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@JonoMarshall
Snoops is right I reckon, horizontal was de facto because of lugs and one less plain to move along for your jig?
A sloping top tube gives you a (marginally) stiffer frame and weighs less, you also don't catch your balls or a swinging brake lever/bar on your top tube.
For polo it's also easier to play either side of your bike (a little), Ali has taken this to extremes by playing under his downtube for example... a neat idea.
I like a bit of a slope, but still want the top tube between my thighs, feels sketchy otherwise (MTB versus BMX mentality)?
Why would you want a horizontal top tube? There's no reason apart from tradition is there? Maybe it spreads the load a little more (more material does this by default after all)?