Originally Posted by Mukluk
Here is what I could find on frame geometry from the websites of both companies. Both are 53 cm bikes
-------------------------------Cannondale----------------Versailles
seat tube length---------------?---------------------------477mm
top tube----------------------530-------------------------533
effective top tube-----------?--------------------------545
head tube angle---------------72.5------------------------73
seat tube angle--------------74------------------------73.25
fork rake----------------------45--------------------------45
chainstay length-------------405--------------------------408
wheel base-----------------968---------------------------975
bottom bracket drop--------72---------------------------70
crank length------------------?--------------------------172.5
handlebar width--------------?---------------------------440
stem length-------------------?----------------------------110
stand over height-----------783--------------------------754
trail (whatever that is)------590--------------------------?
front center dist------------571---------------------------?
head tube length-----------137-----------------------------?
I converted the Cannondale specs from from cm to mm so both are mm. If a number seems drastically off let me know, I probably made a mistake in transcribing.
Generally speaking, WSD should take into account that the "normal" female anat has more leg and less torso (relative to male anat), but there are always exceptions, right? So when you go test ride these rigs you want to be aware of what the bike feels like while you're riding it. If you've got shoes and riding gear, I'd go take it on a long ride (like maybe a couple hours, not just around the block by the shop). Tell 'em you're gonna be gone for a while, first...
Looking at the frame spec chart above, the only thing that really jumps out at me is the hbar width; maybe it's me, but a 44 seems a bit wide, unless they're measuring o-o, in which case it's maybe a 42, more in line with what I'd expect. Of course, if you have big shoulders, forget what I just wrote.
Ppl preach fit (as should a good shop) because that pretty much makes or breaks the cycling experience. Usually the frame is the most expensive part so if the fit is bad, the person hangs it up and walks away, or ends up getting at least another frame to replace, $$.