Feedback on stem...
 

Stopped by a friend's last evening and he gave me some Soma Major Taylor bars and a hand built Arvon stem... I had to put them together.

Arvon is a custom builder here who, besides building exemplary frames, turns his own hubs (as good as Phil's), builds custom racks, and comes up with some really interesting things like this stem.

He designed these for mountain biking over a decade ago and you can see the unique set up on the wedge bolt which is affixed from the bottom of the steerer which leaves a seamless stem. There are not many of these kicking around but they were rigorously tested and ridden very hard by many local riders without issue.

The stem (steel) is still raw and unfinished and if I keep it, it will get it chromed.

So... what do you all think of the stem and the pairing... I think it works.

I need to put these on a bike to really test them out and am thinking the old Peugeot will be the test platform... :)

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...vontaylor1.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...vontaylor2.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...vontaylor3.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...vontaylor4.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...vontaylor5.jpg

Interesting. Need to see it installed before I can pass judgement ;)

How do you tighten the stem onto the fork? Through the bottom in some way?
Either way, it looks beautiful.

The stem tightens from the bottom... I will need a socket and a short extension as the Peugeot has a smaller frame / shorter head tube.

Should have it on later this am... :)

Test fitting... I apologize for the pics as my camera has a little crud trapped behind the lens cover.

The fit (for me) is excellent and I will just need to install a cross lever as the bike goes too fast to not run brakes.

Looking forward to the first test ride now.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ettetrack1.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ettetrack2.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ettetrack3.jpg

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ettetrack4.jpg

looks beautiful!

When I rode the walker bars, I liked the feel of having the flat area of the drop relatively parellel with the ground.
I tried all sorts of positions but eventually went with bullhorns, just seemed to work better for traffic and such...
But I love the look of hat bar/stem combo!

wow... that's pretty (in a weird way, kind of organic looking)... yeah, there'd be some work in installing it, but I say it's worth it.

Because I'm so used to traditional stems, that just looks odd. I'm only used to seeing that sort of curvature on a drop bar, so something looks 'backwards' about it to me.

From an engineering perspective, though, it's awesome.

I think it looks a little out of place and for some reason it looks like it would flexy as hell.

all quill stems are flexy as hell to a certain extent. I think that stem is awesome. There aren't that many parts you can get that are completely unique, but that is one of them. As long as it functions well, I think you should run it.

I also agree that it looks "unique". It would look good on that super curvy, green bike posted up a few days ago. Here it looks almost looks like you got into an accident. I'd use it though just to turn heads :)

It does look appropriate w/ the Major Taylors though.

It's always nice to have a well-crafted, handmade bike component ... looks interesting and has a story behind it. Doesn't really match the bike, but I say go for it.

hows the stiffness? i imagine subpar.

Really cool Sixty. I think the mirrored curves of the stem and bars looks killer off the bike, but sort of weird on the bike. I envision a smooth s-curve if you had bullhorns on there.

i like that stem bunches. it'd be awesome on a cruiser/townie type bike.

I was going to remark/ask about that stem in the thread about track drops. It looks cool, other-worldly. I probably wouldn't ride it regularly if you need to tighten it from inside the fork w/ socket & extension; or maybe that's actually more reason to ride it on the street (theft deterrent). The steel combo must ride stiffly.

Hoping to get a road test in as soon as I cinch the stem down... my socket extension is at my shop.

A full report is forthcoming.

:)

I'm too set in my ways of how a stem is supposed to look to pass judgement on the look of this stem. I can't wrap my head around it.

Really cool and unique though

How would it look if you rotated the bar so that the drops are at the same angle as the top of the stem? I think it would look cool if the top tube, top of the stem and bottom of the drops were all parallel (or close) to the ground.

I think it's amazing. Good come-up!

A single tube will always be stiffer than a complex forged shape. Run some FEA up in this b*tch.

Looks very smooth

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ttenekkid2.jpg

Road test...

The stem is f-ing awesome.

Could not feel any undue flex (and I hit some rough assed roads), my position on the bike is perfect for going ridiculously fast, and I need to tape the lowers as even with gloves, those bars don't offer much traction.

looks absolutely repulsive, but seems like it'd offer a comfortable ride.

and for the record, based on the way the saddle is positioned you could go much faster with a smaller cockpit. this fit seems like it would offer a more comfortable ride than anything else.