# Old school 1980s bmx



## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

Anyone into old school bmx bikes as over the past year I've been restoring them and the collection keeps getting bigger , mainly most are 1983 mk1 frames etc ,would be interested if anyone else is into these I no their is a Raleigh chopper man on the forum


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

Looking good Andy I especially like the blue and orange :thumbsup:


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## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

The blue and orange will probably end

up with gulf racing graphics :thumbs_up:


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

I like the polished one best although they all look good.

DMR pedals ?


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## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

No original sugino pedals


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Hmm, hope I don't get accused of sacrilege but I've modified one or two into "urban bikes". This sort of thing


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> Hmm, hope I don't get accused of sacrilege but I've modified one or two into "urban bikes". This sort of thing


 That's sacrilege :laugh: a 27 geared bmx.

Mind you, looking at the seat stem you have unlimited luggage potential.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> That's sacrilege :laugh: a 27 geared bmx.
> 
> Mind you, looking at the seat stem you have unlimited luggage potential.


 I did one for a friends son. He's 6ft 2. I built a two speed auto hub into a spoked rear wheel. I like them because you could get one at a boot sale for "nothing", and they'll take any amount of beating. Might do another for myself when the coast is clear. 

Dawes Kingpins are good as well.


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

I wanted a BMX sooooo badly as a kid, but this is what I got instead.

Gutted.


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## sabailand (May 28, 2010)

Jari37 said:


> I wanted a BMX sooooo badly as a kid, but this is what I got instead.
> 
> Gutted.


 If my memory serves me right, included in this family there was the Grifter (in the pic) the striker, and the boxer, not sure which was the bigger of the latter two, but the Grifter was for the bigger boys.

We also had the chopper, the chipper, and (not sure if this was part of the family) the tomahawk, again all raleigh cycles.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

sabailand said:


> If my memory serves me right, included in this family there was the Grifter (in the pic) the striker, and the boxer, not sure which was the bigger of the latter two, but the Grifter was for the bigger boys.
> 
> We also had the chopper, the chipper, and (not sure if this was part of the family) the tomahawk, again all raleigh cycles.


 Here's some info.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh_Grifter

I had a Raleigh Bomber for getting the shopping. It weighed a "ton".










And the brakes didn't work in the wet.


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## sabailand (May 28, 2010)

WRENCH said:


> Here's some info.
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh_Grifter
> 
> ...


 I vaguely remember that bomber, only vaguely mind but i do have recollections of it, your link reminded of another bike form that time which i owned ...the `commando`, similar in style to the Grifter boxer etc..... i used to `go commando` quite often. :blush:


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

Grifters also weighed an absolute ton! Vividly remember attempting wheelies on one while my mates all had actual BMXs. Built like a bloody tank it was.


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## sabailand (May 28, 2010)

Jari37 said:


> Grifters also weighed an absolute ton! Vividly remember attempting wheelies on one while my mates all had actual BMXs. Built like a bloody tank it was.


 Yes they were hefty bikes, once you were confident on the damn thing they were actually pretty good for pulling wheelies!


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## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

Jari37 said:


> I wanted a BMX sooooo badly as a kid, but this is what I got instead.
> 
> Gutted.


 Good old grifter like raising the titanic getting the front wheel off the ground


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

I had a Raleigh Lancer like this one,










I think they were made in the late 50's I used to be able to go for around a mile downhill sitting on the saddle with my feet on the handle bars. My pal got a Raleigh Chopper when they first came out, before that he had another Raleigh with a more looped style frame similar size to the chopper. Anyone remember what they were called ?


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

No, but I do remember being really jealous of my mate who had a Chopper. Not even sure if they were any good to ride, but they looked so cool.


