Shortening bike's REACH

[gbb]

I'm sure, but the bike in the photo has pretty much no stem at all

That's not OPs bike, just an offered (perhaps lightheartedly) suggestion. Your original comment was perhaps lighthearted too, i maybe didnt realise it...equally, i may be digging myself in deeper

Wonders what a roadbike would look like with that arrangement

 

[vickster]

That's not OPs bike, just an offered (perhaps lightheartedly) suggestion. Your original comment was perhaps lighthearted too, i maybe didnt realise it...equally, i may be digging myself in deeper

Wonders what a roadbike would look like with that arrangement

It was offered as a suggestion to the OP however - perhaps @overmind didn't realise the OP is looking at a drop bar gravel bike rather than a flat bar MTB

 

[kingspirit]

Swapping a 100mm stem for a 90mm stem won't appreciably change the handling of a bike or the position you ride in.

That being said I would try the reverse - fitting a 1cm longer stem to your existing road bike to lengthen the reach on that, see if it does make the difference you are hoping for, buying a bike and hoping that you can tweak the geometry to fit is potentially an expensive mistake.

I don't think there is a bikes that just fit perfectly out of the box, especially with my probably weird proportions 177cm height and long legs 85-86cm. So I have to buy online (as LBS doesn't stock many bikes or the bikes that I want) and when delivered try to sit on it on ride in hall to see if the bike fits me. No other options unfortunately

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don't think there is a bikes that just fit perfectly out of the box, especially with my probably weird proportions 177cm height and long legs 85-86cm. So I have to buy online (as LBS doesn't stock many bikes or the bikes that I want) and when delivered try to sit on it on ride in hall to see if the bike fits me. No other options unfortunately

I am a few cm taller than you with slightly longer legs assuming that’s inside leg. Nothing unusual about your proportions.

 

[vickster]

I don't think there is a bikes that just fit perfectly out of the box, especially with my probably weird proportions 177cm height and long legs 85-86cm. So I have to buy online (as LBS doesn't stock many bikes or the bikes that I want) and when delivered try to sit on it on ride in hall to see if the bike fits me. No other options unfortunately

Your legs aren’t particularly long for your height (certainly not if you’re a woman). Same as me (my legs maybe even a bit longer), and I don’t have any particular issues finding a road bike to fit, just have 54/55cm TT, lots of seatpost and a flipped 100mm stem. Maybe you’re overthinking it, bikes can be made to fit as long as the frame isn’t much too big.