flipping your stem

[cycleofaddiction]

I've built up a 14" 26er inbred for my vertically challenged girlfriend but even with a flat bar and 6º rise stem flipped negative her bars are still higher than her saddle when the forks are sagged, her saddle is at the right height her leg is straight when her heel is on the pedal at the 6 o clock position, she is struggling when the trail points upwards and I can only asume it's because of the height of her bars, I've found a 30º rise stem that I want to fit negative but I'm wondering how this will affect the steering if at all ? I know it's not unusual to find fairly steep neg rise stems on 29er's so any help would be really appreciated. Thanks. .

 

[DirtyWorks]

It's worth a try if she likes it, and mountain biking. She may need to work on her technique/power for those hills.

 

[King Boonen]

Depending on length it may bring the handlebars closer to the steerer tube and make it feel a bit more twitchy. other than that I can't think of anything else that would cause a problem.

 

[RidingSeed]

Shouldn't affect the steering in any way. Why can't all of us have a girlfriend that rides (not only bikes ).

 

[Boeing]

I'm not certain if your question is handling issues or pure bike fit for say climbing.

there is a lot of discussion on MTBR forums with a similar challenge trying to fit shorter women to small 29ers (as to why vertically challenged people would want to ride a 29er is not the purpose of my reply here btw so save that)

one thought for your consideration here is a 'low bar'. The company Niner make a bar they call the Low Top. However it is only Carbon so might be out of price range. I am sure there are copy cats around. Some say that depending on sweep it is just a flipped riser bar.

I know people who have flipped a riser bar for the same purpose. In addition

I have a little experience with the inbred frames both 26 and 29. with out getting into too much technical headtube is a little steep, I will say that a shorter and inverted stem makes the handling less twitchy IMHO. but that depends on ones definition of twitchy. you can always tell a rider on a slow technical climb with a long stem. they zigzag the whole trail.

 

[badboyberty]

Syntace also do a negative rise bar.

 

[winkybiker]

Syntace also do a negative rise bar.

Isn't a negative rise bar just a riser bar spun around (left to right) and then downwards (top to bottom)? Angle of the grips might be a bit strange, but it's worth a try?

 

[Boeing]

Syntace also have their Flatforce stem which drops bar center 12mm below center of stem which is nice.

I am all about low position widest bars and short reach stem on all my 29 set ups. I even run 0 degree rise slammed 50mm on my long travel and the same on XC but at 70mm length

considering the flafforce on the rigid

 

[BroDeal]

Reversing a stem, also known as going flaccid. Looks better than poppin' a rod.

 

[Boeing]

no bromeal it was not a Freudian slip. I just prefer the way short stems handle.