My problem is that I am havin trouble sitting upright enough after back surgery. I have a Mrin Kentfield hybrid bike. If I move the saddle forward, my knees are too far forward of the pedals and cause knee pain. I have an adjustible stem that I have adjusted upward as far as it will go but still the handle bars are a bit too far away. The stem is on the outside of the handle bars, so when the stem is rotated downward, it rotates away from the saddle and increases the reach from the saddle to the handle bars.
SO, what about rotating the stem one hundred and eighty degrees so that when the stem is lowered, it moves closer to the saddle. This puts the stem on the inside of the handle bars. Question: Will this throw off the geometry of steering the bike and make it dangerous.Thanks.

I wouldn’t rotate the stem around, but I don’t think it would cause serious problems if you did except putting the bars way to close to you.

I would stick with the adjustable stem and get some new bars that have more rise and also swept back more. Even something like a cruiser bar if you want to get that upright. You may have to lengthen a cable or two.

Here is a fun mountain bike I ride once in a while that I cloned with a cruiser. Very upright, great for drinking coffee and riding.



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Thanks. That may be the best suggestion.

Have you tried a shorter stem? And I've seen aluminum extensions you can fit over your steerer tube so the height of the handlebars can be raised. I think I saw them at Performancebike.com. Good luck and positive thoughts for a fast recovery with your back.