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Mid School BMX (>87) 1989 to 2003 (<05) => Mid School ( Keep the faith ) => Topic started by: midschooljon on March 08, 2015, 09:20 PM

Title: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: midschooljon on March 08, 2015, 09:20 PM
Just following on from Dans platform DB thread (I didnt want to hijack that) I have heard a bunch of people over the last few years say that non locking tech 77's werent available in the 90's. However, to cut a long story short, in 97 I bought a 2nd hand 94 MK3 Holmes. This lever was on the bike when I bought it, and I have owned it ever since. When I originally got it the lever was in rather nice condition, but over the years it has had heavy use, including having the blade bent within an inch of its life during the "narrow bar years".

Anyway, as you can see from the pics it is a Japan stamped tech 77, and as you can see it is a non locking lever model. Even though I have owned the lever since 97, as I got it 2nd hand I have no idea how old it really is. If anyone knows how to accurately date it please let me know. I tried to take a pic of the numbers stamped on the blade but can hardly make them out. I think it says 9491 but have no idea if that even relates to years made.

 :daumenhoch:

(http://www.sirmerlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/photo-1-1024x764.jpg)

(http://www.sirmerlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/photo-2-1024x764.jpg)

(http://www.sirmerlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/photo-3-1024x764.jpg)

(http://www.sirmerlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/photo-4-1024x764.jpg)
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: gary4130 on March 08, 2015, 10:41 PM
yeah got one of those myself jon,not sure of date -will have a look  ;)
didn't they call this verson the 'race' lever  :-\
remember DMC rider with a pair of non locking levers when he rode a black GT-will look for this pic also  :)
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: Adam Dawson on March 25, 2015, 01:42 AM
they have always had non locking tech 77s.  the decal would just say "dia compe"

date codes are on the lever near the where it bolts to the body. pull the lever back and you will see a date code  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: fugazi on March 25, 2015, 08:18 AM
I bought a few pairs of non locking 77's throughout the 90's as well, so they were about  :daumenhoch:
Does anybody know when they started making them in Taiwan? Late 90's?
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: nosepickben on March 25, 2015, 09:24 AM
Nice one Jon, i didn't doubt their existence, it's just that they were thin on the ground. We had to use what we could get and what we could afford in those days!!
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: boofy44 on March 25, 2015, 07:04 PM
i believe they switched to Taiwan as early as 1992 from something i read in an old BMX Plus.
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: Dannywhac on March 25, 2015, 07:11 PM
Nice one Jon, i didn't doubt their existence, it's just that they were thin on the ground. We had to use what we could get and what we could afford in those days!!

Exactly that for me n'all - you couldn't get the non-locking for love nor money in East Yorkshire in the 90's. Got my first pair I didn't have to belt the locks out of from Hot Wheels in 1997.
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: Adam Dawson on March 27, 2015, 09:39 PM
it was late 90s they went to taiwan. like 98 or so.
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: Gary72 on May 06, 2015, 11:31 PM
it was late 90s they went to taiwan. like 98 or so.
Is this correct? If so I won't need to track down a Japan stamped lever for a post 2000 build
Title: Re: Dirty old lever content...
Post by: ED209 on May 21, 2015, 12:04 PM
Just seen a Trick Stuff in BMX plus from Jan 1989

Shows Tech77s available with or without locking buttons :-)
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