The Raleigh Chopper Story

[@setteeofgod7535]

My very generous neighbour bought me the Mk3 for Christmas when i was about 10 and I absolutely loved it. Rode it everyday, used the back cargo rack for my paper round and even managed a spectacular frontflip when I (ill-advised) took it on a mountain bike route. I'm 25 now and it's in my parents shed, I cant bare to part with it as it feels like the last part of my childhood. What a bike

[@bobbyboy6397]

The best bike ever on this planet. My mother bought me one after my dad died for Christmas. It’ll always be in my fondest of memories.

[@Thirdfish]

@BlubberBrother He had a great mum by the sounds of it.

[@Thirdfish]

No it wasn't. it looked great though. I had a Vindec High Riser, research it, it rode better than Chopper as it was lighter and better balanced and much cheaper - I loved it, bright yellow.

[@petergiourelas3753]

Ok but not the best

[@mattdoliver1984]

They've just relaunched them last year based on the Mk 2 with a shorter sassy bar, which is shorter but you can buy the replacement to make it exact, I'm really tempted to get one I love the mk 1s but they're pricey

[@Tampo-tiger]

@@mattdoliver1984 The new seat lets it down badly I feel

[@cassiellightman]

My Dad gave me this bike for my birthday in 1974, I was so happy! I was the only kid with a bike like this and more because at that time we were living in Mexico. He sent one assistant to Huston to buy this bike only for me and I was the only one with a bike like this all around the block and probably all the city. This is a great memory for me, you are always in my heart Dad you are my superhero!

[@iangrozier7877]

My older sister bought me mine when I was a kid. She had only been employed a few weeks in the RAF and went and got a bank loan to buy me it. The bank manager had asked her, what do you want the loan for? And she replied because my brother wants a Raleigh Chopper and he has to have one. She said the bank manager smiled at her and then laughed and said I'm gonna give you the money because you're the 1st honest person who's walked through my door all day. This bike was my pride and joy. I never wanted anything as a kid as badly as I wanted this bike. God I wish I had it now!! I'd swap my motorcycle for it in a instant. I loved it and I will always love my sister deeply for buying me it. My Chopper is my most prominent childhood memory. A lifetime of thank yous to you Raleigh. You made my childhood superb!!

[@nv1493]

I didn't have a chopper but my Stingray to this day remains my favorite bike EVER. And I'm 65 lol.

[@rb4421]

I had a Chopper my friend had a Chopper… That was it! We were CHiPs. California Highway Patrol in Norf London. Oh happy days

[@gary-pv8vz]

Gee, I so wanted one of those when I was 7. I smartened up my act, did chores without bring asked dropped hints like crazy. Never even a hint of joy. Now, I’m 62 and I still want one...

[@dfcvda]

56 and i do too

[@ShelbyBikeBoy]

60 and I got an orange one for Christmas when I was 11 or 12. It was stolen from our front patio a year after I got it. 😥 Then at 48 yrs old I opened a bicycle shop in Arizona US. Best thing I’ve ever done!!

[@ShelbyBikeBoy]

@Ronald Reed Hey Ronald ....great story! I sold my shop after 10 years (in 2009). Still have an iPhone full of customer turned friends, contacts. Was the best time of my life for sure. ♥️

[@jagmarc]

I still remember the 'gear shift trick' going round all us chopper kids. The gear changed up one automatically by changing the way you pressed on the pedals. What maybe inspired this was that factory printed label "..not constructed to carry passenger.." on the seat which really means "ignore official instructions and do whatever works best".

[@leno4920]

Ahhhhhhhh....... The bike I always dreamed of getting for Christmas .... Alas it was not to be... Pure nostalgia.... Thanks LittleCar.

[@ashleybevis9769]

Me too oh nostalgia

[@jimmansi9046]

I did get one for Christmas, it was green & was an awesome bike, my favorite bike, wish I still had it today to restore, I just found some pictures of it, I'm 58 & still think about it

[@gotham61]

I dreamed of owning a Chopper when they came out, and even had the poster on my wall. I finally got an orange Mk1 for my ninth birthday in 1970. I was really too small for it, and didn't ride it much for the first year, but after I grew a bit I hammered it. Broke the frame where one of the top bars met seat stays, and had to get it repaired. In retrospect, it really was a pretty terrible bike to ride, but it did make you the coolest kid on the block.

[@MRSCAREY1962]

I bought my Blue Mk1 Chopper in 1972 with a £25 Premium Bond win and a loan of £2 from my Mum. It was 6 months old but bought from the local Raleigh dealer. I had the same issue as you. I too had to wait until I was tall enough to touch the ground. A frustrating period of waiting and then used it to moto-cross and stunt jump. Dad had to weld those crossbars a lot! No one thought you were cool having a Grifter......

