ACS LOCKING LEVER TIMELINE??

[deeman]

I am wondering if someone may be able to shed some light on the timeline of ACS freestyle locking levers....I have owned a few sets over the years but I am still now even more unsure of things due to a recent find due to a recent find!
Firstly...the Gen1 locking lever...



I presumed because of their rarity they were not made for very long, especially with the introduction of the longer tech 5's etc shortly after....I thought they were only made in 84/85
Next are the levers I had on my bike as a kid, also known as tangents...I thought that these were the next generation of ACS locking lever as I remember having them on my bike in 85 when they first came out...can remember my dad taking me to Ace BMX in Oxford to get them! I just bought another set as I didn't think I would find another pair of gen1's in a hurry....



 Then, I manage to bag these babies.....



Which has kind of thrown me as I have never seen them before! They certainly look earlier than the tangents and have the same stamping as the Gen1 lever...does anyone know anything about them or have a pair...or know the year they came out? any information would be much appreciated no matter how silly...I will probably regret saying that!
Damo 

[oldschoolace]

Not seen that kinda bar clamp before Damo. Would make am interesting article for the New reference section..,. When it happens 

[ED209]

I had the Mini Mtn ones on my DP ... different to both them

heres a pic of some fooked ones

[ED209]

They started in 85

http://www.23mag.com/com/acs/acs.htm

[ED209]

bigger pic ... you call these Gen 1 but I saw the Mini Mtn ones in adverts before these

[deeman]

Thanks Ed,
I had a pair of the mini mountains too but I thought they were from 86/87 because of the style and packaging they came in and also the name would imply they were for a MTB although can't imagine why you would want locking levers on one of those!. It looks like they bought out a few styles in very quick succession! Anyone else got any info?
 

[BrianP]

I'd a pair of Mini Mtns and then broke one trying to learn bar rides ( ) and ACS very kindly sent me a set of ACS tangents to replace them as they had no more min mtns in stock, so to me that would put the min mtns before the tangents.

I remember seeing mini mtns and the tech 3 type in an advert at the same time (prob got an ad in an old freestylin' at home) and then seeing the tangents later on, in an ad with the ACS gripper U-brake.

Brian 

[BrianP]

Knew I'd this somewhere...



Brian 

[deeman]

WOW! Thanks Brian,
Very useful information indeed. I love the fact you still have the letter and the levers! So, it appears my memory is at fault! I think what happened probably is the tangents were actually a later addition to the bike bitd....in fact yes, I remember I had tech V on there first, so that kinda explains my initial mistake of thinking I had the levers in 85.
Do you happen to know anything about the 3rd set of levers in my first post?
many thanks
Damo 

[BrianP]

LOL, thanks Damo,

Yeah I've some random stuff lying about here from the 80's

I've still got a handlebar clamp and one screw off my broken Mini Mtn levers - why I held onto those bits I'm not really sure 

The third set you've listed are new to me, never seen anything like them before.

Brian