I rode a Raleigh Chopper in the 70s – and now the coolest bike of all time is back
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I was the proud owner of a gleaming purple Raleigh Chopper back in 1975. Aged ten, I ruled the neighbourhood – or so it felt – perched high on that elongated seat, arms aloft as if hanging from those crazy handlebars, I pedalled with all the confidence of Evel Knievel about to hit the ramp. The Chopper wasn’t just a bike – it was a rite of passage. How any of us survived childhood is anyone’s guess.
There was the time I gave my mate Dave a ‘backie’ on the rear basket (facing backwards, of course), and we hurtled down the steepest hill in town, narrowly avoiding a Ford Cortina and an angry dog. Or the afternoon I built a ramp from bricks and plywood in a bid to launch skyward like Evel zooming over ten London buses – and came crashing back to Earth with the skin scraped clean off my knees.
Now, Raleigh has brought the legend back – and this time it’s available in two mouth-watering retro shades: Fizzy Lemon and Space Blue. Just like the originals, these are the real deal. From the oversized banana seat and sissy bar to the bold U-shaped handlebars and working 3-speed shifter, they’ve recreated the MK2 Chopper almost exactly – with just a few modern safety tweaks.
They’re so coveted, you can only order one of each colour. And at £999, this is no toy – it’s a carefully crafted tribute to an icon. The Fizzy Lemon Chopper is especially eye-catching, with that sunshine yellow frame and burnt orange accents screaming ‘summer of ’75’.
And I’m not the only one feeling the nostalgia. One proud owner wrote: “Wow, what can I say. What a fantastic bike. I never believed I would own a brand new version based on an earlier design… It’s like I have been transported back to the 70s. Congratulations Raleigh.” Another customer added: “Better than expected – looks exactly like the one I had when I was 10 years old. Mine was stolen when I was 11… I won’t lose this one!”
For collectors, it’s proving just as irresistible. One reviewer, who’s had his original 1969 Chopper since new, said the new version is “simply a fantastic icon” that now sits proudly alongside his vintage model. Another lifelong fan was just as impressed: “The quality of the craftsmanship and the build is very neat – they’re definitely worthy in any bicycle collection or as a bike to use.”
It’s not just the styling that’s winning people over. Owners are calling out the “incredible engineering and craftsmanship” behind the new MK IV, praising it as a labour of love that captures everything that made the original a legend.
These bikes aren’t hanging around for long. So if, like me, you’ve got a Chopper-shaped hole in your soul, now’s the time to fill it.
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