[@halloweenjack2562]

Great memories! My Mk 1 also arrived on my ninth birthday in '71, a blue one, the most memorable birthday present received before or since. Every Sunday morning from then on was spent using my dad's chrome cleaner to buffer up the fender, wheel rims and other shiny bits, until several years later it was left to fade away in the garden shed..... At least four other school friends had Choppers too; theirs were mostly orange, and to this day every time I see the same shade of orange it takes me straight back to the tenth year of my life - an orange Mini Cooper is the strongest reminder, this surely being the modern and grown-up equivalent of the Chopper bike. Perhaps I could mark my sixtieth birthday and the start of a second childhood with a brand new orange Mini Cooper or even a JCW....on second thoughts it'll have to be a blue one.....

[@IainGalli]

I had to make do with a Raleigh Jeep, which was very uncool. Never got a chopper, but it did inspire me to get a proper motorbike just ax soon as I could.

[@prp3231]

@@halloweenjack2562 all I got on my 9th birthday was a slice of Madeira cake and a cup of tea to wash it down with. "Happy birthday son". Cheers dad.

[@shen7256]

Purple mark 2, 1972. Same, ended up breaking the frame at the crossbar/ seat stay.

[@ivanvelez7668]

Hi there, wow!!! I remember the Raleigh Chopper bikes. I used to own one in my childhood days. Great memories riding this bike.

[@paulshepherd1348]

I had a bright yellow Chopper, for my 8th birthday in 1978, and my best mate a light blue Grifter.... we went everywhere on those bikes, we built ramps, obstacle courses put lollipop sticks against the spokes and towards the end we both had them resprayed a medium blue metallic... by his Dad, who owned his own garage. We both used to spend hours on his back yard reoaring or adjusting them... I remember my mate getting mad with his Grifter once and taking a shovel to the handle bars..... he put a v in the handle bar cross bar that no longer had foam on it... a few years later all BMXs had the v shape on the handle bar cross bar.. lol my mate was an uncredited designer! Lol What treasured happy childhood memories... they were magical.😊

[@leodooley7572]

Was eagerly awaiting the next car video, then you gave us this gem of a presentation. Thanks.

[@LittleCar]

I had a spare couple of days to do this.

[@mattkinsella9856]

In the early 80s my grandparents had a smallholding in Cornwall and I'd spend my summers there and they had an old Raleigh Chopper they'd picked up at a boot fair for me to ride around on. I was on that bike the whole time, I loved it. One of the best times of my life.

[@Kevin-rw4yw]

Bless the 80s!

[@paulriggs42]

I was a grifter kid, but my older brother had a chopper.... happy days growing up in the 70’s UK

[@stephenspinelli4265]

I was lucky and blessed to have owned this bike when I was a kid. Great times!

[@Itsmemagoo]

Still have my Orange mk1 to this day. Still in great condition and totally original including the original paint work. She get ridden round the park a few times a year but hard work now for an old timer. Draws a lot of attention from people around my age group who really appreciate seeing it and ask to take photos of it a lot. ahhh Nostalgia...

[@darthvato3303]

Dude, tell them how comfortable that bike was...

[@TheButlerNZ]

I beat mine to death, modified it and beat it to death again... If I was a bike, I think I would like to be loved to death that way!

[@tomf4547]

When I grew out of mine my parents gave it to my cousin 😭

[@dandandan389]

I got given an old Grifter when I was about 5 (much to small to ride it) so my poor mum had to wheel me around the village on it, not easy when the bike weighs about the same as a small truck. I also made her take it upstairs for me one night so I could sleep with it in my room......again my poor mum!

[@ErraticPT]

Yeah they were built like a tank and weighed about as much! Also what didn't help was the lousy gearing that made an already heavy bike even harder to pedal up even slight gradients. That guy who was sponsored to ride the chopper up that mountain should of tried with a Grifter! Now that would of been almost superhuman!

[@ForeverNeverwhere1]

@@ErraticPT in hindsight I was lucky, my parent bought me a new Puch road bike just before the Gridter/Chopper craze, by the time it needed replacing BMX’s like the diamondbacks were the big thing, but I do remember my friends grifter weighing a tonne. I didn’t stop me being envious though. There is no street cred in a Puch. And to a 10 year old, that is worth more than having to push it up every incline due to the weight.

[@joohop]

Good Comments Bless Up Y'all

[@stephenowens8398]

Got my Grifter for Christmas, my Dad put it at the end of my bed so I'd see it when I woke up! Kept it in my bedroom for a week until Mum made me put it in the garage! Mums can be such spoilsports sometimes !

