An iconic Raleigh Chopper bike was saved from being thrown in a skip and then sold for hundreds of pounds at auction. The old and rusty piece, which dates from 1970, had spent 35 years in a garden shed before its owner almost threw it away during a clear out.
It was covered in rust, its seat patched and had two flat tyres. Now the three-speed bike sold for more than six times its estimated value of £100. It fetched £692 when it went under the hammer at Etwall firm Hansons Auctioneers, reports Staffordshire Live.
Raleigh is one of the world's oldest and best-known bike brands. Established in 1887 in Nottingham, England, the company is still based in its hometown.
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The seller, aged 50, said: “It was in my dad’s shed [in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire]. I didn’t realise it was there, just rusting slowly. It was mine in the late 1970s and early 80s when I was nine or 10.
“It’s got the original gear shifter - not the later T-bar from those pesky safety people. It was great for wheelies and potholes. I remember seeing the Chopper advertised in Look-In, a kids’ magazine at the time.
“The advert featured a bike with a T-bar gear shifter but this one has a single-lever shifter. My dad came home with the Chopper. He bought it second hand from some chap.”
And auctioneer Charles Hanson said: “This was an exceptional result for an iconic bike. Due to its rusty condition, it was destined for the skip. However, it has now been saved for posterity. I hope its new owner will enjoy restoring it to its former glory.”
Raleigh Choppers are highly collectable items and in 2020 an MK2 model which had never been ridden sold for £1,250. The bikes became a symbol of 1970s and 80s childhoods and each cost around £34 new – the equivalent of £361 today, reports HullLive.
The Chopper was manufactured by Nottingham’s Raleigh Bicycle Company and stood out because of the dragster-style handlebars and long saddle. However, its design has sparked debate with claims made by both Tom Karen of Ogle Design and Alan Oakley of Raleigh. The Chopper was designed in response to the Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle first manufactured in 1963.
