It was my 11th birthday..I went to school as normal,only receiving a card from gran and mum and dad..no pressies !!
I was a bit downcast.
When I came in from school,mum sent me down the shed for some potatoes,and there,gleaming was a brand new Raleigh Chopper..in purple,I will never forget that day...!!
I was a bit downcast.
When I came in from school,mum sent me down the shed for some potatoes,and there,gleaming was a brand new Raleigh Chopper..in purple,I will never forget that day...!!
In reply to Post #1
What year was this?
What year was this?
In reply to Post #2
My guess is 1971.
My guess is 1971.
In reply to Post #3
Lol,nope...search the yr Mk2 was made,that'll do it..
Apparently the MK1 chopper was released in 1969,before that it was under another name,made by Raleigh,distributed in Canada..
Anyway ,anyone else have fond memories of their Raleigh bikes,my list was this..in order of age ,use. and make,I always wanted a Dawes super galaxy, might get a second hand one.as Dawes stopped the range last yr.
Gresham flyer
Tomahawk
Chopper
RSW 16..
Arena
Flyer
Dakota
Dawes Saratoga..
Just a bit of fun,what bike have people had...?
Lol,nope...search the yr Mk2 was made,that'll do it..
Apparently the MK1 chopper was released in 1969,before that it was under another name,made by Raleigh,distributed in Canada..
Anyway ,anyone else have fond memories of their Raleigh bikes,my list was this..in order of age ,use. and make,I always wanted a Dawes super galaxy, might get a second hand one.as Dawes stopped the range last yr.
Gresham flyer
Tomahawk
Chopper
RSW 16..
Arena
Flyer
Dakota
Dawes Saratoga..
Just a bit of fun,what bike have people had...?
Tour of Britain
Eddy Mercx
Rode straight into a concrete post on the tour of britain and ended up with a figure 8 front wheel.
Edit - Wish i had a mint condition chopper as they fetch lots n lots of cash. Great bike.
Eddy Mercx
Rode straight into a concrete post on the tour of britain and ended up with a figure 8 front wheel.
Edit - Wish i had a mint condition chopper as they fetch lots n lots of cash. Great bike.
Budgie
Boxer
Striker
Grifter
Raleigh racer
Raleigh BMX
My Wife
Boxer
Striker
Grifter
Raleigh racer
Raleigh BMX
My Wife
Chipper
Tomahawk
Chopper
Racer with cowhorn handle bars fitted.
Grifter.
Special times.
Tomahawk
Chopper
Racer with cowhorn handle bars fitted.
Grifter.
Special times.
OK cue the violins.
I only had one bike and it was made up of bits and pieces. It was hand painted black. I remember the gear cable utilised a cotton reel to get the Sturmey Archer gears to work. So forgive me if I feel a little jealous of you lot
I only had one bike and it was made up of bits and pieces. It was hand painted black. I remember the gear cable utilised a cotton reel to get the Sturmey Archer gears to work. So forgive me if I feel a little jealous of you lot
In reply to Post #8
penny farthing was your next one right?
I had a tomahawk - loved it
then a Raleigh Olympus which my Dad had hidden in the kitchen on christmas morning (i didn't venture in there much at the age of 11....)
penny farthing was your next one right?
I had a tomahawk - loved it
then a Raleigh Olympus which my Dad had hidden in the kitchen on christmas morning (i didn't venture in there much at the age of 11....)
In reply to Post #1
Similar to me.
One year I went into John Britions a local toy shop looking for a BMX bike. I looked at all the bikes and they had a Raleigh Super Tuff Burner in gold with black mag wheels, stunning bike and the one i really wanted but very expensive!
I was told i could have a cheap one, to be fair we had **** all
Best Christmas present ever. In the front room on Christmas morning said bike, brilliant, one i will never forget, ever
Similar to me.
One year I went into John Britions a local toy shop looking for a BMX bike. I looked at all the bikes and they had a Raleigh Super Tuff Burner in gold with black mag wheels, stunning bike and the one i really wanted but very expensive!
I was told i could have a cheap one, to be fair we had **** all
Best Christmas present ever. In the front room on Christmas morning said bike, brilliant, one i will never forget, ever
In reply to Post #9
You are so cruel, I've not even had time to put the violin away yet.
We lived in a flat without a lift so didn't have room for a penny farthing so had to make do with one of these
I'm now going to have to call my shrink, I'm having a relapse.
You are so cruel, I've not even had time to put the violin away yet.