[@joohop]

@@stephenowens8398 I Got A Brand New Silver Grifter For Christmas :)

[@JohnFekoloid]

I once lived on the 4th floor of a high rise with no working lift. And I carried this bike up and down the stairs any time i wanted to ride. This thing is made of lead!!! But nice enjoyable rides.

[@jerryterwase9027]

My dad gave this to me as a birthday surprise when I was 7. That was the second most exciting moment in my life. First was when I became a Dad so I could pass on the gesture.

[@matthewbrown2037]

This brought back so many memories. I had a Striker in the early eighties, a friend had one, another had a Boxer, and his big brother had a Chopper. Later on when Raleigh bought out there proper range of BMX's I got a Gold Burner for my, I think 10th birthday. Just about everyone had a Raleigh of some description back then.

[@robinmatthewsechols1019]

Hi Mr & Mrs Big Car! Robin here and I just wanted to let you know that I love the Little Car stories! Thank you so much for the extra treat. Cheers!

[@LittleCar]

Glad you're enjoying them Robin!

[@innervisionsOD1]

So cool to find this video! Thank you for posting! Brought back so many memories... Most of my friends here in the US had Schwinn Stingrays. I was one of the very few who had the Chopper. Mine was green with white lettering, 5 speed (with that little knob next to the main shifter that never worked), tall sissy bar that I put a skull & cross bones sticker on the back for extra 11 year old badass effect! I also added a speedometer that caused drag on the front small wheel making me not the fastest "biker" in the neighborhood. Also, wasn't the greatest home made ramp jumper a' la Evel Knievel either! I truly think that this bike helped lay the foundation for my ongoing love of mechanical art. Soon to go British again with a modern classic Triumph Bonneville T120. Cheers to all who found a common connection with the Raleigh Chopper!!

[@hoop5824]

"Get to the chopper!!!"

[@normanhumphrey9695]

That was awesome, thanks for doing this video. Brought back lots of memories and was really interesting to boot.

[@StormieOfSmeg]

I really wanted a Grifter as a kid but got a Strika instead. The Strika was a tank. I hammered the crap out of it for years. I was never off it. I only ever rode a Chopper once and can confirm that the gear leaver is indeed extremely painful on the family jewels.

[@TheSilverDubberII]

The Chopper was pretty much at the centre of my childhood in both this country and Spain. My father sent me one as a gift when I lived in Madrid as a kid for a few years. You can imagine the looks I got on my yellow Chopper. I was the coolest kid in El Barrio (Tetuan). Happy, happy days.

[@povey1979]

amazing video.. still got my chopper mk2 since the age off 10. im 40 now and still ride it .. been restored now.. happy memories

[@AirCicilia]

Thank you for posting this. How I miss my old Chopper. Never should have sold it!

[@francispalmer9737]

In 1974 I had a new chopper for Christmas I was 10 and I loved it. It was Yellow but had an extra long back rest with an extra black pad set into the bars just above the seat and I loved the gear changer it was my favourite part of the bike. I have not seen another one with the same back (sissy bar) since and I miss that bike like mad. Great memories of being a kid in the seventies.

[@jamesley3743]

I got a Purple Chopper for Xmas in 1973 when I was 11, I could beat Lads on 5 speed racing Bikes with it...and was one of the cool kid in our street with the Girls giving them Backa`s....haha good memories!!

[@Buster_Piles]

@James Ley I wrote to Jimmy Savile asking if I could have a ride on his purple chopper. He didn't fix it for me unfortunately.

[@sarjim4381]

Both my sons had Choppers, even when they had the choice of a Schwinn Sting-Ray instead. As I remember, they were like $60 each, a princely sum in the early 70's. Indeed, the boys wanted one in particular because it had the most room to haul a friend along with them. So much for safety warnings!

[@nigel-Rollercam-channel]

Thank you for doing this video, I still have my 1977 Swing bike that I never want to get rid of. Useless bikes but they look cool I remember them being great stimulation for my young imagination. I'm sure it contributed to my start as a bicycle mechanic in 1989

[@laurentscholer6525]

Oh damn, I had one yellow chopper and one red grifter in mid seventies, you made me cry!! Lots of souvenirs, thanks

[@Boric78]

LOL - that Matt dude in the cut off jeans on his Chopper passing the Lycra fools with their titanium / composite mega bikes. Well down my man - hope when they got to the top they saw him having a well earned bacon sandwich and a rollup.

[@Boric78]

done not down

[@Anonymouseys]

I was just thinking he would not be smoking if he had got fit enough for a serious climb. Then I remembered Wiggo. What a legend.

