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Dahon announces a record 2003, while Raleigh re-introduces the Chopper
Sales of Dahon folding bikes are up 28%, as one of Britain's most famous brands brings back a classic...
First, Dahon:
"We want to inform you of the record sales results in 2003. Unit volumes
increased by 28% compared to 2002. Dahon produced and sold an all time record high of
160,000 folding bicycles in 2003."
Congratulations to them!
Meanwhile Daniel James writes with a link to a BBC story detailing the relaunch of a little-changed 2004 Raleigh Chopper. Today's machines have aluminium rather than steel frames, and the gearshift is no longer hazardously placed on the top tube, but otherwise they're much the same as the kid's bike of choice for most UK cyclists of a certain age:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3399423.stm
The Chopper was never the world's finest-performing bike on the road, but it's become a bit of a classic, and the Raleigh Chopper Owners' Club is quite large apparently :-)
Posted on 15 January 2004
Your comments ...| From: andy scaife (bike_rescue @last) on 15 January 2004 |
| Well the '70s wasn't the litigious age we live in now, so sit back and wait for the lawsuits, and the merciful demise of a peddler of taiwanese rubbish. |
| From: Jessiebabes ([email protected]) on 15 January 2004 |
| Garbage then...Garbage now...nuff said. |
| From: Carl north ([email protected]) on 15 January 2004 |
I am frantically working on a few re-introductions on a similar qua;ity-plane.
1; The Austin Allegro
2; Tartrazine orange drink for kids.
3; Crimplene clothing.
4; High tar Woodbines.
5; Draylon sofas with flammable foam cushions.
Doubtless the Chopper Owners Club would adopt all these with enthusiasm. We can only hope. |
| From: Andy Scaife (bikeydoodah@the pub) on 15 January 2004 |
The Raleigh Chopper....
Natures way of keeping the nimbers down. |
| From: murph ([email protected]) on 18 January 2004 |
| I still remain fascinated by this notion of the gearshift being particularly dangerous - even now, let alone at a time when the vast majority of road bikes (as opposed to shoppers) had down tube shifters anyway... |
| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 25 January 2004 |
First picture of the new Chopper to be found under:
http://www.raleighbikes.com/home.html |
| From: Claire North ([email protected]) on 26 January 2004 |
| And that would interest any velovision reader how exactly? |
| From: Andy Scaife (Bike [email protected]) on 26 January 2004 |
well, we could learn to spot them at a distance, so we can whoosh by them at high speed, inducing a wobble, then a crash, then a spate of lawsuits and a well-deserved withdrawal from the market!
And I'd have thought better of Ralf, too.
"Moulton man promotes Raleigh RSW Spin-Off - Shock"
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| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 26 January 2004 |
Andy thanks for calling me a "Moulton Man"!
But this seems to be a misunderstanding.
I am a bike man who enjoys rideing his Moulton, and also his Pedersen, or his Neckerman Folder.
If someone enjoys rideing a Chopper, I may not agree on it being the best bike available, but it^s fine with me if someone rides it istead of a gas guzzeler!
I do not see cycleing as an exclusive religion, or get into discusions, like Recunbents vs. Cumbersens. |
| From: Steve watkin ([email protected]) on 26 January 2004 |
Funny how there seems to be such a strong dislike for "one of our own"
I hope simply that the bike will encourage a few more out of their car, even if it's just for a short while and perhaps a quick trip dowm memory lane.
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| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 26 January 2004 |
The Chopper also had its clones, like what in Germany was called a Bonanzarad.
For a page in german, but with lots of images have a look at:
http://www.bonanzaboys.de/ |
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