I'd like to reiterate that this fork is very nice, it's designed to last. I'm not excessively concerned about this situation, but the manufacturer said what they said, so I believe it warranted an investigation. I could see a strong argument here (as in, don't take the risk) if it solely pertained to bikes that were designed to take a lot of hits, like mountain bikes and BMX bikes, but I would never ride this touring bike that hard.

I forgot to mention that I have a cable hanger positioned 1.5mm (a spacer took up the gap) above the headset; it clamps down onto the steerer tube. This is in line with what Sheldon Brown talked about.

Thanks for the posts. Anymore feedback?