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The geometry, however, seems en par with what Grant Peterson promotes but applied to the "wrong kind of bike"--- typical hand position on a STI/Ergo-bicycle is on the hoods. To my eyes it looks strange. The rising top-tube combined with low saddle just looks out of place. With a traditional horizontal tube it might pass as "old school" but ...

NOTE: Even in the 1940s/1950s nobody rode with hands nearly level with saddle.

while I mostly agree with you, you seem to forget that the nature boy is a cross bike. though similar looking, you can't really compare to a road bike like that. most people prefer their cross rigs set up with a much higher bar.