Chucky, I overcome that issue by simply pulling the handle bar stem all the way off the base tube when folding and just nestle the handle bar assembly into the folded assembly. When traveling the bikes are usually on a hitch platform which has only a limited amount of clearance to the slide in camper just above it, (camper extends past the bed of the truck). With the handle bar and stem completely withdrawn from the stem I can get the whole package height further reduced. Admittedly it adds (literally) a few seconds to the set up but that is more than offset by not having the alignment hassle.