mrblue

I often read in reviews, and hear people talking, about a bike in terms of geometry. A road bike has either an endurance or a race geometry,or so it seems.

What does that mean? I know that with endurance bikes the riding position is typically more upright, but what are the other differences one should be looking at, in regards to these two different descriptions of geometry?

Also, just because a bike has an "endurance" geometry does that mean it lacks something and would not make a good race bike? What about the opposite, if a bike has "race" geometry, does that mean it would be a poor endurance bike?

What is the deal with sloping top tubes? Why are they not horizontal? What about compact geometry? Is that more exclusive to endurance bikes or race bikes?

Thanks.