I've been going on test rides over the weekend and a little bit this week as well.

I have been massively impressed by the bikes I've test ridden. I've really enjoyed just about every specialized bike I've test ridden. If I buy locally, I have a good shop in mind. I seem to get along pretty well with the employees, and they have a good selection of bikes at some pretty competitive prices.

One issue I'm encountering is that I can't decide between 52 and 54 cm bikes. I've test ridden a secteur in both the 52 and 54 cm sizes.

52 cm pros:

The 52 seems to have a little bit of a 'pocket rocket' feel. It's a bit lower to the ground and feels slightly more secure and quicker to turn.

52 cm cons:

The tt may be just a touch too short, and I'm a little leery of going with a longer stem. Ideally, I'd rather have more reach via the top tube.



54 pros:

The top tube and stem length feels spot on.

54 cons:

The bike feels noticeably higher off the ground and seems more ponderous and less secure while cornering.

I feel like I can negotiate a turn tighter and faster with the smaller bike, while the larger bike seems to lean rather than turn, if that makes sense.

Theoretically, the 54 should fit me better. The top tube, stem and reach seem correct. But for whatever reason, the 52 seems more manueverable and faster.

One shop told me that a shorter top tube plus longer stem is a little less secure on gnarly descents. It's something to consider. Perhaps I just need to go on longer test rides.

What are your thoughts on sizing?