Thinking about your post a little bit more.... I also do a lot of long-distance rides. I went with a full carbon frame that's well known for its steady handling and "plush" road feel. I bought a Specialized Roubaix Pro frame (men's) and then did a frame-up build so I could hand pick the components for performance & fit. I know Specialized makes a women's model (the Ruby) that comes in various builds that would offer the same famous ride characteristics. (And no, I don't work for Specialized... Just a bike geek.)

Trek's are always a good bet - the Madone 4.6 & 5.2 WSDs are quite lovely builds for the money. You may also look at Giant's Avail and TCR series (the women's TCR Advanced was Bicycling Mag's 2012 Editor's Choice) and Felt's ZW series (Felts often appear beneath many women Olympians & world champions).

Some other well-regarded women's carbon road bikes on the market include - Scott's Contessa race line (Scotts are a favorite w/the race set in my town), Fuji's Supreme line (a whole lotta bike for the $$$), BH Cristal (racy & light), and FOCUS' Izalco Donna (an unusual little gem). If you're looking to spend a little more coin, I just discovered that Pinarello has quite a lovely mid-range women's specific bike (FP Quattro Easy-Fit Force/Rival Women's) for around $3600. Being under 4K, it made me drool a little… Ah, Pinarello. (sigh.)

Now you're making me want a new bike, too. Good luck finding your next ride!

Hi - About a year ago I finally upgraded from a nearly 30 year old Ross to a new Cannondale synapse 5 (woman specific) - I followed advice of a number of more serious riders I know, and boy am I happy with it.

1. test, test, test - I signed up for some test rides and called around to different local bike shops for their poilicies, as well as some not-so-local ones around some shorter legs of organized rides. I rode a giant, a trek and a couple of other bikes for at least 30 minutes, including hills, descents, etc.

2. go to a shop with a professional, fit knowlegeable sales staff and real professional fitting - try the different options in and around your price point and then, once you've selected, get a true professional fit with the shoes and pedals you really use (or buy at the same time). And make sure that the bike shop is there for the long haul so that they'll stand behind the bike, the fit, and make any adjustments needed as you ride.

Listen to your own body and hold out for something that feels great to you, riding the way that you do.

For me, several of the womens specific bikes felt better than the unisex, but not all of them. Bicycle magazine's (bicycling.com) recent issue had a short blurb - they say it can be but isn't necessarliy good and they talk about why - which is mainly that supposedly we need a more upright stance. Since I'm a recreational rider that's certainly true of me vs the guys I know that are into racing...

good luck

I think it's important to note that many women specific bikes are a different geometry than men's. A stem can be changed on any bike, but the length of the top tube (which is typically shorter on WSD) cannot. This being said, I don't think any woman should feel compelled to buy WSD just because of gender.

Test ride anything and everything, men's and women's. I ended up riding a variety of bikes when I was looking and it's important to ride some higher ends ones too. I ended up test riding a bunch of bikes at my LBS. I had heard good things about Cannondale, but they didn't have a WSD in my size to test. Turned out that the woman working there had a bike in my size that was her's and she was planning to sell it. It fit me perfectly and I got it for a third of the price because she bought it just about cost.

I have a Cannondale Synapse, full carbon. It's the perfect compromise between an ultra race geometry (like the SuperSix or Evo) and a heavier, more upright bike. If you want something more comfortable for the long haul, look for bikes that have a taller headtube.

Ok, enough rambling...good luck! Ride everything and don't stop until you find exactly what you want!

A WSD bike is only going to be beneficial if there is a) a need for it and b) an actual difference in geometries between it and it's male counterpart.

If you have a longer torso, shorter legs, longer arms, a WSD might not be the best choice - if point B is also true.

Many women have longer legs but shorter arms than men, which means we need a frame that has a shorter top tube that also gives you enough standover. And while I fall into this category, I still found a great fit on a non-WSD bike. I spent a great deal of time looking at Top Tube lengths on the various brands of bikes.

Sometimes a WSD will be very similar in geometry to the non-WSD but you might gain a few bonuses - narrower handlebars and a WSD saddle. That might be a cost savings worth considering.

So while the frame size (such as 54cm) is important, play close attention to the top tube. A stem swap can help, but can only help so much. To short of a stem and you'll be on a twitchy bike.

And don't let a salesman talk you into a WSD just because you happen to be a woman.

Keep in mind that shifters/brakes, handlebars, stems, saddles, seat posts can all be swapped out on any bike. There aren't WSD shifters. You can either add a shim to Shimano's to achieve a shorter reach or use SRAM, which has smaller levers and adjustable reach.

Late to the topic here.

When I got my road bike in April (Trek 3.1 Madone with SRAM Apex) I ended up on the mens 52cm. It just fit me better.

Let us know what you end up doing. Im doing my first Metric Century on June 23...

Agreed. Some women's bikes are different, but some are not. I guess I was just trying to make the point that the "women's" label isn't a guarantee that it's been re-engineered. And if they don't have the women's model in the right size in stock (or it's more expensive that what someone hoped to spend), it's worth checking out the men's bikes just in case.

Also Trek has a lifetime warranty on the frames.

Assuming they actually honor their warranty. In the past year I have read several really horrid accounts of Trek dropping customers. I won't ever buy a Trek, now, and I grew up in Trek-land.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=47525

I think the women's cannondale synapse has different geometry than the men's, at least it did in 2009 when I researched the heck out of this and bought a Synapse Red. I've heard some not-so-favorable things about Treks and using their warranty. Of course it always helps to find a bike shop you like, be loyal and form a good relationship with them.