I am really suprised no one bashed me about my earlier smart remark.
As for your post #7 I am loathe to cut a steerer too short. Unless a customer demenads it I seldome cut a stem shorter than a 5mm or spacer to gove flexibility on HS changes.
On my own bikes I have 3 steerers/HS stacked between 18 and 22mm and have had no ill effect after miles and miles of use.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk