What sort of bike handling warrants a stem with a decent rise on it on the road? (I know it’s hard to generalise)
I’ve just gotten back on my tricross after a few months riding a pomp, the tricross feels totally different and I reckon the riser stem is a principal reason. Actually feels quite comfy – is this something common on tourers, for example, getting you sat up a bit? It’s also always been a nice-handling bike over the rocks off road.
Seems like you wouldn’t see much if any of a rise on a road bike built for speed?

On my Amazon, I’ll raise the bars up a bit for touring – and up a wee bit more (invert the stem) for CX.

I’ve got the bars on my cross bike rotated up at an angle us Brits normally find hilarious, but it’s incredibly comfy.

when i first got a cross bike, 6 years ago, drop bars were all new to me and i rode them very upright with high rise stem and the sti quite high up as well.

now i ride way lower, infact my 2nd cross bike bought 5 years ago is on my turbo trainer. when i first rode it it had a 110mm 17deg rise stem on top of 3cm of risers. now its got same stem with no risers and it still feels high.

In my opinion (for all that it is worth) road and cross bikes look better if the stem drops rather than rises. This is mainly because it looks more “pro”. It’s no use having a nice looking bike if it causes you discomfort though so do what fits.

My road bike has a 6° drop stem which sits roughly horizontal to the ground. My Cross bike has a very similar stem but the other way up so a slight rise.

On the road I find an aero position of benefit so like a low front end. Off road/cross I’m going slower so aero is less important. Also the more technical terrain feels easier with a more upright position. Apparently some people say that having a rise stem helps you breath more easily in cross as you are less curled up. Not sure I believe this.

Stock photos of the bikes below but I’ve actually got a marginally shorte stem on the road bike now.