We lived in a flat without a lift so didn't have room for a penny farthing so had to make do with one of these
I'm now going to have to call my shrink, I'm having a relapse.
Dawes Red Feather. 
In reply to Post #12
Just found an old advert Red Feather cost £27-8-2 from 1962. That's not far short of £500 in today's money
Just found an old advert Red Feather cost £27-8-2 from 1962. That's not far short of £500 in today's money
In reply to Post #14
In reply to Post #14
Anyone know where you can buy that bed?
Anyone know where you can buy that bed?
I'm enjoying this,makes,brings back memories.
I go on youtube,and look at all the different versions of the Chopper,would love a Sprint,or ten speed version,Mk1,in orange..!!
Looked at Mk,3,but they ain't the same,they gone all elf n safety,with no proper banana saddle...
I'm still after a mint 1980s Dawes Galaxy, in burgundy.. lol..
I go on youtube,and look at all the different versions of the Chopper,would love a Sprint,or ten speed version,Mk1,in orange..!!
Looked at Mk,3,but they ain't the same,they gone all elf n safety,with no proper banana saddle...
I'm still after a mint 1980s Dawes Galaxy, in burgundy.. lol..
In reply to Post #17
Yeah it's a welcome break from the gloom. Good call mate.
I remember setting up a ramp for my tomahawk to see how many people I could jump over - Evel kenievel style. ... missed Alan kendall's head by inches!
Yeah it's a welcome break from the gloom. Good call mate.
I remember setting up a ramp for my tomahawk to see how many people I could jump over - Evel kenievel style. ... missed Alan kendall's head by inches!
In reply to Post #6
Boxer
Striker
Grifter
Wasn't that the whole range?
Quite a bit of growing up there
Boxer
Striker
Grifter
Wasn't that the whole range?
Quite a bit of growing up there
I can't remember my bikes when small but the bmx I had when I was 11 was a mongoose,full chrome frame with white mag wheels and red mushroom grips.I then went onto mountain bikes which cost a small fortune
In reply to Post #16
Try Bensons for beds
Try Bensons for beds
I now also remember,my next door neighbour Paul,now Paul had older parents,who were very clever,so by the time he was about eight,he knew all the Latin names of fish,birds and insects..
Anyway Paul had for his birthday a black Raleigh Chopper with snazzy decals,very smart..
So off we go,Paul is in front,brand new bike,first ride..I'm behind,we are going as fast as can be...
Paul anchored up,I went into the back of him...
Tears,....!!
Anyway Paul had for his birthday a black Raleigh Chopper with snazzy decals,very smart..
So off we go,Paul is in front,brand new bike,first ride..I'm behind,we are going as fast as can be...
Paul anchored up,I went into the back of him...
Tears,....!!
In reply to Post #8
Yeah sounds like me i had **** all as a kid , my dad made me a bike out of bits , first ride i bounced down the kerb front wheel fell off and over the bars i flew !
Yeah sounds like me i had **** all as a kid , my dad made me a bike out of bits , first ride i bounced down the kerb front wheel fell off and over the bars i flew !
In reply to Post #19
The budgie was as well had that as my first bike at the age of six for Christmas my older brother had the Boxer and then as he moved on to the bigger bikes which was about every two years or less I had his hand me downs.
One week later after Christmas my brother dared me for a pack of football stickers to follow him down a steep hill near our house I built up that much speed halfway down and got speed wobble and had to ditch it into a lamppost, it catapulted me face plant style into the concrete lamppost and I ended up in the middle of the road knocked out for a split second, my brother who was in front was giving a backie to a friend of mine who couldn't even ride a bike when he heard a car screech to avoid me, he looked back see me in the road jumped of his bike with my mate freewheeling on towards a roundabout ran back up the hill and got the old boy in the car that had stopped to take me home (told him our address) which we were only a few hundred yards away from, my face was a mess severed my top lip in about four places scuffed one of my eyebrows off and broke my nose.
The old boy had given me a white hankie to hold to my face to catch the blood my blonde hair had turned a blood soaked orange by now lay on the back seat of his car, when he got me home he carried me to my front door my mum answered and I still had his hankie over my face, he said to her " I think I have your son here to which she replied "no cant be my son has blonde hair"
THE BUDGIE
1977 good job it wasn't Jimmy Saville who stopped the car
The budgie was as well had that as my first bike at the age of six for Christmas my older brother had the Boxer and then as he moved on to the bigger bikes which was about every two years or less I had his hand me downs.
