with a rise had by now appeared) before I got a new pair of forks made (to slow down the handling a bit) and now its 1" Ahead....its 22" top tube as well, but my toe can clip the 'guard because it was built short and steep (short offset, steep head angle....my new forks are 20mm longer, to take a degree off the head angle)
The Spa Ti bike is a complete indulgence, I almost have a bike for each day of the week now! Its 54cm seat tube, but the top tube slopes up 6cm, so the front end is actually a shade higher than the front end of the huge BJ. High bars and standover clearance, toe clearance and sensible reach.....whats not to like?....