[@BanjoLuke1]

This is interesting stuff. As a child of the era (born '63) I was swept along with the fascination for this bike. My whole family cycled and I was simply NEVER going to get one. We all rode sensible, sturdy, traditional bikes. I was gutted but my parents were right. My mother (a Cycling Proficiency tester and former Land Girl) bristled when my friends showed up on the pprimary-school playground for their sessions on a Chopper. Even worse (in her eyes) were the ones with mirrors and with tassels streaming from the bar ends, both common accessories at the time. It didn't stop me wanting one, but as I run up towards sixty and look at my motley collection of bicycles, I am grateful to my parents for steering me away from these things. I don't think a single friend in my safe little suburb rode one further than three streets from home. Many got no further than the drive. Good video. A nice little slice of nostalgia.

[@shaydevlin5557]

Aka the bike that most parents don't stop talking about

[@darthvato3303]

Dude, that bike was comfortable as hell...

[@robertkustos2931]

They were brill at wheelies . You could go miles on that back wheel.

[@robertkustos2931]

@John Fray those were the days.. My mate Pete was the richest kid in the village , he was the paper boy .. On his chopper over a few months He added a whip Ariel , a yellow radio, indicators, and tassels that dangled from his handle bars .. That was when we were about 10 or 11 .....we are now coming up to 60 yrs old ..just one more thing, I have a guy called TIM FRAY from Lincolnshire , England , who is currently preparing my patents ..any relation ?

[@markh1085]

I loved that. I used to have the red mk 2 . God I loved that bike. You made me smile about the playing cards held by pegs on the rear wheel to get the motorbike sound. I was happy for a while until my sister told my dad I had used her snap cards . Great great days

[@marineboy1964]

I had a sky blue series one chopper The one with the long seat and round gear Knob with 3 R's on top I think I spent most of my childhood on this bike I used to lower the seat at the back and put the front of the seat up to the max .I even tried and set of cow horn handle bars on it but I could not get them to work .fantastic memories.

[@glennlatimer1891]

We went to Bilborough Grammar Shool with Karen who married Alan Oakley who started the Chopper for Raleigh. So great to find this video.

[@woodsculptor675]

Great vid!! I used to love the Schwinn 'Krate' bikes and was envious of anyone who had one! I just had a plain old Stingray. I never knew Raleigh had a version, it looks awesome!!!

[@Thereisnosp00000n]

Oh man, I had one of those. Of all the bikes I've owned this is the one I loved most. Doing wheelies, as mentioned, and bunny hops. This bike was phenomenal. And then my dad put his car in reverse and didn't notice the bike was behind.

[@TheButlerNZ]

They were so heavy it probably did as much damage to the car. Remember the little chrome bracket on the steering for a light no one ever had...

[@Thereisnosp00000n]

@@TheButlerNZ I actually mounted a light to it. One of those big round ones to make it look more like a motorcycle and a battery pack under the seat. It broke off after a while after jumping around too much. Awesome times.

[@TheButlerNZ]

@@Thereisnosp00000n I had one like Lisa Simpson that appeared to put the brakes on when you turned on the light... and all I had was 1.5v light bulbs... and a 6v generator.... so if you did anything but crawl home in the dark.... pop.

[@topcat4759]

Managed to flip mine on a speed bump in the local park. Luckily not too much damaged other than my pride as all my mates were laughing their heads off. Great memories on most occasions! 😃😃😃😃

[@dominicfong6341]

Thank you very much for bringing back the fond memories of my younger years, sir!

[@mathewhudson7649]

The Grifter with the gear changer on the handle was crazy awesome back then. Later on those who had Choppers where I lived, would remove the tension gears & change the front system with a BMX fork, wheel and handle bar, fun times.

[@TheButlerNZ]

I didn't change the gear lever... and I added sky blue Pantha MAGS! If you thought hte original chopper was heavy...

[@mathewhudson7649]

@@TheButlerNZ That would've looked cool. You didn't change the handle bar with the larger front wheel?

[@TheButlerNZ]

@@mathewhudson7649 y.know.. I don't remember... I know I had to replace the axle in the rear mag... I used to be quite handy s a kid...

[@mathewhudson7649]

@@TheButlerNZ Cool, those were fun times.

[@trailingarm63]

I had a yellow one, first year they came out in UK. Most exciting Christmas present I ever had. We really had never seen anything like it in the UK before. They were good bikes overall. A bit heavy compared to a racer, but comfortable to ride and they handled nicely - there was no problem taking your hands off the handlebars to change gear. The rear frame tubes were strong enough for regular riding but tended to break if you went motocross-style over bonks. I saw a few being welded up in the metal work lab in school.

[@marvinlewis5591]

Fizzy lemon was the color. My bro got one for Xmas 74.

[@philipe7937]

The tall part of the bike in the back was known as a sissybar when I was a kid and we always rode with a passenger on the back

[@MICHGO1]

TALLER THAN SHOWN IN THE VIDEO.

[@RobMacKendrick]

@@MICHGO1 Much taller. Ridiculously taller. Taller than we were standing up.

