Ha ha ha hah aha haah ahaa aha aha ha……

That is all.

Ever thought that is was just an experiment to check relative positions before splashing out on a new stem or bar?
Now I have seen a set of Rockshox Darts fitted back to front and that was funny especially when I asked the owner about his unusual modification as he had no idea that they were the wrong way around.

Bikes are often packed for shipping with the fork turned around because it shrinks the wheelbase therefore allowing you to fit more in the container….

Where did you see that, walleater?

Seen in Garda – Yeti SB95c

Ahh, I thought you meant the riser bars were upside down too! Yes, a flat bar would be better here, eh?

I’ll raise you… http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/first-ever-bike-build-my-baby-solaris

If it works, so what? It may be a fashion crime but really, who cares?

Forks back to front is a bit more serious. I’ve seen several bikes in London like this and in Spain last year we saw a guy about to go out for his first run down the mountain with his forks reversed. We pointed it out and he wasn’t aware it was wrong but said he would sort it out. I assume he did but we still saw him being carted off to hospital the next day with half his face held on with bandages.

Some older small Cannondales had this.

I’ll raise you… http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/first-ever-bike-build-my-baby-solaris

That Solaris looks OK, I think. Don’t see the problem if it works. A more extreme example:

I have a -5 stem on my flux after switching from 100mm forks to 120mm, helps on climbs and isn’t as extreme as some of the examples here.

Using a flat bar instead wouldn’t quite be the same thing due to the bar sweep and it allows a slacker HA for the same bar position.

Is it not a case of bought a new frame with a higher front end, and didn’t want to have to buy new bars too?

Guilty as charged on my back-up bike. Who cares how ‘wrong’ it is if it works and feels right?

I am running a 5 degree rise stem flipped and a Havoc bar… i have just bought a cheap wide flat bar to pop on and try… it is the curse of the longer travel 29er….

All about fine tuning and preference.

That Solaris looks OK, I think. Don’t see the problem if it works. A more extreme example:

Emily Batty runs a flat bar though, the -17 degree stem is just so she can get the front low enough on her 29er. Nino Schurter runs a similar set up on his Scale, although that’s 650b. Where it’s pointless is when you cancel that out by adding a riser.

It’s like an inverted stem with spacers below it. Looks pro though, can’t say it bothers me that much. Non aligned tyre logos riles me more.

Where it’s pointless is when you cancel that out by adding a riser.

no, not if you like the sweep/shape of the riser bar…

My stem is like that ,I didnt want new bars but wanted to flip the stem to get my position and weight right ,it works for me

road bikes use the same size wheels and there you are ridiculed if your stem is not negative…

Is it not a case of bought a new frame with a higher front end, and didn’t want to have to buy new bars too

more like, bought the wrong size frame as I’m desperate to ride the new wheelsize “standard”

I ran Mary bars upside down for a long time with a “flat stem”. I only tried it cause I saw a lot of endurance riders running it and I wondered what it might be like. Made a great ride position for a mountain bike commuter. Pretty twitchy off road though and not for me.

I’ve got my stem flipped with riser bars. Cost to achieve desired position = £0.

no, not if you like the sweep/shape of the riser bar…

No, and I don’t disagree, I was just explaining the OPs point. I also prefer not having spacers on top of the stem, looks naff, so inverting the stem achieves the same.

that yeti looks a bit like a “flat” bar that’s been rotated so that the sweep is upwards – strange

presumably the upsweep forces your elbows out into “pro-poser” position though, so not all lose

I flipped my stem with rise bars to check the position was better. It was, so now I have flatter bars and an unflipped stem. No point buying stuff if you check first!

I bet the rider has a road bike, flipping the stem puts the bar in a slightly different position to removing a spacer (unless it’s a 0 degree). It’s only subtle but there is a difference…but yes it looks wrong!

I’ve been thinking about this combination for my El Mariachi. I have one of those roll bags that attaches to the handlebars via two straps. (there are a couple of photos in this blog entry… http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2013/04/making-connections.html)

When completely packed, the brake levers can press against it a little and the cable routing for brakes and gears is a bit squashed. A riser bar would give a bit more clearance. However, I like the bars the height they currently are. That would necessitate me flipping the stem to bring them back down to the correct height 🙂

You should have seen the stacks of spacers both above and below the stems of the pro riders in the Durham city centre crits the other night. It’s a choice of a bike looking right, or a bike fitting. I’m 6’4″ so stacks of spacers are the norm here, if my hands end up where I want them, then I’m not boshed which combination of stem, bars and spacers I use to get them there.

The thing is with that (extremely expensive…) Yeti, is that there is a stack of spacers under the stem, and then the stem turned upside down!

The thing is with that (extremely expensive…) Yeti, is that there is a stack of spacers under the stem, and then the stem turned upside down!

Yes BUT, that was a test/photo op launch bike and maybe the last rider was a short-arse! And tbh, the bars are not exactly ‘riser’. I was expecting 25mm or 50mm – but they were much lower than that.

The thing is with that (extremely expensive…) Yeti, is that there is a stack of spacers under the stem, and then the stem turned upside down!

demo bike, presumably, so they wont want to cut the steerer.
I’m not sure it would look great with a big length of steerer out of the top of the stem (couple of my bikes have that, but I cover it up with an old tennis ball so I don’t get impaled in a crash)

Canananadians eh?

I’ve done exactly the same as mbnut. Flux with 120s now with -5degrees and easton monkey lite sls. Needed to get down and straights feel wrong though I’ve tried them twice.

-5 is still rising slightly so doesn’t really count.

Another way of doing it: