Bufort
New Member
- Mar 26, 2026
- 32
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I run this stem too for DH, really like it. If you reverse it, it will be 0mm, not -10mm by the way (direct mount bolts are 5mm ahead of 0)
Weird Reversed Stem Geo / Chat
- Thread starter Rob Rides EMTB
- Start date
Where did you get it from? I tried to order from a place in Spain and they wouldn't ship to the UK.
I had it sent to a Spanish parcel shop. My mate collected it whilst on holiday. You can buy them here for over £100
Hattie qualified fastest at the World Cup today with this setup.
Stem backwards with max spacers. Not sure why she isn't running the BMB stem like Reece Wilson is as they are both on AON, (assume its becasue she didnt want the full 150mm rise at her height) but @Bronson—I'd be getting her a version as I think she will have a few podiums this year! Reece came in 16th—pretty good.
Stem backwards with max spacers. Not sure why she isn't running the BMB stem like Reece Wilson is as they are both on AON, (assume its becasue she didnt want the full 150mm rise at her height) but @Bronson—I'd be getting her a version as I think she will have a few podiums this year! Reece came in 16th—pretty good.
actually good write up by Jessie on the AON team here https://www.pinkbike.com/news/dh-tech-randoms-2026-south-korea-world-cup.html including Reeces bike and their reverse stem vibe
Bufort
New Member
- Mar 26, 2026
- 32
- 33
Looks like it doesn't have as much offset, perhaps?
When i was chatting 2 weeks ago i think she was on -10mm and Reece on -20mm.
- Thread starter
- #398
So both Reece, Stan and Hattie qualify for World Cup DH finals, Hattie in P1 qualifying first position with fastest time.
Something about that stem setup eh?!
Something about that stem setup eh?!
Well there's still questions.
Is it the stem setup ? Or is it the Gamux ? Or is it HAttie, Reece and Stan.
That's a tricky one as Stan for example was one of the (or maybe THE) fastest UK Junior anyway.
In 24 Stan was untouchable.
Hattie is Hattie, multiple championships, titles and god knows how many wins.
Reece is an ex-world champ and factory rider for Trek... so a top 20 isn't ridiculous either way.
But there's no doubt they've all done amazingly recently and look fast. But the stem may not be the only factor (could be the deciding factor though maybe ?)
as a slight aside, i'm now running 65mm riser bars on my Fuel and loving them. I've even gone to 31.8mm DMR O-Dub bars to give a little more compliance over the 35mm diameter. I'm hitting FoD tomorrow and then Pearce uplift day at Redwood on Sunday to give them a decent bit of time.
Not sure if it's an advantage, but I think a P1 at a World Cup qualifier shows it's deffo not a disadvantage... from my time on the high bar setup, it does encourage a skiing-style 'steer with your feet & hips' thing, which I imagine on all that loose rock in South Korea, probably gives a lot of confidence.
Hattie always starts the WC season strong for some reason so lets see!
Hattie always starts the WC season strong for some reason so lets see!
DirkWisely
Well-known member
I went on a ride today and at the halfway point flipped the RR stem around. Felt a lot better with my setup. I think that the 12deg bars were bringing my hands too far back with it in the normal orientation. My hands are still well behind the steering axis.
The issue I was running into is when I tried to hip hinge and put my weight through the pedals either I felt like I was kinda over the bar in a way which felt unsafe since I couldn't catch myself if my weight was flung forward, or I had my weight back and was hanging off the bars. I'm starting to get a feel for what I like with all this experimenting so that has been helpful.
The issue I was running into is when I tried to hip hinge and put my weight through the pedals either I felt like I was kinda over the bar in a way which felt unsafe since I couldn't catch myself if my weight was flung forward, or I had my weight back and was hanging off the bars. I'm starting to get a feel for what I like with all this experimenting so that has been helpful.
Try rolling those levers up some. They’re very low. That’ll help put you in a better position for dh and staying lower/countering when braking will keep you from flinging forward.
DirkWisely
Well-known member
I'll try that.
I was rooting for Hattie. I think if her head is in the right place we'll see her on the podium soon for sure.
How do people deal with the reduced bar reach/effective reach caused by reversing the stem? I'm 172cm and my medium Geometron G1 is too big for me (more like an L or XL in most brands) but it still felt too short with a reversed Rulezman 15mm stem. Compared to a +35mm stem you're losing 50mm, which is like dropping two sizes. I definitely don't want a longer bike, especially if I have to increase the chainstay to help weight the front; I was actually thinking of going down a size, as the 440 seat tube won't let me get the saddle low enough and the 1310 wheelbase isn't great on tight corners. But it seems the RR stem (or similar setups) require both the front-centre and rear-centre to be extra long.