[@markperry4474]

You might have missed a bike from the origin story, at least for the UK. I was about 9 or 10 when I got a Raleigh Mustang, this would have been around 1969-70. It looked like the Rodeo, had a three speed hub gear, gear stick on the crossbars. Because of the larger wheels it was stable and I would often give later Chopper riders a spanking, racing around the estate. It had a white (with metalflake) saddle. I loved this bike.

[@gregggoldstein3449]

You and I both! All the kids were impressed by the stick shifter in the middle. I liked the Raleigh badging. It was a Mustang! A great Christmas Surprise. Wonder who owns it now? Great story from 3 years ago. Was like yesterday. Also added mirrors and sqweeze bulb horn. The one I own now is a Dahon Folding Bicycle 29 lbs. with six speeds, used in my daily bus commutes to work to catch the train to transfer to another bus and so compact i stored under my seat. My favorite is a Strida folding bicycle with rubber belt driven rear wheel. No grease.

[@gavmusic]

Like many boys in the early 1970s, I craved a Raleigh Chopper. In early 1974 my dad gave me the Raleigh catalogue as I was in line for a new bike later in the year. Initially it had to be a Chopper... but then one day I met up with my mate Gary who turned up on his Raleigh Chopper wearing his purple flared cords (an iconic image!!). Finally I was going to get a go on the wonderful machine. I sat on it and it felt weird. No problem I thought, take a little time, have a ride.. The thing was, for me, pretty much unrideable and I realised I was lucky to have had this opportunity to do some fact-finding. When the time came, I chose a Raleigh Esquire, complete with handlebar mounted 3-speed changer, self-adjusting brakes, dynamo hub and no street cred in its burned bronze colour - but the thing was comfortable, handled properly and I did miles and miles on it. I still think the Chopper looks cool though

[@tomf4547]

Ohhhhh THE best Christmas present I've ever had. A new bright red MK2 in 1973/74 ish. Lived that bike and put some serious mileage on it ❣️

[@timtimecollector9808]

I had to build my own 'tracker' bike from old bits and pieces in the 1970s. Wide cow horns handlebars and 'speedway' knobbly tyres with low gear larger rear sprocket on the back wheel. A friend had a new chopper for Christmas, I still remember him flying over the handle bars when he hit the front bake.

[@I999-g2s]

Back in the days when a bike was a significant purchase for a working class family, I had been asking my parents (for quite a long time) if they would buy me a Raleigh Arena. On the evening of my 9th birthday, they drew back the curtains in our living room, to reveal a brand new red Chopper, sat on the window-sill of our rather large bay window. I was absolutely over the moon, still easily my most memorable birthday gift. I used to ride around with my friend who had a Grifter and those days seem to go on, for ever. To this day, I don’t know why they chose a Chopper. I was just sooooo grateful for a bike that I never asked - well, you just didn’t in those days...

[@substandardabuse6028]

Had one of these as a kid. Heaviest and most dangerous bike I have ever ridden.

[@goffer43]

This has brought back a few memories! I had a Raleigh Strika and I used to put playing cards in the wheels to make it sound as if I was riding a motorbike!

[@JohnTurner313]

I had both (at different times) as a kid, paid for with paper routes. I preferred my green Schwinn Sting-Ray. That was a fun bike. The Raleigh Chopper I had was just a little too weird for me. The Sting-Ray was just weird enough. :) Thanks for helping me remember!

[@markanthony4655]

I had a bright Yellow Chopper, changing gear while keeping straight was interesting while pedalling at speed. One thing I remember was making a mess of it, the handle bars going one way or the other and sore nuts from hitting the gear stick as I slid off the seat towards the handle bars as the bike fell to the side.

[@buddymack9606]

I received a brand new Chopper for Christmas 1975... I still own it but it needs some love lol. Thanks for posting this video (love the Lego 8880 visible around 6:35 too, getting ready to sell mine)!

[@derykmacleod4979]

My parents never bought me the chopper, and I still eyeball them lol. I thought of welding up an adult sized one and make an e0bike out of it for it's classic good looks

[@rickschrager]

Interesting.... Growing up in southern california I do not believe I ever saw this bike. It was Stingray or skateboard with no real middle ground. The stingray was very customizable by kids. It was nothing to add a tall "sissy bar" or to replace the seat tube with a bent tube (usually cut from a handlebar) to sweep the seat back by six to eight inches giving the rider extra leg room. With the exception of the sprocket most work could be done with a simple wrench set. I recently saw an original "Lemon Peeler" in almost new condition. The price was fifteen hundred dollars That's how much we loved the Stingray.

[@kevinwalsh9483]

when i was a 10 yr. old we moved into a house where someone had left a schwinn orange krate in the basement. one of the best finds of my life.

