Advice needed on Jamis/Cannondale road bikes

[Owlie]

Welcome to TE!
I'm looking at a steel Jamis road bike (the Quest Femme), and it seems like a great bike for the money. I've never seen one of their aluminum offerings in a shop, so I don't know much about those. I'm not a fan of relaxed-geometry aluminum bikes (they seem to be harsher rides than their more aggressive cousins), but I obviously haven't tested everything out there. I prefer aluminum to an overbuilt unisex carbon bike, though!

As for either brand being good for small women: It depends. How tall are you, and what's your inseam? I'm the opposite end of the size spectrum (so I know that it's not always easy to find something to test-ride), but I have a short torso. Because of that, Cannondale (even their women's offerings) aren't so friendly to me, at least in my measured size. A full size smaller might be great, but I've yet to try it out.

ETA: They're both great bikes. Find a shop with a good fitter who can work with you to find the bike you need. Don't be afraid to consider others like Specialized, Trek, Giant, or smaller manufacturers.