[QUOTEy=Jax Rhapsody;22196181]You don't need to be a vetran 50 year bike mechanic to flip a handlebar stem and possibly move some spacers around. I don't know why you went to quill stem conversion complications, bypassing just flipping what's there, that's some overthinking, my friend. Ocam's Razor. I'm not judging, at least you asked first before ending up on r/bicyclemechanics.

Nobodies perfect. Just last week I was trying to take my front wheel off to put in a friends van, for almost two minutes before I remembered the wheel has fork clips.[/QUOTE]

Yes. Advice taken. One doesn’t learn if one doesn’t try.

The quill stem idea is definitely more complicated then flipping a threadless stem.
Yes I can get a 40 degree stem and sure I will be low, but dam that makes the bike look ugly. I know that the feel is what matters but I will freely admit to caring about aesthetics.

Again my lack of height is a factor. An average sized rider gets a frame a size smaller, raise the seat, slam the stem and go go go.
But that option is not there at 154cm.
The bike in question is a 44cm XS which Giant don’t even make anymore so it’s already pushing the limits.

Anyway. It’s all good and it’s been great to get some helpful comments.