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Usually smaller bike have a slightly slacker handling due to using the same fork throughout the sizes.
Some have two fork option (45mm for 52-62cm, and 50mm for 42-50cm), very very few have at least three different fork.
Cannondale use the same fork rake in all the sizes (45mm base on old CAAD10/SuperSix from memory), but the difference in handling is like feeling the pea under the bed; some might notice it, some don't.
edscoble-
Yeah, I guess I'm more afraid of having a bike that's too big, that I can't make smaller, than having a bike that's perhaps a slight bit too small, that with a bit of stem, post and some spacers I can make a bit bigger.
Despite my "correct" size always having been 56 I've always gone for a 54. Just always seems right and never had any trouble. We'll see - Evans have a 30 day no quibble returns/swap policy anyway, so I will probably be able to sort out a larger size should the 54 actually be "too small" although all the measurements point to 10 - 20mm spacers sorting the slightly shorter head tube.
Good to know the technicalities behind my (wrong) presumptions!
Dick
I much prefer how a smaller bike with a longer stem handles, I have found that most 56's (other than my Trek) seem sluggish and unwieldy, and considering most of the geo of the 54 is the same as my 56 trek, other than a bit of a short head tube, it should be fine, and I'm just being a drama queen. Will probable have at least 10mm of spacer tho.