[@tedunguent156]

What was it? Orange Krate, Lemon Peeler, Cherry Picker and Apple Krate? LOL

[@iantrott9152]

I had a Chopper for a year when I was 10 in 1975. Then in 1979, when I was 14, I decided to build my own using a scrap RSW14 as a base. I found a local engineering firm; they did the fabrication. First off was a proper banana seat with a fabricated 4 foot high roll bar. Next the front forks were chopped, racked and had another 4 foot extension; I then fitted a 20” front wheel to go with the 14” rear wheel. Last off, with the front now being massively high I fitted a step of cow horn handlebars. Then the first test; and I soon realised that even the slightest pedal pressure resulted it a massive wheelie! It looked good though; especially with the 70’s two tone spray job I did; Ford Roman Bronze over the top of Copper :)

[@serenitynow2435]

I received one of these for my 12th birthday and just loved the sleek new design. It was different, and as a kid different was good. I lived in Australia and also had a Surfer Sam red with white stripes skateboard. I was hip for a kid of the 60 - 70's, and a great time it was all round.

[@mattgreen9507]

I had a 2nd hand modified one in the 70s. It had some sort of fatter rear wheel and even wider handle bars... but still the central 3 gear selector. It was covered in anti-rust paint, weighed as much as a tank bit I loved it for about 3 years and 3 years is forever at that age :-) Anyway, thanks for the video and a bit of nostalgia :-)

[@laranaarana]

My younger sister (8 YO at the time) had this bicycle in purple (I had a Honda 70cc at the same time -I was 10 years old-). Two years later she left it laying in our home hallway because the front tire got damaged. One day I decided to fix it and replaced the front tire and had to replace the gear changer at the rear wheel assembly. To my surprise, it was fun to ride!

[@SurleyBlaine]

I had a couple Stingrays growing up. Outlasted anything else I had and thats after changing it from stock to "bmx" style, to chopper and back again. My buddy had the Raleigh Chopper and the shifter broke the first summer.

[@mr1love100]

Thank you for this video! We can't live in the past but lovely memories to think about.

[@TheMitchellCurry]

Yeah My older brother had one and I loved riding it!!!!!! So much so that one day as I was going downhill from our local public pool. I managed to coast off the side of the road. The bike stopped but I did not. I managed to hit my chin on the goose neck breaking my jaw in 3 places. I was only 5 years old at the time too. After having my jaw wired shut for a few weeks and 30 stiches later... I was back riding it soon and have a life time of memories.

[@sl077766]

I had two of these, an orange one that was shipped to Kenya for Xmas Dec '73 when we emigrated and another (purple 5 speed with deraileur) in Feb '75 when we returned. Then I got a Raleigh Arena racing bike in 'July 77 which I last used in around 1983 .....

[@nkt1]

I had a second-hand Budgie. Great wee bike. A few years later I wanted a BMX, but my parents refused, and got me a second-hand, 10 speed Raleigh Winner instead. I loved that bike, but no one at school was impressed.

[@Tech-Nobby]

I had the strika, loved the " back pedal for rear brake" made for some great skids

[@LittleCar]

Yes, but it meant you couldn't free wheel.

[@gotham61]

@@LittleCar Sure you could. If you held the pedals still it would coast freely. The brake would only apply if you back pedaled. We used to call it a coaster brake.

[@mattburland8105]

Coaster brakes are still common in US kids bikes for some reason. I made a point of getting my kid a bike with proper hand operated brakes with my view being that she'd need to learn to use them eventually.

[@MIKIEC71]

I had a Strika, but I don't remember the back pedal feature - maybe I didn't like it, so never used it. I always envied the kids with Choppers and Grifters. IIRC, Raleigh brought out the Bomber next in the mid-late 80s, as mountain bikes were taking off, but it weighed a ton!

[@stevc2009]

@@MIKIEC71 Mine definitely didn't have it. Just looked it up; it was removed on models after 1978

[@simonprodhan5050]

great bike! got one for my 9th birthday back in 1974! great memories of being a kid in the fab 70's

[@grahamflett248]

Had the purple one featured on here ! Loved that bike but going downhill too fast you got what we called chopper wobble ! 🤣 those were the days ! 😊

[@rickroll9086]

Had one of these in Canada. 1966/67. What a beaut. 5/10 gear stick...dual shift!

[@Skiddins]

I'm too young (just, born 74') to have had a Chopper, but still remember there being a lot of them around as a kid. I had a second hand Strika when I was around 8 yrs old, then a proper BMX for my 12th birthday in 1986... which I still have lol

[@Craiglish22]

Cracking video! Oh the memory's this brought back to me. I was also in the Grifter camp. Many of my mates had the Chopper. Wouldn't have swapped for anything, but that big seat for backies, secretly, I was so jealous! 😀👍

[@chekiechekie]

In the middle of restoring my mk2 purple chopper. Simply an iconic bike. I remember all my school mates asking if they could have a go on it when i took it to school once for my cycling proficiency test.

