Quote Originally Posted by mcook View Post
I'm going back tomorrow to do some test riding. They have a 48 as well to try, although not in the cannondale I was considering. I trust this shop and the store owner is assisting me herself. They have been in business for years and are well thought of by the local bike community. She mentioned what you said about the stem as well, and thought we should see how the 48 fits just to compare. I don't know why, but I feel scrunched up on the 48. Maybe I am just not used to how a road bike should feel? Or perhaps the geometry is slightly different?
Have you tested a CAAD model, by chance? A 48 in that will have a longer top tube in the appropriate size. It has less relaxed geometry. I went for the carbon version of that bike (aka the SuperSix) when I upgraded. The women's Synapse felt scrunched to me, too, though I would not have wanted to go larger. I simply like being less upright on the bike. I could have gone with a longer stem, but I had moved on to wanting more bike and doing more competitive riding.

Also, a men's/unisex frame will often have a somewhat longer top tube, so maybe a 48 in a men's model will fit you better--my bike is a men's.

ALSO, Cannondales tend to run big. If you tried a 48 in another brand and it felt scrunched, I would put money on the same size Cdale feeling just right.