Jerry Moos asks "Would a Stronglight P3 headset be old enough for 1954?"
Some datapoints: The 1954 Holdsworth Aids to Happy Cycling catalogue lists for Stronglight headsets only "Stronglight. The famous French set which will never let you down. Beautifully finished." The 1955, 1956, and 1957 Holdsworth catalogues list for Stronglight headsets only the Competition model. The 1958 Holdsworth catalogue lists for Stronglight headsets both the P3 and the Competition models. The 1955 Ron Kitching Everything Cycling catalogue (available from Chuck Schmidt's Velo Retro) lists Stronglight P3, Competition, and Tandem headsets. The Stronglight 1958 catalogue lists the Competition and P3 headsets.
Jerry Moos asks "What 700C clincher rims would be correct..." [for his 1954 Duravia]"
A datapoint: The 1955 Ron Kitching Everything Cycling catalogue (available from Chuck Schmidt's Velo Retro) lists "Mavic Randonneuse 700c alloy, re-inforced holes"
Jerry Moos asks "Were the TA pedals around in 1954,..."
Richard Bryne's Speedplay Bicycle Pedal History Museum lists the first generation TA pedal in 1949.
Peter Brueggeman
La Jolla California USA
4peebee(at)peterbrueggeman.com