Raleigh chopper wanted

[Zanelad]

I remember fitting a crossbar, sorry top tube mounted gear shifter to my own, non chopper bike......happy days.

 

[rogerzilla]

I had a yellow Mk2 and did fairly long rides on it. Problems with one as a resto project:

1. Silly prices even for wrecks
2. Not big enough to ride for many adults
3. Rechroming is very expensive
4. Raleigh threading - BBs and headsets no longer made and expensive NOS

The Mk2 is the one to go for. Mk1s break and the Mk3 is a pale imitation - no T shift and no banana seat, so the two best bits are absent!

 

[Dec66]

Bit far from you, @NeilnrLincoln, but Young's Cycles near me restores them, and has a wide selection to choose from.

http://youngs-cycles.co.uk/

 

[Gunk]

Part of the fun is restoring it yourself.

I’ve restored quite a few motorcycles over the years, and last year I bought a museum quality early Honda Fireblade. It is stunning and a joy to own but does not deliver the full ownership experience and warm pride of riding a bike you have rebuilt yourself, so although I love the bike it does leave me slightly cold.

My favourite bike at the moment is my humble “gas pipe“ Team Raleigh Banana, again the pleasure is in riding something I built and created.

But, horses for courses.

 

[NeilnrLincoln]

@NeilnrLincoln I phoned my brother, he’ll sell at a price at which I think (frankly) is delusional. He’s going to send me some photos later.

Hi.
Did you manage to get a price & photo's of your brothers chopper?
Thanks.

 

[Dec66]

photo's of your brothers chopper?

@Fnaar

 

[EltonFrog]

Hi.
Did you manage to get a price & photo's of your brothers chopper?
Thanks.

Yes and no, he doesn’t want to sell it, and having seen it you probably wouldn’t want it.

Apologies for not posting sooner, I forgot.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I recalled a guy who had ridden various iconic climbs on a Chopper. A quick search et voilà:

https://road.cc/content/news/243196-raleigh-chopper-vs-alpe-dhuez-videos

 

[EltonFrog]

Here’s a photo of my brother’s Raleigh Chopper, he paid far to much for it ( I haven’t told him that) and it’s been powder coated.




I sat on it recently, the first time I’d ever done that, it was horrible, my mother’s significant other was right not to let me buy one even though I coveted one at the time

 

[FrankCrank]

.....to me as a 10 year old it was the most desired thing ever, and when I got one it was like all my birthdays and Xmases in one. Not sure what the modern equivalent would be, biking or otherwise. You gotta remember that Donny Osmond and the Bay City Rollers were also cool back then (for the girls I mean), so a product of its time, and maybe best to keep the memories rather than relive them

 

[Arjimlad]

I had one new from Halfords, aged 10 in 1982 I reckon. They were a little bit "retro" even then, the cool kids had Raleigh Burners. I had to choose between the Chopper and a Raleigh Bomber.

After I grew out of it, some friends had it, I don't know what happened to it afterwards. It was silver. I loved riding it around to my friends' houses & in the park. Happy memories but I think best left in the past !

 

[Dec66]

I had one, a Mk. 1, that my dad rescued from the local tip. He handpainted the frame in a pale metallic blue. The gear selector shroud was broken so he replaced it with the dummy one from my old Tomahawk.

Also, on the Mk. 1's, the handlebars were bolted into the stem (they were welded on the Mk. 2), and on mine the thread had worn out on the stem bolt, making it impossible to tighten shut. Didn't bother me, I just used to pull the handlebars downward, and in that mode it was almost a recumbent.

I was forever having gear chains stolen. They were like diamonds in those days to thieving little scals.

I used to ride it round our estate for hours, and hours, and hours. Then I grew out of it, and lusted after a 12-speed Puch Free Spirit in a pearlescent pale grey colour in John Geddes's shop window. I might as well have been after a ticket to the moon, for all the chance I had of ever getting it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Looking at the dates on the Wiki page they should have featured large in my youth. But I can't recall anyone having one. I seem to have grown up in a chopper free bubble.

 

[Dec66]

You gotta remember that Donny Osmond and the Bay City Rollers

I always think of Look-In, The Goodies, Fizzy Cola Spangles, Crystal Tips and Alistair, three-star jumpers and Birmos whenever I see a Chopper.

Strange how the mind works.

 

[Gunk]

And Clackers 😮