Short stem + wide bars, anyone tried it?

one 5mm spacer above at present. Not sure that makes enough difference tbh but iirc it's a common problem on large frames as this isn't the first time I've encountered it.

Is fit less important than fashion?

But that's missing the point... If I go with some rigid interpretation of fit, not that I really believe 5mm one way or the other will make a difference to me or any other leisure rider, it will stay where it is. Then one day I'll trash my top tube.

imo, on mtb and to lesser extent on flat bar fast road bikes, stem height is as much about your style of riding as it is fit btw.

Simplest solution for me is probably to fit a rear X0 gripshift shifter and run both gripshifts over the brakes (flying in the face of fashion)

gripshift isnt flying in the face of fashion its p!$$*@ in to the wind i have a 20inch kona dawg with 50mm stem wide bars and spds i have the same problem but for me its my brake levers that hit the cross bar all ive done was buy spare levers and some stickers just in case lol

I'll be fitting a top tube protector (thank you Bagaboo/Urban Hunter) and dropping the stem on the steerer and using the age old wisdom of levers/shifters clamps only being done up hand tight while holding the short end of the allen key so hopefully if it all goes wrong they will move rather than break or dent something.

First proper 'go' off road with the new set up. Wider bars make it much easier to keep her straight when climbing, and feel way more comfortable and open chested. Didn't clip any trunks on the singletrack we rode but then I don't carve at high-speed anyway

Short stem certainly needed an adaptation to climbing style and I think after the first hour I was there.

Love it thus far.

Next step is to drop it down the stack a bit and see how that goes. Will probably stick it down 25mm as a starter. Bagaboo frame protector on the top tube is doing bash duties.