You're not 'preserving' reach by using a high-rise bar. The only thing that matters is the ultimate position of your hands relative to the steering axis. You could have a 300mm or 30mm stem, a riser bar, a flat bar, a long or short headtube-- it makes no difference how the parts are combined if your hands end up in the same place. The bike will handle and feel the same. The advantage of riser bars is that it's hard to find high-rise stems, so if your fork was cut short, they're the only good way to get the grips high enough.
Sept. 17, 2020, 7:47 a.m. - Alex D
You're not 'preserving' reach by using a high-rise bar. The only thing that matters is the ultimate position of your hands relative to the steering axis. You could have a 300mm or 30mm stem, a riser bar, a flat bar, a long or short headtube-- it makes no difference how the parts are combined if your hands end up in the same place. The bike will handle and feel the same. The advantage of riser bars is that it's hard to find high-rise stems, so if your fork was cut short, they're the only good way to get the grips high enough.