So along time ago I got the fit DLD for my custom,but then I got a whole new bike. I kept the stock stem on complete for a while but then I decided to put the DLD back on and I hated it -__- I seem to have so much less control with a normal stem than a bottom load, and tbh i dont really know what the difference is between any of em. I tried flipping it to make a top load but my bars always slip. If anyone could tell me what different stem do or any that they would suggest, it would be great.
I just got a stolen tlc stem the other day and it seem pretty decent. I'm kinda tall so the top load helps a lt and it hasn't slipped (yet). Go to your local and ask to have a go on some bikes and see how you like their stems!
Flipping it won't make it slip. Make sure the gap is the same between the cap and the stem on the top and bottom. If everything is tightend evenly and tightend enough it shouldn't be any more likely to slip either way.
Other than that stems just give you slightly different rises and reaches. With BMX it's kind of weird. With Mountain bikes you can get drastic changes in rise or reach with different stems. Because the bars have very little rise to play with.
But with BMX the best way to change the geometry of your bike to what you feel gives you the best controll is with the bars. BMX bars are so tall that small changes in the angle gives you huge changes in the amount you reach to grab the bars. So changing the stem just for say 10-15mm more reach doesnt make much sense.
The most cost effective way to go to change the feel of your bike is to flip the stem and adjust the bars. Within reason that is (keep it within a few degrees of being parallel to the forks). If you have a bike with huge or tiny bars and you want a big change in rise then grab some new bars and adjust them and maybe try your stem flipped in both positions again to see what works best.
For the most part flipping your stem is the biggest difference you can get. Buying a top load stem will only get you a little more rise than you would get from a flippped bottom load for free.
I don't know if it will be of any help but unlike normal stems the Fit DLD tightens up slightly differently. Instead of having an even gap top and bottom when the stem in on the normal way you should tighten the top two bolts until there is no gap what so ever and then tighten the bottom bolts until your bars are tight.
Other than that, different stems can change the distance between you and your bars (called reach) and they can change the rise of your handle bars. What feels best to you is something you'll have to find out yourself.
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