![]() The holy grail of Chopper collecting, according to Sykes, is a certain version of the special edition Chopper released for Christmas 1976 to commemorate the Queen’s silver jubilee the following year. “Some of them come with pictures of the kid next to the Christmas tree, and some have the original receipt with them showing how much they paid down at Halfords.” Also, since they were handmade in Raleigh’s Nottingham factory, the odd ‘Friday afternoon job’ with upside-down stickers sometimes crops up too. The cult of Chopper even has its own creation myth: the late Raleigh designer Alan Oakley, flying back from a research trip to the US to see the Chopper’s pre-cursor, the Schwinn Stingray, famously sketched designs for the first prototype on the back of an airmail envelope. Raleigh made three ‘marks’ but hundreds of different options three, five and 10-speeds dropped handlebars and a few rarities where the factory had to shift old stock and blended old parts with new. Part of the appeal of collecting Choppers comes down to their sheer variety. I did a deal with a guy in America, for nine MkIIs and four MkIs for the bike.” “The most I paid for one was for a 10-speed, brand spanking new. Check the manufacturer site for more details as you choose your new Raleigh Chopper from eBay.“The most expensive I’ve seen went for over £7,000 and that was a boxed MkI 10-speed still wrapped up in its box,” Sykes adds. In general, it is possible to adjust the Chopper's seat height with little effort and some basic tools, letting you decide how high up you wish to be for an easier pedaling experience. The comfort of making it nice to sit on and how high up it places you is appealing to many, and its length makes it easy to give others a ride. The Raleigh Chopper's thick, padded seat is one of its main points of appeal. Is the Raleigh Chopper's seat height adjustable? Rack space: The Mk2 added a rear-mounted rack to allow you to carry small objects while you ride.Size: The Mk2, while not substantially bigger, sits slightly taller than the Mk1 and might be good for children who are slightly taller themselves.Gear shifting: The Mk1 Raleigh Choppers used a knob control to switch gears whereas the Mk2 upgraded to a T-bar shifter similar to what you'd find in a car.Handling: While both bicycles have terrific handling, the Mk2 somewhat improves the handlebars by welding them in a way that prevents them from flipping over, an issue that would make the Mk1 unable to be steered.While essentially the same machine, there are a few differences that set the two apart, making it important to check any eBay listings carefully to make sure you know which type of Chopper you'll be buying. The Mk 1 and Mk2 Raleigh Choppers refer to the original version of this bicycle and an updated improvement release a few years later, respectively. What is the difference between an Mk1 and Mk2 Chopper? You can even choose to paint it yourself any colour. Blue is one such option, as are green, yellow, silver, and plenty more. However, this bike is available in many other colours too. The iconic look of a Raleigh Chopper is that of a red bicycle. What colours are Raleigh Choppers available in? You can find this versatile Raleigh Chopper on eBay. This iconic wheelie bike captured the hearts of children of all ages with its motorbike-like design giving it a feeling of real speed, and its comfortable and accessible seating and positioning making it easy for anyone to ride. The Raleigh Chopper is one of the iconic British inventions of the latter half of the 20th century.
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