The stem on this bike is quite unusal for a bike from 1974. Tom used a "clamp on" stem that offered a lightweight alternative to the quill-type stem. While still using a standard threaded headset, an extension to the steerer is brazed into the fork steerer, and the stem clamps to it. This style of clamping bars is common on Tom's early mountain bikes (see pic). Unfortunately the idea for the stem was not patented, and nearly 20 years later this style of stem became the norm.

Tom later went on to design a true threadless headset for a time trail bike that he built for himself. The headset did not use a star-nut, but was a true threadless design and included sealed bearings, which was also highly unusal in the '70s. Several years later, when Dia-Compe patent the threadless design, Tom was unable to produce his original design, and therefore not able to show prior use.

Although a bit hard to see in the picture, the seatpost and saddle combo on this bike are quite unusual. The seatpost and seat undercarriage are welded together as an integrated one-peice system. Constructed of all aluminum, this set-up oftered an incredibly light set-up estimated at 12-13 ounces (based on Tom's memory). This particular set-up was non-adjustable, but later version did offer fore and aft adjustment. The adjustable model can be seen in a magazine test of an early Ritchey bike.

The seat tube extension on this bike is one of the longest that I've seen.