The Raleigh Chopper
The early 1960s had seen a slump in the cycle market, but by the middle of the decade, the fortunes of Raleigh turned again. In 1965 the RSW 16 was launched, an adult unisex bicycle with small wheels. The design was based on that developed by Alex Moulton who had started producing cycles himself after initially being turned down by Raleigh. The company took over Moulton Cycles in 1967, thereby eliminating the competition.
A 'Compact' foldaway version of the RSW 16 was launched shortly afterwards, together with a 'Shopper' version, clearly aimed at women. The RSW paved the way for other small-wheeled cycles, which ultimately led to the development of the Chopper.
Alan Oakley (the designer of the Chopper) had been dispatched to California to investigate the new craze of high-rise cycles for adolescents. Whilst there, he was influenced by the distinctive shape of the American dragster racing cars and on the return flight home, he began to sketch a cycle design with similar features on the back of an envelope and so the Chopper was born.
Early marketing for the Chopper emphasised its dragster origins with its revolutionary high-rise handlebars, large rear reflector and the distinctive elongated seat. The gear stick mechanism was also very distinctive and showed that in both features and overall design, Raleigh was now catering for a younger market that prized fashion above more traditional values.
The Raleigh Archive unfortunately contains very few design drawings. However, these for the Chopper saddle do survive. As can be seen, the differences were minor, and alterations were made only to the stitching of the seat to give a ribbed appearance. The Chopper was not launched in the UK until 1970, so these drawings (made in 1969) reflect the relatively long period of time needed for product development, as well as the consideration given to every aspect of design.
Improvements are often made to designs, and this was no exception for the Chopper. One of the most obvious difference between the Mark I and the Mark II models is the gear stick, which was adapted for safety reasons. New colour ranges were also introduced, including the distinctive blue/purple of the Mark II.
