Originally Posted by
pani
In my old bike the steerer tube was cut to max so there were no spacers below the bar whereas on my new bike I have 20mm spacers below the bar so even though I raised the saddle so drastically I was still comfortably reaching the bar.
One of my riding partners (he's who got me in to long distance/touring) warned me of just this. I used his bike as a test-fit platform not too long before I got my touring bike and started riding. When I got my bike it was a stock unit at a bike shop. The shop had it fully assembled ready to go, but they left the fork in tact and when you purchase they fit the bike and finish the set up - including sizing the handlebar height and steer tube. From my partner's advice I left the handlebars high to begin with, then doubled the steer tube height above the stem. It drove the guys at the shop nuts because they are used to setting the bar height and cutting the steer tube off where it is. That gives you no upper adjustment. To the guy's credit that were working with me on the fitment when I bought the bike, they did point out the bar sticking up was a safety hazard if I hit something. However, the adjustability is just one aspect that is nice - the other is it gives me more mounting options for gear.
So perhaps on your next bike you can keep the experience and thought in mind and you, too, can drive your bike shop guys nuts with leaving a tall steer tube.
As far as the height from the pedals - that is the first adjustment I would have had dialed in. I guess I can't wrap my head around how you could be so far off. Even if my height is off by 1/2 a cm I can tell. Sometimes on long rides I have adjusted my seat height experimenting with how my legs react. After riding for 50-60 miles the fitment of the bike feels a bit different and small adjustments can make a difference on endurance.