Originally Posted by
Dirtdrop
I mentioned looking on the Rivendell site for examples of headsets with spacers. I don't even know if those pictures are still there, but if you look at the quill stems they sell, you'll see why they have no trouble reaching the non-threaded part of the steerer.
Then why would you need the spacers instead of just setting the stem higher? And how do you not put the expander in the threaded section of those forks with 7" of threading as mentioned by I_brad?