The Raleigh Chopper is back by popular demand

The iconic bike returns for the second year in a row

By Stan Portus

Published: Friday, 28 June 2024 at 23:01 PM

Raleigh has brought back the Chopper again, citing significant popular demand.

Raleigh announced new version of the bike in June 2023, which it claims sold out in minutes – prompting a second release a month later. 

The 2024 Raleigh Chopper will be available in two colours – Fizzy Lemon and Space Blue – via the Raleigh website from 9 July at 12pm BST. 

Off-the-scale enthusiasm

The new Chopper has the distinctive gear shifter. – Scott Windsor / Our Media

Michelle Jakeway, Raleigh’s activation manager, says enthusiasm “was off the scale” when the Chopper returned last year.

The bike’s return received widespread attention across cycling and mainstream media, with an appearance on the BBC Breakfast Show. 

Raleigh Chopper rear reflector.
There is a reflector on the back of the seat. – Scott Windsor / Our Media

‘’The Raleigh Chopper really is the iconic bike. Everyone knows it, and countless people have fond memories of the first time they saw or rode one,” says Jakeway.  

Raleigh says the Chopper sold out online in minutes and in-person sales at its Nottingham store saw overnight queues. 

Five years in the making 

Raleigh Chopper sissy handlebar.
The bike was inspired by chopper motorbikes, as seen in Easy Rider. – Scott Windsor / Our Media

While there have been remakes of the Chopper in the past, the 2023 version’s likeness to the lauded MKII model, released in 1972, sets it apart. 

The MKII resolved safety issues with the original MKI model, designed by Alan Oakley who came up with the idea after watching Easy Rider.

The latest Chopper shares many of the same features as the MKII. These include a one-piece saddle, mid-frame gear stick and ‘sissy bar’. 

Raleigh claims creating the near-replica involved five years of research and product development.

Rear wheel of Raleigh Chopper.
The near-replica is said to have involved five years of research and product development. – Scott Windsor / Our Media

Speaking to BikeRadar last year, Lee Kidger, Raleigh’s former managing director, who left the company soon after the release, said part of this process involved working closely with the internal hub gear manufacturer Sturmey-Archer to develop the gear shifter. 

Raleigh also had to make several changes to the Chopper to comply with modern regulations. These included reducing the seat height and ensuring the handlebar doesn’t protrude over the saddle.  

‘A very difficult decision’

Chopper logo on Raleigh's famous bike.
Kidger wanted the Chopper to evoke Raleigh’s heritage. – Scott Windsor / Our Media

Kidger explained to BikeRadar last year that releasing heritage models was a way to unite Raleigh’s history with its modern electric bikes. 

By pulling on the hearts and minds of people in evoking Raleigh’s heritage, Kidger hoped the brand would convince people to cycle more and adopt electric bikes, which he identified as “a real growth area for the business”.

But, despite pivoting towards this growing market, Raleigh has had a difficult year. 

In November 2023, Raleigh’s parent company, Accell, told ITV that formal consultations for restructuring and redundancies were under way. 

Raleigh then confirmed redundancies had been made in January.

A statement said this was “a very difficult decision” and the changes would “better integrate Accell UK into the wider Group business and position our UK operations for sustainable growth while retaining our HQ in the Nottingham area.”

Raleigh Chopper spec and price