Quote Originally Posted by Trek420 View Post
Can you make a bike that's the "wrong" size for you fit? Yes. When my bike's in the shop my LBS loans me a 51 cm bike, waaaay too big for me but he makes it fit with a different stem.
Yes, it can be done, but with the caveat that the shorter the stem, the poorer the handling "up front" can be (i.e., more squirrely). I noticed that with my 6.5 cm Terry stem but am fine with a 9 cm stem like on my Aegis Swift. I have read recommendations that going with a stem shorter than 7-8 cm compromises handling. If a 9 cm to 11 cm stem works with your frame, then your frame size is is in the range that's normally recommended as ok for you.