One week later after Christmas my brother dared me for a pack of football stickers to follow him down a steep hill near our house I built up that much speed halfway down and got speed wobble and had to ditch it into a lamppost, it catapulted me face plant style into the concrete lamppost and I ended up in the middle of the road knocked out for a split second, my brother who was in front was giving a backie to a friend of mine who couldn't even ride a bike when he heard a car screech to avoid me, he looked back see me in the road jumped of his bike with my mate freewheeling on towards a roundabout ran back up the hill and got the old boy in the car that had stopped to take me home (told him our address) which we were only a few hundred yards away from, my face was a mess severed my top lip in about four places scuffed one of my eyebrows off and broke my nose.
The old boy had given me a white hankie to hold to my face to catch the blood my blonde hair had turned a blood soaked orange by now lay on the back seat of his car, when he got me home he carried me to my front door my mum answered and I still had his hankie over my face, he said to her " I think I have your son here to which she replied "no cant be my son has blonde hair"
THE BUDGIE
1977 good job it wasn't Jimmy Saville who stopped the car
In reply to Post #24
my older brother had the Boxer and then as he moved on to the bigger bikes which was about every two years or less I had his hand me downs.
Makes sense pal
A whole range of classic Raleigh bikes, be worth a bob or two now!
Accidents, I bet we have all had a few, been over the handle bars a few times as a youth, bit of gravel rash and the odd bump here the there, all part of growing up. Been off a couple of times of late on my mountain bike too
Difference is I wear a helmet, armoured jacket and knee pads nowadays
my older brother had the Boxer and then as he moved on to the bigger bikes which was about every two years or less I had his hand me downs.
Makes sense pal
A whole range of classic Raleigh bikes, be worth a bob or two now!
Accidents, I bet we have all had a few, been over the handle bars a few times as a youth, bit of gravel rash and the odd bump here the there, all part of growing up. Been off a couple of times of late on my mountain bike too
Difference is I wear a helmet, armoured jacket and knee pads nowadays
In reply to Post #25
Into skateboarding now are you 🛹
Into skateboarding now are you 🛹
In reply to Post #26
No he just lives in Sheffield. ...
No he just lives in Sheffield. ...
In reply to Post #26
Daft ****
Daft ****
In reply to Post #1
I remember going down to my Grandad's shed one time and there was something shiny and purple waiting for me..... but it wasn't a bike.
I remember going down to my Grandad's shed one time and there was something shiny and purple waiting for me..... but it wasn't a bike.
In reply to Post #29
Rayleigh striker first bike
Rayleigh grifter - those quality twist gears
Rayleigh tuff burner I miss those mag wheels
Two Rayleigh choppers silver and a purple one - fastest down the hill, slowest back up 😀
Rayleigh bomber - that was a quick bike
Rayleigh striker first bike
Rayleigh grifter - those quality twist gears
Rayleigh tuff burner I miss those mag wheels
Two Rayleigh choppers silver and a purple one - fastest down the hill, slowest back up 😀
Rayleigh bomber - that was a quick bike
A gleaming purple chopper..,.. 
Raleigh super burner......black and gold work of art..... 
I then moved over to PK ripper for 3 years whilst racing.......
I then moved over to PK ripper for 3 years whilst racing.......
In reply to Post #32
pk rippers fetch big money nowadays. especially the loop tails. I raced back in the very start in the 70s.i was ****,last race was indoors at earls court. concentrated more on freestyle after that. virtually lived down rom skatepark. few bikes I've owned in the past.puch Murray.mongoose Moto mag, mongoose supergoose,kuwahara lazerlite,diamond back silver streak and diamond back pro. I'm 53 now and still build the odd era correct bike..last was a race inc ra 7 sold that last year. on the look out now for a torker 280x,wish I kept my mongoose pro class 24 now though..
pk rippers fetch big money nowadays. especially the loop tails. I raced back in the very start in the 70s.i was ****,last race was indoors at earls court. concentrated more on freestyle after that. virtually lived down rom skatepark. few bikes I've owned in the past.puch Murray.mongoose Moto mag, mongoose supergoose,kuwahara lazerlite,diamond back silver streak and diamond back pro. I'm 53 now and still build the odd era correct bike..last was a race inc ra 7 sold that last year. on the look out now for a torker 280x,wish I kept my mongoose pro class 24 now though..
In reply to Post #31
Sounds like he means aubergine 🍆
Sounds like he means aubergine 🍆
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