Never paid much attention ot this before but because im getting some new works and the probably going to cost a lot – would be good to get it right, ideally how much steerer should be out of the top tube (this is on a Whyte G150 and im 6ft 2ish)I currently ride with probably an inch of spacers on the steerer but wondered if it was better to reduce the spacers. Nor sure if there was a guide somewhere for it?

enough that the bike fits you and a 5mm spacer on top of the stem.

blindly Slamming that stem as you will be advised is just silly.

move some spacers from below to above the stem ride it for a week or two and see how you get on, repeat until you find a height you’re happy with.

No reason not to just leave the spacers above the stem indefinitely bar aesthetics (and a marginally higher risk to your groin in a fall).

Spacers above & below so you can get the fit right for “normal riding” but you can raise up a little if you go somewhere that’s more downhill orientated.

I think most new bikes come with around 30mm of spacers to allow for fine tuning and a steerer trim later.

If it’s a bike I anticipate keeping for a long time (steel commuter for instance), I always leave a shed-load of spacers above the stem so I can have a more upright position when I’m (even more) old and feeble.

APF

Also if you leave plenty of steerer you’ve got more chance of the fork working well on other bikes and being easier to sell on when the time comes.

I leave as long as i can because it is more useful if you want to sell

IIRC my pikes have about 40-50 mm above the stem

It only about aesthetics so it does nto really matter –

Remember you can always cut more off you cannot easily add more

enough that the bike fits you and a 5mm spacer on top of the stem.

My new bike (did I mention i’ve got a new bike) came with a 5mm spacer above the stem. The last 8 had the stem on top, whats the basis for this?

Fork manufacturers recommend no more than 30mm of spacers below the stem but as said you can leave ones above if you wish. I generally leave enough for 30 below and then adjust up and down to find a comfortable ride height before cutting away any excess.

5mm spacer above the stem

it’s to stop the stem bolts crushing the steerer.

Trek void the warranty on their carbon steerer forks if you don’t do this.

Thorn don’t seem to have got the memo though;

If it’s a new build and I don’t know how I’ll get on riding it I leave quite a bit extra, probably 40mm worth of spacers. Once I’m happy with the position I’ll cut it down to 20mm or so. It just looks a bit tidier but still gives some adjustment.

As many as you need for the bike to fit +5mm above the stem. It’s a bit of a piece of string question though. Different people prefer different amounts and the same person will have different amounts for different bikes.

have only seen the fork manufacturers 30mm guidance when dealing with carbon forks.

10 mm max below the stem any more is a disaster

And as for a stack on top of the stem WTAF is all that about 🙂