One option might be to increase the head angle with an angle headset, which would both increase the bar reach and shorten the wheelbase, which could help with cornering. Does a RR stem work well with a steeper head angle because it puts your hands/weight further back to compensate?
One option might be to increase the head angle with an angle headset, which would both increase the bar reach and shorten the wheelbase, which could help with cornering. Does a RR stem work well with a steeper head angle because it puts your hands/weight further back to compensate?
ozzybmx
Active member
Question: Are owners of these stems using them predominately on downhill bikes ?
I've read a few pages here and if you are wanting to ride one of these on a trail bike, are you sizing up the frame for the reduced reach to run one of these setups ?
Considering the size difference between bikes can be as low as 15-20mm reach numbers, from running a minimum 32/33mm stem to -10mm is a fair difference.
I can understand downhillers getting some advantage as their bike is pointed down and the centre of gravity is moved forward but for trail/general riding, the unweighting of the front for corner grip and climbing must feel strange.
Nearly 10yrs ago I bought a bike a size bigger than I usually buy as it felt good with the 35mm stem. Over the next 12 months, I had 3 decent crashes on that bike and all were because I lost the front of the bike. After I sold it, I worked out that with the longer frame and shorter stem, I had moved my centre of gravity back and without changing my riding stance, I lost the ability to weight the front for grip, so should have adjusted my position on the bike to counteract the changes... which at that time I was unaware I had introduced.
I've read a few pages here and if you are wanting to ride one of these on a trail bike, are you sizing up the frame for the reduced reach to run one of these setups ?
Considering the size difference between bikes can be as low as 15-20mm reach numbers, from running a minimum 32/33mm stem to -10mm is a fair difference.
I can understand downhillers getting some advantage as their bike is pointed down and the centre of gravity is moved forward but for trail/general riding, the unweighting of the front for corner grip and climbing must feel strange.
Nearly 10yrs ago I bought a bike a size bigger than I usually buy as it felt good with the 35mm stem. Over the next 12 months, I had 3 decent crashes on that bike and all were because I lost the front of the bike. After I sold it, I worked out that with the longer frame and shorter stem, I had moved my centre of gravity back and without changing my riding stance, I lost the ability to weight the front for grip, so should have adjusted my position on the bike to counteract the changes... which at that time I was unaware I had introduced.
Some claim the RR stem is suitable for trail as well as enduro/DH riding. I'm not yet convinced, especially on an analogue bike, and especially if you go for the full 150mm of rise. Even on a heavy ebike, I get too much front-wheel lift on some climbs, and without a motor I have looped off the back even after lowering the bars 20mm.
The general solution for this is to extend the chainstay, if your bike has that ability. That also deals with the front wheel being too light on corners. But of course that makes a long bike even longer, which may not be what you want.
Not sure how tall you are or what bike you were riding, but rear-centre as well as front-centre should grow with sizes, to ensure a similar weight distribution. Some brands, like Forbidden, are truly proportional in that way, but most aren't. So the bigger sizes are often too light at the front, and an RR stem might exacerbate the problem.
Bufort
New Member
- Mar 26, 2026
- 32
- 33
I asked this same question to BeMoreBikes a couple of times, still waiting for a reply!
I run a similar setup on my enduro bike. There is a bit of an adjustment to your seated climbing position but it feels normal now. It doesn’t hold me back on the climbs.
Loamranger
Active member
I went from 35 to 50 and now 65 rise bars.
Because of the higher rise bars I’m now able to roll them back so that the centre of the grips lines up with the steerer axis, even though I’m using a 40mm stem atm. Doesn’t look odd I would say.
Only one quick ride but I’m liking. Cornering takes less effort and is calmer. I also thought climbing was easier as well. I need to test a bit more but I think it’s better. Which got me thinking about using a shorter stem like Rulezman or BMB in +15 setting which would allow me to roll the bar forward again and still maintain the same hand/steerer axis but gain a bit of stack.
Because of the higher rise bars I’m now able to roll them back so that the centre of the grips lines up with the steerer axis, even though I’m using a 40mm stem atm. Doesn’t look odd I would say.
Only one quick ride but I’m liking. Cornering takes less effort and is calmer. I also thought climbing was easier as well. I need to test a bit more but I think it’s better. Which got me thinking about using a shorter stem like Rulezman or BMB in +15 setting which would allow me to roll the bar forward again and still maintain the same hand/steerer axis but gain a bit of stack.
