Raleigh has relaunched the Chopper, probably its most famous model, in a new version updated to meet the safety requirements for all bicycles in the 2020s.
The new Chopper has the famous sprung banana seat of the original and even the top tube gear shifter, which was relegated to the bike’s bars in later versions of the Chopper, in deference to the march of health and safety.
The MK 1 Raleigh Chopper was launched in 1969, but it was with the MK 2 Chopper, made from 1973 to 1985, that the bike really took off, selling millions worldwide and in the 1980s rescuing the Nottingham-based bike brand, which had once been the largest in the world, from near-bankruptcy. Raleigh has gone to great lengths to replicate the looks of the original Chopper (Image credit: Raleigh) Subtle changes to meet modern regulations
The relaunched Chopper follows the design of the MK 2 Chopper, with a Cr-Mo steel frame and mismatched 20 inch rear and 16 inch front wheels.
As with the original, the 580mm riser steel handlebars are welded to the stem, so that they can’t be tilted backwards. Although later Choppers included derailleur gear options, the new bike replicates the three-speed hub gears of earlier models.
The "sissy bar" behind the saddle is there too, although it’s a few inches lower than on the original bike. As with that model, there’s the short rear rack to carry your frisbee or whatever and that funny mount in the headset to push your Ever Ready […]
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