Originally Posted by
JDinTulsa
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I have thought about that Microcord, and I appreciate the concern. It's as high as I thought was safe. There's no mark to indicate the max extension, so I made a judgement call and set it as tall as I felt was safe. I will definitely need a taller stem no matter what handlebars I end up with! My "extended energy pack" I carry above my belt won't let me ride as low as I used to go!
I measured a few HB stems I have in a parts box and the "minimum insertion" depth appears to be around 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 inches. That's measured from the tip of the angled cut not the bottom of the wedge. Depending on who determined this measurement ( an engineer or a lawyer) there may be a certain degree of added safety (or reduced liability) factored into the "minimum insertion" depth. I'd err on the side of safety and have at least 2 1/2" inserted!
RE: your goal of doing a loaded touring ride, a trip from Tulsa to Denver is a daunting one to be sure! You will definitely need to train up for that trip. I have no experience with loaded touring but can say that you would likely encounter some oppressive headwinds along most any route you might choose. Add to that the 4,500 ft of elevation change and the accompanying breathing issues. It will be quite a trip indeed. Do a blog. Many would enjoy reading it!