They really are very modern bikes indeed I think they're just about the most.
Well something a little bit different today, we are here at Cera Cycloan and this is Brian
to take us through his wonderful collection of Raleigh Chopper's. But before we get started,
sorry Cera Cycloan what is it you actually do here? We're an alternative education provider but
what we also do is as well we are a regular bike shop. So we do servicing, we do refurbishments we
do all sorts of things and we sell bikes as well. Yes what I have noticed is there's so many bikes
here, and what I'm really loving is the fact of how much recycling is going on it's absolutely
fabulous. Absolutely ton's we try and recycle everything, my wife as well she'll take certain
items like inner tube so I make other things out of them. We tend not to try and throw anything
away and I think it's a really good education because we are working with young people as well.
Mainly that are not going to mainstream school for whatever reason, and kind of what we do is
we teach them how to be back mechanics and we also teach them a business Acumen course as well. Okay
wow! So that we're getting them ready for the for the big wide world out there. That's a brilliant
way to engage with them as well. It's fantastic because they've got an interest in bikes, and it's
amazing how much interest they have in bikes to be honest with you. They want to they do want to
know things about even these old bikes it's like. Well they look brand new to be honest. These ones
do now the thing is this this week it was once it, because unfortunately the designer? That's
Tom Karen. Unfortunately he passed away a couple of weeks ago. Think it was New Year's Eve yeah.
New Year's Eve and this Mk1 here which we're going to go into detail in just one moment, was it was
actually on the BBC you appeared. Very correct, yes we were on the BBC we were covering Tom
Karen's invention of the chopper, that was to kind of combat the market of Schwinn. Right ok. Who are
based in the USA and they were just they they were owning the market really with this. It's like the
wheelie bike want it or something I read. Yes, it was a it was a cruiser bike that they brought
out. Okay. So Raleigh employed Tom Karen to come up with a design. Right. He came up with this
design and what a designer is really. It really, is I was just a little bit too young I think my
bike was the Budgie. Right, and I remember it as a kid going around the corner yeah I'd be going
up oh off the back of the bike on the Budgie. Yes they were great for wheelies, yes absolutely
fantastic. Brilliant so lets let's delve straight in let's actually go into the Mk1 so when when
was it actually started do you know? The Mk1 came out in the USA in 1969 and it came out in the the
UK in 1970 right and this stock manufacturer of it in 1973. Okay and the reason why I was born,
yeah well the reason why they did that is because it had so many little issues with it right and you
know. Such as what, did you know a few of them or what? The first the big thing was they were
putting because, because the seat is so long and you'll notice that that seat on the Mk1 is a lot
longer than the one on the Mk2. Yes and they used to put two kids on it, he's natural that's what
kids do get on the back of here and we're off. But what was happening was the rear stays would
snap. Right, so therefore there was accidents and therefore they were getting sued. Okay.
The other thing with it is well you'll notice that the bars are a lot wider on the Mk1 yes and on
the Mk2 they're a lot slimmer. Yes, okay I've got that. With the wider bars when you were turning,
if you actually came off it would hit you in the body right okay so that was another like issue,
and the other issue was with the bars again you could actually adjust the bars so you
could move them out or pull them forwards okay so depending how on how long the child's arms
were yes would depend on the position of the bar. Yes, because it was a very long bike, isn't it,
a lot longer than the Mk2. It is yes, yes it's a couple of inches longer.
But what, what happened was then they made the MK2 instead. Right okay.
You will notice all the difference with the bars and the seat like I've said. I've also noticed the
pannier here. Yes they added a pannier. Right. You know as an adult today I never realised as a kid,
but as an adult today I think to myself why did a pannier? Right. Because what we used to do was
put a cushion on the back of that right and we'd still ride two up on it. Yes, definitely so you
know it's just like a maybe an in-house joke maybe or. You kind of find a way you know as a child,
but then they were getting sued as well because of this t-bar. Oh right, okay. Because when my kids
come off the front of them they were in themselves where you don't want to get it really. Yes.
So. I do like the Mk1, that actual gear lever, it is really nice and yes it's moved on. So,
and as well you've actually got the original lights as well or for the time period or time
correct. Yes time period likes I always like to do that and the and the other little things that
that make a difference I think when you're doing these these jobs, you need the lights you need
the horn you need the period bell. You know and these things that we used to put on the back of
them you know they just make that little bit of a difference, and what I've done as well
well as I don't know whether you've noticed but I've got a tax disk on these. Oh right,
okay. The tax disk just makes it easier for me to see the age of it. Right. Because you can age
a Sturmey Archer by looking at the hub. Right. It has it has the month and the year dated on
it. Okay. But of course the older you get the harder it is to see and yes and the older it
gets the more worn it gets. Yes So it's absolutely brilliant I think, it's a great idea. Some, a lot
of people do it you get a tax disk with the date of the bike on. Arr right okay that's a really
nice touch right I understand that now. I mean, I mean this Mk2, this has actually got the original
paintwork on it. It's all original yes, we were talking about this regards to restorations, about
sometimes you'll get in the paint is completely and utterly gone and it's definitely worth a
repaint and salvaging in that way, but the paintwork is fantastic in regards to its. That's
why I've left this one, yes, it's a real survivor I have left this one totally as it is. Right.