[@Buster_Piles]

Your purple chopper . Ah the innuendo!

[@stvitalkid7981]

These Raleigh bikes were sold in Canada at Eatons stores and though the Eatons catalogue. They were painted a dark orange-red and branded as “Fastback”. I had one of my nastiest bicycle accidents on one that I’d borrowed from a friend. The bike did not fare so well either.

[@jocelynhurtubise2420]

Great video! A friend of mine when I was a kid had a Raleigh Chopper bright orange very cool. Raleigh had a plant in Waterloo, Eastern Township county, province of Quebec sadly it closed in 2013. I had a similar type of bike a CCM Cheetah, not as cool, stylish, or sturdy as the Raleigh Chopper but still genuinely nice, they were built in Weston, Ontario. CCM stand for Canada Cycle & Motor and they stop building bike in the mid 80’s, they concentrate on hockey stuff now (Helmet, Gloves etc.)

[@Mariazellerbahn]

Ah, the days when you could innocently ask the girl next door if she'd like to ride your purple Chopper.

[@Buster_Piles]

🤣👍 Someone else in the comments wrote about craving a big black chopper as a child. The innuendos are fantastic.

[@NeroVingian40]

Purple? Jesus, that chopper ain’t looking good, they need to go see a doctor!

[@Buster_Piles]

@M. Arbah Binamin yep, time to take the rubber band off when it goes purple. It might look big but it ain't funny when you end up at the A&E. 🫐🍆

[@strat0871]

I remember in the 70's some friends had Yamaha kind of BMX with suspensions front and rear, these were really great !

[@lazycalm41]

Great trip down memory lane here! I never knew they made a single geared version of the Chopper. I was lucky enough to own a 5 speed 'Chopper 5' as it was known, in bright magenta pink no less! I went everywhere on that bike and even fitted the specially made chrome mud guard extensions to reduce the mud splashes from the wheels. I could never work out what the little gear lever next to the main one actually did but to me at 13years old it made it more cool I guess. I sold that bike to buy my first HiFi system components but looking back now I wish I had kept it. I went through 3 sets of tyres back then which shows how much I used my faithful Chopper!

[@kyle8952]

The lever on the right is the same as the three speed gears - Low, Medium, High. When you're in Low, moving the lever on the left will turn Low into Even Lower, and when you're in High, moving it will make High turn into Even Higher. When you're in Medium, the lever on the left does nothing. Absolutely horrible set of controls.

[@topcat4759]

Yes I remember buying a second hand 5 speed pink/purple one for my 13th birthday off a mate. Had a black one for Christmas later that year. Main problem I had with the black one 3 speed were the gears, the back wheel was always down the local cycle shop for repair. Keeping the rear hub clean was crucial. Just wish I had kept it and they had brought out the aluminium frame version a few years earlier. Weight was its main problem but I also tried mud flaps to cut down the spray.

[@mow3186]

I adored my yellow Chopper mk2. Mike Grant gave me a Kawasaki sticker which fitted the chain guard perfect. It disappeared from my dads garage in 1992. Of course no one had a clue where it went. There wasn’t a scratch on it. I still feel aggrieved to this day. In 1976 I brought it on the ferry to the Isle of Man for the TT. There is was, down in the hull with all the super motorcycles of the day holding its own. My Chopper had serious credibility.

[@kurtwomack6473]

When I was a brat in Tucson, parents got me the 5 speed derailleur with tall sissy bar, in blue. I wiped out the first day over sand on the street. I rode that in the desert, wasted it. Then BMX bikes were invented. About 40 years ago I worked at a bike shop one summer. A guy brought in a Mk1 3-speed, orange, gooseneck bent, didn't like the cost for repair, I offered to buy it. Been hanging in the shop rafters until this month, got it cleaned and working. Goes with the '68 Chevy pickup.

[@rolandbogush2594]

Yep - had an orange one in about 1971. Great memories - thanks for an interesting video.

[@ManuelMartinez09]

I had the green one (with rear derailleur and smooth tires) and my brother the red one (internal gears, backpedal brake and grippy tires), we used as bmx for jumping and wheelies so both ended broken. Best times ever

[@davethetaswegian]

I remember these being so cool when I was growing up in the 70's. That car like gear selector was extra cool.

[@ballockybill69]

Until you slide off the seat and smash your balls on it lol , I remember that alright

[@CountvonCount33]

@@ballockybill69 Yea, me too! 😫

[@ballockybill69]

@somedeveloperblokey Ah , the memory still brings tears to my eyes , lol .

