Geared bicycle steering - GIF

[hemmjo]

About the only way reversing the stem riser changes anything on the handling of a bicycle is ,by doing so, places the bars some distance either away from or closer to the rider

Try it Frank, see what happens

[Frank S]

Frank,

You are assuming that only the stem riser was rotated. What if the effect was achieved by simply rotating the whole fork and stem. Then you change the trail drastically and so it would be very different to ride.

If you reverse the forks as well then you change the steering inclination angle and yes the handling is much different but the steering would still remain left goes left and right goes right.

[Frank S]

Try it Frank, see what happens

I have my first bicycle had the bars mounted with the riser nut away from me with the bars closer, and as I grew I turned the riser to have the bars further away.
my wife and I once bought a pair to 15 speed bikes she has shorter arms than I so we turned the riser so the bars would be closer to her while mine was facing to allow the bars to be that few inches further

[Frank S]

If you reverse the forks as well then you change the steering inclination angle and yes the handling is much different but the steering would still remain left goes left and right goes right.

When talking about steering inclinations angles and rake of the stem on radically chopped motorcycles or stock racing bikes you do slightly turn to the right to go left but this is because you are leaning into the turns and by leaning the bike you change the angle of approach more than you want the tracking of the wheel to follow the path of the turn. low speed turns you turn left to go left but the faster you are going the more you lean the bike the less you turn the bars or even turn the slightly in the opposite direction

[Nick79]

Just beause you can build it - does NOT mean you should.

[clavius]

When I was a kid there was a place at the local beach amusement park that had several of these reverse steering bikes. You would pay to try to ride it around a short curvy loop track. If you could make it around without putting your feet down you won a teddy bear or something. The guy manning the game was always zipping around the track making it look easy. I never saw anyone try it succeed. One of those carnival games that can be made to look easy but really is not.