The sloping top tube is what allows you to put the 700 wheels on a lot of small bikes. When I went on a Trek Travel tour in Europe, I rode a 47 cm Madone, which was essentially the same as my 5200 WSD. It had a sloping top tube and the 700 wheels, where my 5200 had 650 wheels. It took about 2 days to get used to feeling "high up" and now it feels natural.