[@DTD110865]

@@ballockybill69 Perhaps. But the other thing that made it cool was the fact that they also came in 5 and 10 speed models. How many 20 inch bikes do you know of that had that?

[@tedunguent156]

Ha, ha! I had the first Chopper in my area as a kid. My brother got the Stingray. Loved that bike and rode it like a maniac. Single speed, no springs, coaster brake and GREEN!! I learned how to control the front end by shifting my weight and I rode it like a BMX. Ah, the sixties were great. What happened?

[@roywane354]

I had one of these with the three speed shift. You are right about the dangers of doubling and the terrible steering control that came with the dinky front wheel and ape hanger bars. Doubled a buddy down a steep gravel road and ended up in the Emergency Room getting stitches and gravel tweezed out of my face by the doctor.

[@Kaptain13Gonzo]

Always wanted one. In my pre-teens I got a well used (Norco?) knock-off and it was great. Metallic gold/green and a banana seat but with a short backstay. Logged a ton of miles with it and jumped many dirt piles. Wasn't quite the same without the stick-shift, but in a era of being lucky to have anything close to 'cool', because of real life, good enough.

[@cfvrq]

In Canada, way back in the late ‘60’s early ‘70’s only the Eaton’s department stores sold them. They were named “FASTBACK 100”. Any kid who had one instantly became the coolest in the neighbourhood! Those bikes were so popular and sought after!

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

Everyone saying how these are relics and uncool but I was born way after these ended production and always wanted one. Pretty much every old movie had kids riding around on these and I always screamed how I want one. But since I couldn't find any I tried to make my own "custom" one as a 12 year old with a hacksaw and 2 junked bikes. Not a good idea...

[@geoffclarke8934]

I was also in the Grifter camp after getting one for Christmas in 1976 aged 8 not long after they came out. I was initially drawn to the Chopper but my Mum wouldn't buy me one after a kid a few doors down had an accident on one carrying a passenger. Loved my Grifter which I kept until around 1980 or '81 when it was replaced by a 10 speed Peugeot racing bike. The Grifter though as you say, was bloody heavy!

[@whichgodofthousandsmeansno5306]

We used to cut up lounge chairs and use the side rails as long extended forks. Talk about unstable and unsafe but it looked so bad ass. Now that I am grown up I do it to motorcycles but with safety concerns actually part of the plan. I do remember the Raleigh Chopper and asked for one for Christmas but my dad got me some kind of Schwin version which got stolen after a few weeks and I got in trouble for taking it out before my dad finished hooking up the brake..

[@12volthighpeakvanlife.62]

Paddy McGuiness just rode 300 miles from Wales to Scotland, on a chopper, raised over 7 million pounds for Children in Need. Well done Paddy ♥

[@sparky6086]

One of my friends in America had a brand new Raleigh Chopper around 1974 or '75. He thought, that he was too cool!

[@chuckm9288]

My dad bought a chopper for me, pretty wild, a fun bike. My heart still pines for a Schwinn applecrate. Never had a bmx, went for the 10 speed road bike: Panasonic Villager and still riding her!

[@dalesideroadclassiccarwork9038]

I asked my mum if I could have a Chopper for Xmas. I ended up with a Raleigh shopper. Living on a council estate in Notts that bike learned me how to ride fast, especially when bullys wanted to give me a good shoeing so they could nick the basket off the front.

[@TheButlerNZ]

A Shopper... No wonder the bullies chased you...

[@peterstudley1804]

I have a 1976 mk2 in fizzy lemon with orange graffics and a huge sissy bar new old stock ever-ready lights ,chrome horn and a fork mounted mile -o- meter newly restored about 7years ago and it lives in my spare bedroom, and I love it , it's the 70s on wheels 😀.

[@jjcastleberry3662]

The Purple Chopper II in the video is the one I received for Christmas in 1974 in Belize.

[@ASMRTingledPink]

I used to love to ride my sister's Sting-Ray when I as a kid! To this day, I still love the look and style of that bike, and if I could afford to have an adult version of that bike made, I would. It was an awesome teal color, and had the banana seat and I remember the back rest bar being a bit tall as well, and we had one of those special bike license plates that attached on that bar, with our names on it. It was so much fun to ride and gave me many hours of fun and enjoyment.

[@roscoreigns1167]

Love your videos brother. Please do one of theseon the Raleigh vectar 😍

[@LittleCar]

That thing was weird! I've only just seen a photo of it.

[@andywolf100]

My twin bro had the early Chopper with the 3 speed hub gears. It was lethal at speed going down hills and suffered significant stability problems and was a bike crashed with monotonous regularity by those not experienced in riding this bike. Still, it was the epitome of "cool" back in the day!