Originally Posted by
Kontact
I think you must have missed the part where I said "could be made to fit identically", even though you responded to it as if you had.
On the contrary, I don't think it's particularly relevant, because likely no one swapped stems and handlebars and moved the seat around for OP's test ride on the BMC Roadmachine 54cm. Most likely, someone moved the seat down, and that's it.
I'm speaking to OP, not arguing with someone who thinks that different sizes of bikes can be made to handle identically. In some cases that's true, in other cases not, and not at issue in this question.
OP's fit on the 54, and by "fit" I mean how she sits on the bike not distance between the contact points (which doesn't fully describe the geometry btw), and I suggest that her "fit" was along the lines of the so-called French Fit which has some of the characteristics she described. I don't see any pictures, so I don't know for sure. However, it's usually achieved by starting with a slightly larger frame (such as a 54 in her case). It could explain why it "felt good".
I hope that OP followed it better than you have, because I suggested that being a difference in how she's sitting, which could be achieved on
either bike, means that she should try the smaller bike as well. Would I have suggested that, were I so concerned about her having the "right" frame determined by some exacting "fitting"? Of course not ... somewhere in all of this, you have misinterpreted things. I only hope that I've been more clear to OP.
I was saying that the difference between the two bikes is so small that it can be corrected for with stem selection, and your responses don't seem to make it clear that you read that or understood what I was pointing out.
You seem to have an issue with people who disagree with you.