And if so, did your headset fill up with crap and die?

Thinking I'd like to try moving the bars a bit lower.

there should be a flat one underneath it (ie: its just a funny shaped spacer) or there is one included to replace it (like on the xtc in the picture)

ive got an XL trance, with a 7.5" headtube (the ice breaker), so i run my stem upside down, and NO spacers (its an interated headset too)

this makes my bar hight actually normal! however i have only taken 1" of material off my fork,
ill find a picture…..

Cheers Olly, I have a Trance and that model XTC (wife's bike) too!

There is a headset top plate under the spacer, it's just flatter than normal and fits "in" rather than "over" the head tube, which is why I was a bit nervous.

I've taken out all spacers on mine (just left the flat top plate) and had no probs so far…

Oh yes, I think the conical thing looks awful! It's just a shaped spacer at the end of the day and sits on top of the real cap which has the seals under it. You only really need the conical doofer if you need a lot of spacers to raise the bars, as it looks more in proportion than a massive stack of normal spacers.

They're good for these

I've got a 2002 Terrago, it hasn't got a funny looking spacer. Is this normal?