From: "P.C. Kohler" <kohl57@starpower.net>
"OK guys.... fact or fiction. We've all heard about death forks (the Viscount) and the death stem (AVA) but seriously, my PX-10e has a Pivo stem we all agree was a replacement and I just gotta.. gotta have the original on it. There's a swell NOS one on eBay. Gorgeous. So am I really risking life and limb riding with this? ....<snip>.... Peter Kohler Washington DC USA"
As an owner and brief user of the AVA stem, I went thru this same decision process. It's a neat looking stem; more attractive than the GB stem it was eventually replaced by. However... it was more flexible than I was comfortable with! Maybe it's because the extension was hollow? I don't know. I'm not sure how they manufactured the stem, but I had mental images of it being cast in that form, instead of being drop forged like stems that I'm more familiar with. Plus, Jerry's input convinced me that I didn't want to be the person who could provide an eye-witness account of an AVA stem failure.
In any case, the AVA was replaced by a GB (suitable enough, since the bike is a '71 Raleigh), and the GB is noticably stiffer. Life is all about managing risk, and I just wasn't willing to take on this risk.
If you are willing to cover postage, I'd be happy to loan you my AVA stem for a road test.
Steve Kurt
Peoria, IL