Hi all,

Just ordered a set of Reba RL boost for my Genesis Longitude. Was just wondering if I need to cut the fork down? Actually, I like having the bars up high, as do a lot of bikepacking, but was worried that it might affect performance, safety, or some other unknown unknown.

Cheers

I usually cut it at least an inch longer than I think I will need then trim it back after a few rides. I generally start by fitting the forks to the bike and putting enough spacers under the stem to get the bars level with the saddle at full leg extension, then put another inch of spacers on top of the stem and mark it there. Then remove from the bike and cut at the mark. Then ride it a bit and fine tune the bar height before cutting the steerer down to the final length.

As long as it’s not ludicrously long you’ll be ok. Not sure what that bike is in terms of geo but as long as it’s not too long and slack you should still be able to weight the front wheel. If it’s very modern geo you might find if the bars are too high you can lose grip on the front wheel in corners.

Somewhere there will be an instruction what the max no of spacers is for your frame & headset (both above and below the stem). That would be a safe starting point.

Somewhere there will be an instruction what the max no of spacers is

I have never, ever seen that. Thing is, the number of spacers is fairly irrelevant to the stresses on the headset bearings because you can raise your hand position by fitting a riser stem or bars. The headset bearings will have the same stress if you have two inches of spacers and a flat stem and bars, or two inch rise bars with no spacers and a flat stem.

Spacers above the stem make no difference to stresses, it just gives you something to impale your crotch on if you stack it.