Replacing broken road fork with same model but shorter steerer tube. What can I expect for handling issues? My road bike is an '05 Trek 1000 54 cm frame size. The Bontrager carbon fork (Satellite Plus) was destroyed in a non riding accident. I have found on eBay a replacement fork--same model , identical paint scheme, etc. The only difference between these forks is the potential replacement has a steerer tube that measures 250mm compared to 285mm on my broken one. I can remove 3 ten mm spacers from beneath my stem to get the end of the new, shorter steerer into a more appropriate clamping position. My question is how will the loss of 30mm of stem height affect handling of the bike? How much can a variable like this be altered to be noticable to.the rider? Are there techniques to compensate for the loss of steerer length if I want to keep my current stem? I'll soon be forced to choose whether to purchase this fork or let it go, so any advice or thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Steering will not really be directly affected at all, because you are not changing the steerer tube angle, fork length or rake, or the stem length.

What will be affected is your riding position. Dropping your bar 30mm is a big adjustment. (BTW, standard steerer tube spacers are 5mm, so you may want to check that you can actually drop your stem 30mm.)

You really need to ask yourself if you can tolerate such a big drop in your handlebar position, or even if it would be desirable.

You could possibly replace the stem with one with a greater rise angle to bring the handlebar back up.