...for 30 YEARS! (almost) until in March this year (2004) Raleigh released the new 'Mark III Chopper' realising that retro was chic and that the generel public would pay silly money to be nostalgic (looking guilty at this point!!!!)
So onto the new Chopper....
Sadly, with various safety regs, ... Read review
bicycling history! This fantastic canvas wallet is so cool that even the most penny pinching among us would be keen to whip it out, and it would make a great gift for anyone who remembers the Chopper with a smile of nostalgia and a hint of never-quite-forgotten longing in their hearts.....
bag comes with a full length pocket on the front, has a zip opener, is fully lined in a brown silky material and comes with a fully adjustable strap In addition it comes with a Raleigh keyring attached and three Raleigh Chopper pin badges attached to the strap Measures approx 36cm wide x 37cm long x 10cm deep "the gifted penguin" for fabulous contemporary gifts and home accessories
bike and comes ready boxed and would make a perfect gift. The mug is Brown and features an image of Raleigh Chopper bike printed on the mug. The mug comes ready boxed which makes it the perfect gift! The mug is dishwasher and microwave safe and holds half a pint.
Omigod, where to begin??? Having begged ciao to add the new Chopper to their product listing, FINALLY I get to review my best purchase of 2004 (and we're only half way through!!!!)
It all started way back when........in the early seventies some cool people decided it would be a good idea to make a bike for kids that was completely impractical but the HEIGHT of fashion, TA-DA....The Mark I Chopper! 'Ape-hanger' handle bars, one 'L' shaped seat and the coolest gear changer on the frame, you had ever seen! California Highway Patrol eat your heart out!
Then it was slightly 'tweaked' and re vamped a little several years later, as 'The Mark II Chopper' (no offence to Expert Chopper restorers but I can't see a huge difference between them!!!) These bikes were the joy of every child who was lucky enough to get their little mitts on them!! They came in a variety of shades from 'Fizzy Lemon' to 'Shocking Pink' all with the Chopper Logo (and endless possibilities for accesories....like lolly sticks in yer spokes to make the 'tac tac tac' noise like a 'real' bike (ha....NOT!) The tassles from the handle bars.....the aerial (oh dear....) the list is endless...
Then nothing........for 30 YEARS! (almost) until in March this year (2004) Raleigh released the new 'Mark III Chopper' realising that retro was chic and that the generel public would pay silly money to be nostalgic (looking guilty at this point!!!!)
So onto the new Chopper.... Sadly, with various safety regs, we can't have a gear stick on the frame anymore.....that's now on the right handlebar (twist action!). Also, no more 'L' shaped seat (noooo I hear you thirty-somethings cry, it's ruined!!!) but as you can see from the pic, it isn't! It's just been 'modified' as the seat must be height adjustable (so it's been 'split') and don't worry,....it's as uncomfortable as EVER!!!!! The handlebars are ths same, the details remain (nuts have the 'R' logo on) and although I'm very, very biased, it's just the coolest bike in the park!!!
Now onto the road test..... The brakes are MUCH sharper than they were in the 70's beware!!!! No more using your feet to come to some kind of standstill, these brakes WORK! The gears (only three....but hey, we don't buy them for their performance!) are adequate. The seat is almost as cool, (and just as irritating after half an hour!) and with small adjustments to the seat height and the handlebar height, all sad 30+ year olds will fit very nicely on it thank you......paint work is immaculate and whilst comes with no accesories, there are Raleigh Chopper Mirrors, Horn and valve nut covers to buy as added extras.......and if you search on the Raleigh Chopper Owners sites, you'll even find conversion kits to put the Mark II seat on your new Mark III.
The only tiny drawback (and it's a positive drawback!!!) is that it draws so much attention, that in public, it's hard to get any peace and quiet! Taking it to the park a weekend ago lead to a small crowd gathering (no, seriously!!!) pointing, muttering and a few even asking for 'a test drive'......(I don't THINK so!) My best tale yet, is taking it out on the first night I had it...cycling down the road and stopping as I'd seen a HUGE Harley Davidson Fatboy coming towards me.....I turn around to get a better look and the female pillion passenger pokes the 'driver' and nudges him, points at my Chopper and says 'Look, a Chopper!!' HOW COOL IS THAT?
Main retailers are Halfords and most larger Bicycle shops. Cost starting at £199.00 (more for limited edition models if you can get your hands on one) and for the newer 'Purple' model (as the standard colour released initially was red).
Loads of fun for all (I'm sure kids will love it too!) really, really stylish and unbeatable for 70's nostalgia.
Advantages: you look cool, its an icon of the 70's, Disadvantages: not practical, hurts your knees,
I bought a raleigh chopper on ebay in march 09, i was hugely satisfied with the deal i got, only used once, kept in a garage and still in pristene condition apart from a small amount of rust on the chrome. i bought it for only £80 when it was worth £300 when new,. I am a keen cyclist and it is impossible to hit high speeds on this bike, you feel super cool but it puts a lot of strain on the knees, the problem with the bike is it is so low, if you ... ...enough and you are still left with the same problem of hurting your knees. When i raised the seat, i had to raise the sissy bar but i raised it to the limit, someone pulled on the sissy bar and that bent a part of the framework and it it only minor damage but it isnt AS cool. The gear change is realy smooth and quick and the handling is sharp and energetic due to the smaller front wheel. its an iconic bike but it was obviously made again for practical ...
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Advantages: LOOKS CLASS, CANT HURT YOUR **** IF YOU SLIP Disadvantages: NOTHING TOTALLY BRILL
I have been looking for a way in which to get fit but wanted to make it fun and something that i would enjoy and have the motivation to do!
I thoguht about joining a gym or going jogging but decided that buying a bike to ride to work on would be a great idea.
I am into the whole retro scene and the fact that the chopper was being re issued was a twist of fate!! I decided to buy one and see how i got on, to my disgust i got home a d my dad told ... ...70's just a few years ago and that if he had known i could of had it.
Anyway i settled for my 'new' chopper and went out for a ride.
The brilliant thing about it is that you wont see anybody else riding around on one because i think most people would be embaressed. When i ride to work i get a mixed reaction from people laughing at me to people actually stopping me in the street and telling me about them having a chopper when they were younger!!
...
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Advantages: Pure style Disadvantages: I was not able to ride "no handed"
...is very difficult if not impossible to ride "no hands" so take care if attempting this or best still do not attempt it at all. I currently own a Marin Palisades mountain bike but I have promised mysefl that one day soon I will purchase the classic Raleigh Chopper. ...
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Value for money
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24.02.2009
Quick review of Raleigh Chopper Review ofRaleigh Chopperby
dezolate
I have Original Raleigh Choppers Mk2 available in various conditions.
Please email me on dezolate@onvol.net for more info.
Thanks
Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Actually it is the Kenwood Mini Chopper but that was not quite so catchy.
The Kenwood Mini Chopper is one of the handiest gadgets in my kitchen (and I love gadgets).
The marketing blurb says that it is useful for chopping nuts, meat and fish,... more
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