I am a beginner and I ride a 49 WSD Lemond with top tube of 510mm. I'm 5'3" with a short inseam of about 30" and a "long torso for my height." My LBS had to shorten the stem on my bike from 85 to 65 but now it fits SOOOO much better I'm still tweeking my bike fit and have not been out on the road since my fit adjustment so we'll have to see how it worked out.

Looking back on my bike buying experience now, I wish I had shopped around more to find a bike geometry that would have initially fit me better (perhaps a Cannondale or Specialized) because I feel like my top tube length is too long even though I have a "long torso for my height." I don't think I'm small enough to have the next Lemond frame size down (45cm with 498 top tube) though but 12mm isn't much of a difference so maybe it would have worked but I know sometimes the smallest change can make the biggest difference. I just hate considering that it might have been better for me because it instills feelings of buyer regret, etc. I tried a Trek 47cm frame (top tube is 494mm) and it felt really cramped in the drops but the 47cm also came with a standard 65 stem which is what I switched my 49 Lemond to. So, perhaps if I had a shorter top tube with a longer stem.... I'm just really not sure.

The bike store I where I purchased my bike said that usually people can fit 2 different size bikes but that it's a matter of preference but I suspect they put me on the bike they had built and in stock instead of having me try both sizes and making the best recommendation for me

I think it will be a long time before I get another road bike but when I do, it will be very carefully selected

I know I'm always curious about other women's bike proportions and frame sizes too