jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Came across a old MK2 in ultra violet in the back of a old horse barn .. it's in bad shape, has no wheels , full of rust , but my daughter standing next to me ( dad ..I'd love it if you would restore that for me .ha ha here we go ...
Ok I said ,
So on closer inspection
Forks junk
Must be a cross over as has MK1 bars & headstem
Mark 2 seat tho
Sissy bar so rusted into frame it took a acid pickle to free up
, so I've got the bare frame prepped for paint now , been on good old eBay & bought a few parts , & have a lot away to get re chromed - still searching for forks before I can paint together with frame & get the build started ..
why did I say yes , it's gonna cost a small fortune ,
/

urban

iTrader: (1)

That brings back memories - mostly not good ones.
I went over the handle bars so many times on that thing.
Final straw I remember was something happened to the crank, so you couldn't free wheel anymore, as the pedals spun like hell, especially downhill!

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Yea , I had one myself in 1974 in ultra violet also , guess that's what got me to say yes , they command good money now fully restored , but I'm not doing it for financial gain . I'll restore it to showroom & gift it to my girl /
Interesting point for me , jeez that steel frame is heavy , how us kids got around on them back in the day I'll never know ha ha

yabbadoo4

iTrader: (8)

memories indeed! my little brother had a chopper, but me being older i had a grifter which i converted from a 3 speed to a 5 speed. before that when i was a bit younger i had a boxer and then a strika which was an awsome wee bike. it had motorbike style forks and a backpeddle rear brake which i thought was so cool at the time lol.

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Oh the old back peddle
Great for skids ......

yabbadoo4

iTrader: (8)

sure was, i also remember all the smaller versions of the chopper for younger kids, the chipper, tomahawk and budgie.

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

It seems grifters & choppers are where the money is at
The Mk1 chopper is circa £1400-£2000 restored
Considering it cost £37 back in the day
Easy to tell if you have a Mk1 for anyone interested
Frame at back spindle is straight down ( revised for mark 2 with dog leg
Longer seat ( made shorter for Mk2 to stop kids giving backa's ( Raleigh took to court over this I believe .
Car style gear *** replaced with gear stick for mark 2
Handle bar & stem 2 piece for Mark 1
Single item for mark 2

dpb

does it have one them silly horns ??

I remember guy end our terrace had one circa 1974

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

No , I purchased this horn for it wich I think is rather cool , the top spins round he he , I know , I know , kids stuff ,but got to do the build right ...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262706628830

lozgti1

Was around my era but was never privileged to have one.

Certainly was the bike to have of the time.In fact I don't think a push bike has ever been so famous!

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Cpl here , hindsight eh !!!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122239661261

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322319430462

skoobidude

I had a 'restored' one back in '81. Sprayed jet black with silver stickers which sparkled in the sun. Loved that bike but unfortunatley a car backed over it as I foolishly left it laying down at a garage whilst I went in to buy a drink. Driver apologised and drove off

njkmrs

Don't forget the Raleigh Grifter

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

How could you, it was the heaviest thing known to man I learned to ride on a Raleigh Chopper, never owned one though, they were the coolest bike on the planet at the time, we got 4 of us on my mates, one on the bars 2 on the seat and one on the back those were the days.

hodgy0_2

my parents kept getting me Choppers - I had two, both red

I so desperately wanted a "racer" with drop handle bars and derailleur gears

I remember riding my chopper with my hands placed together near the stem - to mimic the position on drop handle bars, until a policeman told me off!!!!

they actually did a special edition Chopper (gold and purple??!!) which had the 5 speed derailleur gears, rather than the Sturmey-Archer setup, but still using the "stick shifter" in between you legs :-)

eventually my parents did get me a racing, and managed to engineer it in a truly magical way, that I have never forgotton

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

I had a Mk1 chopper in orange :-)

Extended the forks for a short while until I got sick of bashing my head it was a bit of a handful popping wheelies a bit like trying to control an F1 car on ICE

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I know someone who has a mkI in his garage in pristine condition, has had it all his life..well, from an early age.

But weren't they called "Choppers" as that's what the handlebars did to your knackers when you came off, and the front wheel turned?

coupe_20vt

iTrader: (2)

I had the poor mans version, a Panther -

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Frame back to bare metal & ready to be sent away for paint ( original process ) not powder coat .. would imagine it will be first week new year before returned , wich is ok as I have a lot of parts away getting re chromed - can't wait to start the rebuild , -as a side little project

tony de wonderful

In the mid 80's we all wanted 'racers' once we got bored of BMX, despite the fact that a racer was really impractical for young kids.

Then mountain bikes came along...

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

^
Check out this bad boy ( mega rare , a future investment for sure restored


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272464303855

lozgti1

It's crackers! Classic cars have gone crazy now classic push bikes are! (not that I ever thought push bikes would go down this route!)