We've not had to do much chrome work on it. I think he had the wheels done if I remember rightly
I did. Right. I did the wheels on this totally stripped it and totally rebuilt it. Amazing!
Yes and it, it you get different collectors but this one we're doing and this is this is to me
this one i have found. Oh, sorry the restoration yes, yes. sorry so what we're actually doing
we've got a restoration going on at the minute, which is going to be a Mk2. That's right. Yes,
same colour as this one. Yes, that's right so yes that's that's also going to be available
to watch but yes so we've got this restoration, we've got another Mk2 going on haven't we yes,
yes I'm really excited about this one. Because I found out what kind of a person I am in terms
of what kind of a bike I want. The reason why I wanted these bikes is not because they're just
Chopper's it's because when I was a kid I couldn't afford one. Right okay. I didn't know whether I
like them in the raw state which are very, very hard to find. Yes or do I like them like redone
as if they've just come out of the box. Right. I've kind of found myself I like it when they've
just been done and they come out of the box. Right. So it's that Christmas day. Yes exactly,
yes and I think that's what it's about for me, and it brings back all them memories. Yes, when
I started this Mk2 it was full of rust, so the recycling element of that you know a lot of people
would have said it's a mess throw it away throw it in the bin skip it. No we've it took me months to
un-seize it. Right. It was just full of rust it was a mess all the coach work, the body work was
a mess it was horrible eventually we got it all apart. Okay. I was like a kid in a sweet shop,
I didn't take any photographs whatsoever like a fool which I'm kicking myself for so anybody out
there who is restoring a chopper make sure you get some photographs. Yes, definitely I mean,
I mean for anybody's call that the restoring it's one of the tips I sort of say if you're not sure
what you're doing take pictures as you take things apart just so you know exactly how it goes back
together and it's. Yes definitely. But we do have a Mk2 here as an example. We do that. We can use
in that respect so that's the Mk2 so we've got the Mk1 a little longer, longer seat wider handlebars.
Mk2 shorter, we've got the pannier at the back and obviously the gear lever had changed with narrower
handlebars. Then we move on to the Mk3. Mk3, still got your Sturmey Archer. Yes but now they've moved
it up on a click shift on the handlebars. Okay. So yeah we've gone we've gone to click shift on
the handlebars, yes I mean for me, I mean they've obviously got the blank plate there only regards
to where the gears would have been. Yes, and they've also split the seat as well exactly.
The handlebars are a totally different concept. Yes. When you look at this just the more square,
are they the more square aren't they. More square and more pointed out rather than
pointed in. I mean it's lovely though that you've got all three models here
and we can actually talk through the actual evolution of the chopper.
Yes, it's absolutely stunning so but yes. Glad that you like them. Yes definitely. Wait till
you see this one that we're going to be building because it's going to be pristine it'll look like
the blue one. It is as well and we've also got Simon who's a very old hand regards that he's an
expert with a Sturmey Archer so if any of you are actually doing a Chopper and you are wanting to
know how to service the Sturmey Archer then we've got Simon on hand and he's actually going to do a
video on that as well. It is a really nice story because Simon's actually, a shop owner Raleigh
dealer. Oh he's a Raleigh dealer. His Dad, yes and he's also his granddad had the shop as well and
you actually knew his dad didn't you. Yes, I used to go into his dad's shop as a it's not nose kid,
into his shop with not enough money in my hand, yes, and he'd say what you're looking for lad,
I haven't got enough Mr Woods and he'd go how much have you got? I might have been I don't know three
pence short or something. I said I'll come back next week and he'd go give me what you've got,
and he was a great bloke. Lovely memory. Simon's a great block yes and he's got the knowledge from
his granddad there was past to his dad and then his granddad and his dad passed that knowledge to
him. He's just he's a mind of knowledge right really, and if there's anything that me or my
five, six mechanics can actually fathom out then we ask Simon his opinion and sometimes
we're all scratching our heads. Yes. You know. But it is just great the fact that
doing a restoration or something like this can actually bring these people like many
people together, it's a really nice and rewarding thing to do as well. If you are actually thinking
about restoring a bike for future generations and also from saving it from going to the tip
it's such a rewarding thing to do can't recommend it enough! I hope that you've enjoyed looking a
little deeper into Brian's collection thank you so much for allowing us to have a closer look. Hope
you guys have enjoyed watching, thanks so much! Please like, share and subscribe and bye for now.
Lovely. yes cool boom right. Oh we didn't
even mention about the bike at the back, never mind it's okay.