Who has or had a Chopper?

[davieG]

You can thank this man.

BBC

Alan Oakley wanted the bike to be as cool as Easy Rider

The man who designed Raleigh's iconic Chopper bicycle has died after a battle with cancer.

Alan Oakley, 85 and from Nottingham, home of the bike manufacturer, died on Friday.

His wife Karen told the BBC she had managed his illness "right up until the last few weeks".

Mrs Oakley confirmed the now-legendary story that her husband drew the design for the Chopper on an envelope as he travelled home from the USA, in 1967.

Initially inspired to replicate the design of Peter Fonda's motorbike in the classic movie Easy Rider, Mr Oakley came up with his drawing as he flew home from the trip, set up for him to "get to grips" with youth culture.

'Showstopping design'

Moving away from the traditional, diamond-shaped frame, Mr Oakley thought a bike with huge handle bars, a bulky, padded seat with a back rest and a car-like gear lever on the main frame, would exude the "cool" he was after.

"Alan had been over to America looking to pick up a design for a bike," said Mrs Oakley.

"While he was flying back, he had an airmail envelope and just drew this bike on the back of it and that was that, the creation of the Chopper."

Initial attempts to sell the Chopper in America were unsuccessful.

But sales took off in the early 1970s in the UK and according to Raleigh, "changed the way a generation of British kids rode".

A limited edition Chopper Mk3 was brought out in 2004

"Raleigh wasn't moving with the times and Alan came up with this showstopping design," said Mrs Oakley.

The Chopper was so successful, Raleigh sold 1.5 million of them in the UK alone and the strange bike is credited with saving the company from bankruptcy.

In the 1980s, production of the Chopper ceased as BMX bikes became the fashionable choice.

'Very proud'

But in 2004, due to popular demand, a limited edition Chopper, costing between £200 and £300 for a Mk3 model, was released.

Some changes were made to the Mk1 and Mk2's original design such as a new seat to discourage "backies", according to Mrs Oakley, and the gear lever was moved to a safer position on the handlebars.

"As a friend and former colleague of Alan's said, 'Raleigh was Alan and Alan was Raleigh', "said Mrs Oakley.

"He was there for 40 years and loved every minute of it. He made people very happy and I am very proud of him."

[Daggers]

I loved my Chopper and frequently had it out in sunny weather, drawing admiring looks from the village girls.

[davieG]

I loved my Chopper and frequently had it out in sunny weather, drawing admiring looks from the village girls.

I've heard that's the village where all the knobs hang out.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

I had one. Broke my arm on it after not looking where i was going and hit a kerb!!

It was black and although cool I always wanted a Grifter instead as that had 5 gears (colour coded) instead of 3.

[Raj]

I used to get my chopper out and give it a good old polish every sunday.

It hurt me after a while so i used to sit on it and give it a good riding.

I loved my chopper it gave me many years of happiness when i was younger and lonely

[Daggers]

I used to get my chopper out and give it a good old polish every sunday.

It hurt me after a while so i used to sit on it and give it a good riding.

I loved my chopper it gave me many years of happiness when i was younger and lonely

...and now you're married with children you have no use for your chopper anymore.

[Raj]

...and now you're married with children you have no use for your chopper anymore.

Not been used for years....

[Leicester_Numan]

I had an Orange one. They were really cool looking bikes but heavy, useless and bloody dangerous. If you slammed the brakes on you slid off the seat and crippled yourself on the gear stick and then went chest first through the handlebars while still holding on to the handles. OUCH! It wasn't long before I got a better bike

[I am Rod Hull]

My childhood bike history-

Budgie (baby chopper)

Striker

Grifter

Bomber

Magnum bmx

BSA Javelin

Favourite of the lot was the Grifter.

[Jon the Hat]

Nah I had a grifter.

[Reynard Bleu]

I am pretty sure George Michael has sat on a Chopper.

[Daggers]

I am pretty sure George Michael has sat on a Chopper.

Brave man.

[Guest]

Choppers were for girls.

I had the biggest Bull Horn handlebars you've ever seen on one of my bikes.

[Leicester_Numan]

Choppers were for girls.

Yeah! They liked slipping off the seat onto the gearstick

[Reynard Bleu]

Brave man.

Looks like his type tho'.

[hairy]

I had a Chipper then progressed to building a bike myself with bull horns etc.