Simviation Forums

No not what you're thinking.

Way back in the 70s before the BMX became popular the Raleigh Chopper bike was THE thing to have for any 10-year old in the UK. Like the Mini & VW Beetle they still have a cult following & there are plenty of enthusiasts like the Raleigh Chopper Owner's Club around. http://www.rcoc.co.uk/clunker.htm

Chopper bikes are now being put back into production. Ah - the nostalgia.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=54842004

[quote]New Chopper bike's a sight for saddle-sore eyes

FRANK O'DONNELL
CONSUMER AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT


BACK in the Seventies it was the bicycle to die for, especially if you were ten years old. With its "ape hanger" handlebars, elongated seat and super-cool centre gearshift, the Raleigh Chopper was an icon of cool.

Now, as Britain rides a wave of nostalgia that has led to the return of the Mini and the VW Beetle, the country's most famous pedal cycle is to be relaunched for a new generation of consumers.

The new Chopper will go on sale in April, available only in its original infra-red colour. It will feature the same red-lined tyres, back-rest and chrome seat-loop as the original. The only major difference is the gearshift, which moves from the crossbar to the handlebars for safety reasons.

Raleigh has been preparing for the Chopper's comeback over the past year, tweaking the new design. The bike will be built in the Far East, unlike the original, which was manufactured in Nottingham.

To mark the relaunch, the first 2,004 Choppers will be a limited-edition model, each with a unique production number stamped on a plaque. These will sell for

I don't remember calling it a Chopper but the Stingray was all the rage when I was a kid.  All I got was a lousy Sears copy.

http://www.bmxnonstop.com/oldschool/1966ray.htm

I had one, and even had a "slick" for a rear tire. was a three speed.

I desperately wanted a chopper!  I'll pass this time round tho'.  Thanks all the same.

Will

...I'll pass on this one as well...!
Choppers remind me too much of the '70's.
...Big Hair, tank tops, flares, purple shirts, Elton John boots, belts with BIG buckles, lots of flowers, (California), etc.... ::)...!
...been there, done it, never want to do it ever again*.. ...!
REALLY EMBARRASSING MEMORIES... ...!
...YUCK... ..!
LOL...!

Cheers all... ...!
Paul.

P.S. ..* none of the "mind bending" stuff tho'... ...!
LOL...!

I used to have one, in that hideous purple colour with the central gearlever. Fabulous bike, you could crash them over and over again and they'd still work. My personal best was slamming into a parked glazing van, and knocking myself out cold The bike didn't have a scratch

Ozzy

My personal best was slamming into a parked glazing van, and knocking myself out cold The bike didn't have a scratch

Ozzy

that would explain a lot

My daughter was born in the 70s which brings back a lot of fond memories for me. She never had a Chopper bike as these had gone out of fashion by the time she was old enough. All the local kids had them though & I remember them haring around & having a great time. This usually involved knocking down unwary pedestrians & you needed eyes in the back of your head. The position of that gear lever always looked a tad risky to me. The consequences of an accident involving the rider coming in contact with it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.
I assume this is the reason they moved it on the new version.

We used to customise ours by putting the forks from a racer onto our Choppers when we were kids. This made them look cool but not too clever to ride.

[quote]I don't remember calling it a Chopper but the Stingray was all the rage when I was a kid.

dont forget the sound needed to look cool. The playing card and clothes pin on the spokes for that real sound of a motorcycle

Yeah, yeah,........and we in my neck of the woods used to use a partially filled ballon tied to the fork which rubbed on the spokes and produced quite a sound.
And there was the inevitible bursting of it which we found just as cool................