Cut vs uncut steerer tubes

[Syncro]

Looking to buy a bike for mixed terrain rides and some light tours.

I have been told by my local LBS it is not possible to get a complete Raleigh Tamland bike (the bike I have my eye on) with an uncut steerer tube. That's disappointing. Does that sound right to you? The Tamland does not have a carbon steerer, so why would they cut it? Liability? Is this something I can "special" order?

My previous bikes, a Salsa Pistola a Lynskey R230, came with an uncut steerer and it allowed me to customize fit w/ a few spacers. My LBS told my pervious bikes came uncut b/c those are more boutique brands...

Thoughts?

[jimoots]

All the bikes that I've bought complete have come with a bunch of spacers under the stem. None are 'boutique' brands.

[DRietz]

Some bikes arrive at the shop with an uncut steerer, and many shops (at least the ones I work at) have a policy about no more than 4cm under the stem for floor bikes - for both looks and liability reasons.

I'm not saying the steerer couldn't take more, I'm just saying this is likely why they are cut.