How do you know...
 

when you're ready to "flip it"?

When you grow a pair.

When you need to in order to achieve the proper fit.

When you're done with sensation, you can go ahead and flip it.

when people take the time to post on bike forums "flip it!"

When you've tired of doing it missionary.

After it begins to sizzle. Or after about 3-4 minutes.

after being fitted by a professional, not a bunch of ill-informed, over opinionated posters on a bike forum.

QFT

BAM ! Once again I've been ill-informed by the Food Network.

Lance rides unflipped?

when all the bubbles on top of the batter have burst.


HOW do you know? well if you're me, you listen to the nuts on BF, flip it, and end up with neck pain for a week. [and then you know its time to flip it back]

mmmmmmm, pancakes
http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/42...600x600Q85.jpg

I was a major flip flopper. I've got a collection of stems to prove it. Finally I got a new bike and got fitted, end of story. My stem is flat now and makes a perfect chin rest.

:thumb: I was looking for that pic... could not dig it up tho. thanks for that!

Really? ;)

smartarse :-P I was looking for it on BF.
Duh, google is obviously the answer to everything.
/hijack

'cept maybe for spelling.

Lance doesn't have a pair. :thumb:

Sometimes one can do the work of two.

Don't fall prey to the pseudo-hardcore poser roadie BS. If you can ride comfortably with the stem slammed and it doesn't take away from your power or breathing, then do it.

Hurt your back one good time, and you'll ride it jacked up again. Hell, I ride 25mm of spacers with a 100 degree rise Thomson X4 stem. No change in position, other than higher hands and the back doesn't hurt a bit.

Okay lot's of sarcasm of course and there is nothing better than getting properly fitted. However, it is possible for one to be properly fitted with a stem with some rise, and due to improvement in fitness and body changes, want to get a few centimeters lower. And that IS something you can try without the professional help of a fitter. (Often times, going lower can mean going to a shorter stem, so don't flip it, ride it and immediately say it doesn't work.) So, if you feel like you are properly fit on your bike and want to flip the stem to a flatter rise, go for it. You got nothing to lose.

Make sure to remove spacers to lower the bars first before trying to flip it down.

And, why is that?

By removing spacers first, you are making things stiffer because you have less unsupported steerer tube between the stem and frame. It will make a noticable difference when sprinting or climbing out of the saddle. I have my stem set up on one bike with only1cm of spacers and a positive rise stem. It feels much stiffer than when I had 3cm of spacers and the stem flipped. The bars are in virtually the same position but have a better more hooked up feeling due to fewer spacers.