Raleigh Chopper designer

[letsavagoo 960]

I left school in 1970 and went to work in the Concept design office at Raleigh. It was a fantastic introduction to the grown up world of work and I loved it. One time in my life I really enjoyed going to work. My immediate boss was a lovely man, George Ellis. The department head was John Gordon and the overall design chief Allan Oakley, both very nice pleasant people. In fact all the staff in that office were great characters. George was an excellent draughtsman and a joy to work for. He was involved in a number of the iconic Raleigh designs of the 60’s and 70’s including the RSW, Raleigh 20 and of course the famous Chopper. In fact George was far more involved in that design than the people who have been widely credited with it. He left Raleigh when the when its impending demise was apparent and moved to Somerset where he took up teaching. I visited and stayed with him a several  years ago. I have just learnt that George passed away a few days ago. In the great scheme of things who designed a bike, however iconic isn’t of great importance but I find it rather sad that others have been credited with and accepted that credit for the iconic Chopper design yet George is virtually unknown. George was a quiet modest man so don’t think it bothered him at all. 

Condolences to his wife Margaret and family.

[bamber 128]

The Chopper looked cool but as a bicycle it was fundamentally dangerous and probably the worst design ever to hit the road not without problems.

[Cliff Ton 10,451]

Tom Karen, the man who designed the Chopper passed away recently.  He was also responsible for the 3-wheeler Bond Bug (we all make mistakes), and Reliant Scimitar GTE, which still looks good.

 

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/rip-tom-karen-1926-2022

[philmayfield 6,109]

I had a Reliant Scimitar GTE in daffodil yellow. It looked good but underneath it was utter rubbish. Although it was predominately GRP all the metal bits rusted. Princess Anne had eight. Latterly production was moved to Lilac Grove at Beeston. It was known as the Middlebridge Scimitar.

 

[letsavagoo 960]

18 hours ago, Cliff Ton said:

Tom Karen, the man who designed the Chopper passed away recently.  He was also responsible for the 3-wheeler Bond Bug (we all make mistakes), and Reliant Scimitar GTE, which still looks good.

 

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/rip-tom-karen-1926-2022

If you read my post then You will see Tom Karen was not the main designer of the Chopper nor was Alan Oakley. Karen did some detail work on it but was far from ‘the designer’. It is odd that when it proved to be a commercial success some who didn’t deserve it laid claim to it. 

[Cliff Ton 10,451]

It's interesting to see how Tom Karen was credited with the design, even if it that wasn't actually the case.

 

I wonder where the story originated, given that it was mentioned in all the obituaries I saw. And I wonder how many of his other 'designs' should be perhaps also credited to other people.

[David sheridan 159]

Remember riding my Raleigh chopper bike with a tartan jacket with sheepskin lining , those were the days , my brother had a racing bike , I borrowed it to nip down the shop , and couldn't negate the corner from Grindon crescent,  into Martin Avenue bulwell , I managed to buckle the front wheel and was sent flying over someone's garden fence , landing in a thorny rose bush , my brother was still paying for the racer on me sisters Littlewoods catologue!!!

[HSR 286]

Fond memories David, would you have been wearing a pair of those trousers from Vic Market, high waistband, lot's of button's, with terrible stitching?

They were great for picking up static,

Had big side thigh pockets, really good for marble's and football card's.

 

Edit..When playing marble's at school, I recall i started at roughly 4 with a hole in the concrete, than you moved onto the grates, were they Choc's

In Nottingham, 2 Abeauts bottom grate, 4 Abeauts top grate.

A Rare 5abeaut was always matched only by a shiny ball bearing!

Love to know if my memory, terminology is correct, I'm talking early 1970's..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Beekay 5,133]

What on earth is a Abeaut? Never heard that expression before. In the 50s marbles were...1er, 2er, 3ers etc. Is Abeaut a colloquial term from certain areas?

[David sheridan 159]

@HSR thank you , remember playing marbles in the 60,s in the old st anns well area , an hole in the concrete we used , also remember playing cards which were held up against the wall and you'd skim cards at them , some of the cards used were Man from U.N.C.L.E , Batman and Robin, world War 2 collection which you'd buy in the shop ,  I think you'd get two or three cards and a stick of chewing gum that tastes like swarfega !!

And the trouser we wore in the 70,s were Oxford bags .

 

@Beekay I remember conkers as oners and twoers, which we'd collect along st anns well road on the way to morley school , anyone  attend morley infants,  and juniors?