Bufort
New Member
- Mar 26, 2026
- 32
- 33
I run a Rulezman 15mm stem, and with 30mm rise bars it puts my grips directly inline with the steerer, and 60mm bars about 5mm in front of it (at the roll I prefer). I measure all my bars' rise where my thumb lies on the grip, as these numbers are usually much higher than the bar's official rise measurement due to up sweep, and inconsistencies in how manufacturers do their own measurements.
Loamranger
Active member
Hattie Harnden conversation on PB including talking about her reversed stem set up and increased stack.
deanFBM
Member
There's a lot of comments on here, not too much describing the actual ride feel, so what are you feeling?
What I'm looking for is a setup which puts you most comfortable/confident position possible, then the bike holds that shape.
My most common type of crash is front wheel tucking, on flat terrain I can normally wrestle it back, on steep I'm normally over the bars.
Gone into a black hole of fork setup (going firmer and firmer) and bar height (going higher and higher).
But I don't think this fundamentally solves the tucking issue which comes from steering geometry, ie as the fork compresses, mechanical trail is reduced, if this happens quickly, momentum will carry it into a full tuck, with traditional stem geometry, your arms are at a mechanical disadvantage to fight it.
When I picture front wheel tucking with a setup with an RR stem, I believe you're better placed to deal with the wheel tucking torque, does it feel this way? Have you experienced less wheel tucks?
I'm fundamentally on-board with bars being higher and closer, I'm a bmxer, very much weight through my feet, turning loads are already managed through my feet.
What I'm looking for is a setup which puts you most comfortable/confident position possible, then the bike holds that shape.
My most common type of crash is front wheel tucking, on flat terrain I can normally wrestle it back, on steep I'm normally over the bars.
Gone into a black hole of fork setup (going firmer and firmer) and bar height (going higher and higher).
But I don't think this fundamentally solves the tucking issue which comes from steering geometry, ie as the fork compresses, mechanical trail is reduced, if this happens quickly, momentum will carry it into a full tuck, with traditional stem geometry, your arms are at a mechanical disadvantage to fight it.
When I picture front wheel tucking with a setup with an RR stem, I believe you're better placed to deal with the wheel tucking torque, does it feel this way? Have you experienced less wheel tucks?
I'm fundamentally on-board with bars being higher and closer, I'm a bmxer, very much weight through my feet, turning loads are already managed through my feet.
flatlander99
New Member
- May 21, 2026
- 4
- 2
I've run a 35mm stem backwards with 70mm rise bars for couple of weeks and have to say I prefer it. Afterwards went back to a traditional setup and it feels like garbage in comparison.
No tucking feeling with the reverse offset and I feel like I can better load and unload the front end. I'm not overly committed to the front end like on a normal setup.
i liked it... but it looks utterly bizarre.
flatlander99
New Member
- May 21, 2026
- 4
- 2
Yeah, but it was the easiest way to try out the concept. Now I have a yoshimura stem base kit and a 10mm direct mount stem on order to play more with.
I went back to a regular 35mm forward stem because I was getting too much tucking with 15mm reversed, and it felt twitchy/unstable, especially in ruts or on skinnies, where precise placement of the front wheel is important. (I ended up having a fairly spectacular OTB after tucking the front at the entrance to a steep section, but that was partly caused by a pedal strike.) But I think that's more to do with the stem being shorter, leading to twitchier steering, because putting the 15mm in the forward position felt much more similar to 15mm reversed than 35mm forward. I haven't tried 35mm reversed yet. So be aware that getting a 10-15mm reversed stem might negate the benefits you're experiencing from high bars and/or reversed stems.
flatlander99
New Member
- May 21, 2026
- 4
- 2
Yes, the feeling is that you are further away from the front wheel. Depends on the situation if that is good or bad.
On my photo with reversed 35mm stem, I have the bars rolled quite far forward. Distance from BB to grips is nearly the same as with my normal setup. With -10mm stem I'll roll the bars further back for more comfortable wrist position.
Funnily, I like a 40mm stem with the traditional setup. Steering feels worst to me when centre of grips are directly inline with the steerer. Hands either forward or back from steerer feels more stable. I think this random moto guy explains it well here:
Bufort
New Member
- Mar 26, 2026
- 32
- 33
Looks lie your bars are rolled forwards quite a lot, so your
I don't agree with this video; the leverage is the same - rolling your bars back/forwards will only increase the distance of your hands from the steerer by 10mm or so, no different to changing the length of your bars. The effect of having your hands behind the steering axis is not about turning leverage.