The chopper is back!!

pumaz · 15 Jan 2004 at 14:43

I had a nice purple chopper and my bro got a tomahawk (like a small chopper) for christmas.

However a couple of days after christmas i nipped to fred hartleys (discount store) to get lock for my prized bike only to find some **** had nicked it. i cried my eye's out.

In those days there were no consoles, computers or even designer trainers and the chopper was the most prized posession you could have, Shame it only lasted 2 days

Kainz · 15 Jan 2004 at 14:46

Grifter pic brings back tons of memories. That foam seat used to wear away well fast and you'd be left with the plain metal bit underneath lol. Those rear mudguards would be ripped off sharpish or you'd look 'uncool' to yer mates

Oblivious · 15 Jan 2004 at 14:57

Originally posted by Stiff_Cookie
they were popular? how and why?

Don't worry, america was just being formed when we had that craze.

scratch · 15 Jan 2004 at 15:00

I used to have a Grifter as well. Well I did until I lent it to a mate to ride to school and he left it in the bike sheds where it got nicked

Andy

Deadly Ferret · 15 Jan 2004 at 15:07

The good thing about these are it's legal to ride them on the pavement, so living in London I could ride one without being knocked over by Islington lovies trying to wrestle with Land Rovers, square mile corporate bankers in their company Porsches and foreign knobheads driving unlicenced taxis.

Admiral Huddy · 15 Jan 2004 at 15:28

what came after the Chopper?

I remember having a racer with drop handle bars then chaned them years later for...

COW HORNS!!!

Gilly · 15 Jan 2004 at 15:52

Originally posted by Fusion

Edit, this is the best I can do:

Mine had lost the rear mudguard however and was in blue.

Thats a grifter? :confused:

Looks like a modern mountain bike for a kid with the seat and bars raised and mud guards added?

Fusion · 15 Jan 2004 at 15:58

Originally posted by Gilly
Thats a grifter?

Looks like a modern mountain bike for a kid with the seat and bars raised and mud guards added?

Find me a pic then Sherlock.

Élynduil · 15 Jan 2004 at 16:02

Originally posted by Deadly Ferret
The good thing about these are it's legal to ride them on the pavement, so living in London I could ride one without being knocked over by Islington lovies trying to wrestle with Land Rovers, square mile corporate bankers in their company Porsches and foreign knobheads driving unlicenced taxis.

I'd rather get run over by a foreign knobhead than look like a knobhead by riding a chopper though London.

Bash · 15 Jan 2004 at 16:03

Originally posted by kaiowas
I had one of these

I seem to remember that no-one else I knew had one whereas most of mates all had strikers or grifters or other 'common' bikes

Oh My GOD !! :eek:

LOL! I had one of those........... Wow, it's great to see a pic of it.

volospian · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:09

Originally posted by Gilly
Thats a grifter?

Looks like a modern mountain bike for a kid with the seat and bars raised and mud guards added?

That's pretty much correct, except they were made of, I dunno, solid iron or something and weighed a ton, and as mentioned, the gears never worked correctly.

Here's Bill Gates on his, circa 1974

Deadly Ferret · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:11

Originally posted by Élynduil
I'd rather get run over by a foreign knobhead than look like a knobhead by riding a chopper though London.

I don't believe you.

GTA · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:13

Choppers are easily the best thing man has ever invented, including the wheel.

I had one then, and I want one now!

This could be really cool, they might start giving away spokeydokeys and clackers and reflectors in cereal again!!!!!

BEST........THING.........EVER!!!!!!

Gilly · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:22

Originally posted by Fusion
Find me a pic then Sherlock.

Please note the question mark

I was asking if that was an accurate picture, not saying it wasn't.

thelankymatt · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:23

I had a BMX, and fueled from watching BMX bandits i thought i was the man which is why i have a scar on my chin, legs/arms well pretty much all of me from failed stunt attempts! You know a proper BMX with the strange foam pads fixed on with velcro. I think the local hospital had my mum on speed dial by the time i finished with it.

BigB@dJ@y · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:54

Originally posted by kaiowas
I had one of these

I seem to remember that no-one else I knew had one whereas most of mates all had strikers or grifters or other 'common' bikes

Whoa!!! I had one of those too!!!
.....as well as the self made bikes, which were put together from different old bikes and hand painted with gloss!! They were hideous but so were the flared trousers with big pockets on the legs my mum made me wear!!

BigB@dJ@y · 15 Jan 2004 at 20:56

Originally posted by Hardhuddy
what came after the Chopper?

I remember having a racer with drop handle bars then chaned them years later for...

COW HORNS!!!

Cow Horns!! Hahaha absolute nightmare to steer!!!
The amount of crashes I had once I'd put some cow horns on!!! They should have been banned

Hades · 15 Jan 2004 at 21:42

Nice. I had a chopper

Starkillar · 15 Jan 2004 at 21:56

Originally posted by BigB@dJ@y
Whoa!!! I had one of those too!!!
.....as well as the self made bikes, which were put together from different old bikes and hand painted with gloss!! They were hideous but so were the flared trousers with big pockets on the legs my mum made me wear!!

heheh, yeah my family had a grifter and 2 Choppers, my sister didnt want a bike at first so she didnt get one (she had a horrible plastic peddle car thing) and me and my brother made her a bike (with no rubber on the tyres) out of bits out neighbor had

- that was excellent

(apart from it's dangerous as hell, and im surprised she didnt kill herself on it)

Strax · 15 Jan 2004 at 23:10

the new chopper's no use, they are removing the centre gear lever :eek:

travesty.

I remember vividly the times you went to change gear and nearly fell off cos the front wobbled violently with only 1 hand on the handlebars.

Does anyone remember the deluxe model with 5 gears instead of the standard 3?