Stems: Rise, Flat, or Drop?

[jJohnson]

How is your stem set up and why? I just flipped mine from a flat or negative set up to a rise. I keep going back and forth on it, not sure which I like better. It's like the bike becomes a different animal when I change it. My road bike is -8° and that's how I like it, but the mountain bike is a whole different animal.

[dgw2jr]

Any spacers under the stem?

[Russhole]

I go flat, short, and low. not sure why. it just works. long stems hurt my back.

[Tigris99]

I got spacers and slight rise on my stem 80mm on my marlin. Had to play around with it all for a while to find a comfortable posistion for my wrists and back. Had to balance weight so wrists don't give me trouble on longer rides (had 2 seperate surgeries on my right hand and wrist, so it gets sore quick if I have too much weight on it).

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[jJohnson]

Any spacers under the stem?

Yeah. Maybe 1-1/4" of them.

I go flat, short, and low. not sure why. it just works. long stems hurt my back.

I have a 90mm I think. Faster on flats with it low, but had throuble getting over things. Today I flipped it and had no problems with climbing up and over roots that would normally give me fits.

[Gunchie]

Rule of thumb is if you're xc racing you want your handlebar level or below the saddle. Trail riding you want it above the saddle (up to an inch I believe). It's all really just personal preference though. I have mine just a little above my saddle (maybe a .25 inch or a little less). Like being more upright on long rides. I also like mine with a rise so I can see my Garmin mounted on my stem.