In a message dated 14/11/2005 22:52:08 GMT Standard Time, biankita@earthlink.net writes:
and this book was published before threadless headsets were even a twinkle in Japan's eyes.
I wouldn't give the Japanese credit for this. My 1908 BSA virtually has an aheadset -- the integral bars and stem clamp directly to the steerer above the unthreaded top race. The only difference from the modern aheadset is that the adjustment prior to clamping is via a threaded cap rather than a cap with a screw that fastens into a thingy jammed in the steerer. A lot of resurrection and development of what has gone before is confused with invention.
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England