

But don’t for one moment think they’ll spend eternity gathering dust. It’s unlikely that many of today’s kids will actually get to experience the thrill of riding one of the brand new Choppers most of the limited edition new models have already been sold to collectors. I paid a hell of a lot of money for that: £5,500.” “Bearing in mind that Alan Oakley came back on November 3, 1968, I’ve got a hub-dated MkI Chopper which is from December 11, 1968. “I’ve got one which nobody has beaten yet,” he adds. Of alloy wheels, so a few came out with steel wheels on them. “768 special edition jubilees were made,” he explains. 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. We curate a distinct selection of eBikes, and we expect Raleigh to be in that selection for many years to come.“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.

That’s why they made the cut for Fly Rides. So if you’re looking for a brand that you know has been around for a long time and will be around for much longer, shop Raleigh. They live up to the hype with quality components like chunky tires for safety and comfort, batteries that will assist you in getting up to speed, and powerful hydraulic disc brakes. These are great bikes to buy if you are first getting into the eBike world, but you’ll likely find yourself coming back for another once you feel those wheels hit the dirt or pavement. They partner with other top brands like Bosch to bring you some of the best pedal assist bikes at prices that riders won’t even blink an eye at. You already know that this brand is one of the top names in the bike world, but their eBikes really solidify their place in the future of cycling. Whether you’re looking to ride your local trail, roll down by the beach on a cruiser, or commute out there on the mean streets with electric pedal assist speed, Raleigh has an option for you. Now, you can replicate that feeling you got riding your bike in childhood by picking up one of Raleigh’s electric bikes! At Fly Rides, we know Raleigh is a huge part of the American cycling tradition which is why we carry every Raleigh electric bike. They’ve been one of the most popular bicycle brands for years. If you didn’t grow up riding a Raleigh bike, you surely know somebody who did. Raleigh is a name that is so synonymous with cycling in America that it’s difficult to separate the two.
