Element is transforming before hover (translateZ) - html

Question

I'm trying to add a new hover effect to my menu, I'm mocking it up in HTML/CSS here:
https://codepen.io/anon/pen/dWOBNG
HTML
<ul>
<li class="cube" >
<a href="#">
<span class="flippety">
flip
</span>
<span class="flop">
flop
</span>
</a>
</li>
</ul>
CSS
/* Set-up */
body {
color: rgb(6, 106, 117);
text-transform: uppercase;
font-family: sans-serif;
font-size: 100%;
background: #e3e3e3;
padding: 3em 0 0 0;
line-height: 60px;
-webkit-perspective: 1000px; /* <-NB */
}
/* Container box to set the sides relative to */
.cube {
width: 30%;
text-align: center;
margin: 0 auto;
height: 60px;
display: block;
-webkit-transition: -webkit-transform .75s;
transition: transform .75s; /* Animate the transform properties */
background-color: red;
-webkit-transform-style: preserve-3d;
transform-style: preserve-3d; /* <-NB */
}
/* The two faces of the cube */
.flippety,.flop {
border: 1px solid rgba(147, 184, 189, .8);
display: block;
}
/* Position the faces */
.flippety {
-webkit-transform: translateZ(30px);
transform: translateZ(30px);
background-color: green;
}
.flop {
-webkit-transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(-30px);
transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(-30px);
background-color: yellow;
}
/* Rotate the cube */
.cube:hover {
-webkit-transform: rotateX(90deg);
transform: rotateX(90deg); /* Text bleed at 90º */
}
The issue is that it's transforming before I actually hover over the element itself as you can see here:
.gif of the problem
I'm struggling to work out why exactly...
I think it may be something to do with the 2 span tags wanting to "stack" on top of each other but I can't see another way round this.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Answer 1

I changed the cube class to the tag.
My bad, this solved it perfectly.

Answer 2

body {
color: rgb(6, 106, 117);
text-transform: uppercase;
font-family: sans-serif;
font-size: 100%;
background: #e3e3e3;
padding: 3em 0 0 0;
line-height: 60px;
-webkit-perspective: 1000px;
}
.cube {
width: 30%;
text-align: center;
margin: 0 auto;
height: 60px;
display: block;
-webkit-transition: -webkit-transform .75s;
transition: transform .75s;
background-color: red;
-webkit-transform-style: preserve-3d;
transform-style: preserve-3d; /* <-NB */
}
.cube a {
display: block;
text-decoration: none;
height: 60px;
}
.flippety,.flop {
display: block;
color: #FFF;
}
.flippety {
-webkit-transform: translateZ(30px);
transform: translateZ(30px);
background-color: green;
}
.flop {
-webkit-transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(-30px);
transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(-30px);
background-color: yellow;
color: #000;
}
.cube:hover {
-webkit-transform: rotateX(90deg);
transform: rotateX(90deg);
}
<ul>
<li class="cube" >
<a href="#">
<span class="flippety">
flip
</span>
<span class="flop">
flop
</span>
</a>
</li>
</ul>