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## deano1956 (Jan 27, 2016)

Jari37 said:


> No, but I do remember being really jealous of my mate who had a Chopper. Not even sure if they were any good to ride, but they looked so cool.


 for a 10 year old the seat/pedal/ ride would not be a issue and would be a cool ride , but not so comfortable for a lard ass 60 something year old i can confirm :laugh:

deano


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

deano1956 said:


> for a 10 year old the seat/pedal/ ride would not be a issue and would be a cool ride , but not so comfortable for a lard ass 60 something year old i can confirm :laugh:
> 
> deano


 At that age we used to go swimming in the sea in the summer holidays. 8 mile cycle with all the gear. Anyone on a chopper was exhausted and last by the time we got there. :laughing2dw:


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## Littlelegs (Dec 4, 2011)

I was nearly always last on the grifter I had. As has been said they weighed a ton and with only 3 gears the racer boys used to destroy me. However, it would go over anything without buckling a wheel :yes:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

deano1956 said:


> for a 10 year old the seat/pedal/ ride would not be a issue and would be a cool ride , but not so comfortable for a lard ass 60 something year old i can confirm :laugh:
> 
> deano


 Love those period lamps. :thumbsup:


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## Teg62x (Dec 28, 2016)

This was my first bike! A Raleigh 20!

I thought it was great at the time, never having my own bike before this. Made my paper round so much easier. :laughing2dw:


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

Littlelegs said:


> I was nearly always last on the grifter I had. As has been said they weighed a ton and with only 3 gears the racer boys used to destroy me. However, it would go over anything without buckling a wheel :yes:


 Loving the fact that there are so many Grifter survivors here. There should be some kind of support group.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Jari37 said:


> There should be some kind of support group.


 That sounds wrong. :laughing2dw:


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## danoafc (Sep 27, 2012)

sabailand said:


> If my memory serves me right, included in this family there was the Grifter (in the pic) the striker, and the boxer, not sure which was the bigger of the latter two, but the Grifter was for the bigger boys.
> 
> We also had the chopper, the chipper, and (not sure if this was part of the family) the tomahawk, again all raleigh cycles.


 The Boxer was the smallest of the 3, followed by the Strika (which I had in black and I thought I was a complete badass, and the Grifter which was the biggest. However there was a boy on my street who owned a Mongoose BMX with mag wheels. The absolute b*****d!! :laugh:


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

danoafc said:


> The Boxer was the smallest of the 3, followed by the Strika (which I had in black and I thought I was a complete badass, and the Grifter which was the biggest. However there was a boy on my street who owned a Mongoose BMX with mag wheels. The absolute b*****d!! :laugh:


 Mongoose! I've been trying to remember that name all week. For about a year of my life when I was approx. 8 years old, that was pretty much all I thought about. Oh my.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

Teg62x said:


> This was my first bike! A Raleigh 20!
> 
> I thought it was great at the time, never having my own bike before this. Made my paper round so much easier. :laughing2dw:


 You could get a passenger on that saddle and maybe a picnic hamper too :laugh:


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## wrenny1969 (Jun 24, 2008)

I had a Rayleigh Budgie - first bike and initially on stabilisers - all it ever did was wheelie - mind you I was 16 at the time :biggrin:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Teg62x said:


> This was my first bike! A Raleigh 20!
> 
> I thought it was great at the time, never having my own bike before this. Made my paper round so much easier. :laughing2dw:


 These things have attained cult status, because they were so good and durable.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> These things have attained cult status, because they were so good and durable.


 I've seen a couple recently as people find other ways of exercising.

I haven't seen any unibikes up Rivington for a while but there were plenty of MTB's out yesterday


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> I've seen a couple recently as people find other ways of exercising


 I saw someone out on one of these,


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> I saw someone out on one of these,
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/5


 How old's that ?


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> How old's that ?


 My dad had one in the 1960's. They were hard work. I fixed one for a girl recently and had a job getting tyres for it. I don't know what the point of them was. They took up the same space as a big wheel bike, weighed a ton, and those fat tyres increased the rolling resistance something hellish.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> My dad had one in the 1960's. They were hard work. I fixed one for a girl recently and had a job getting tyres for it. I don't know what the point of them was. They took up the same space as a big wheel bike, weighed a ton, and those fat tyres increased the rolling resistance something hellish.


 It looks fairly heavy and the chain ring is a hocker


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## Teg62x (Dec 28, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> You could get a passenger on that saddle and maybe a picnic hamper too :laugh:


 Was great for Sunday paper delivery, two bags needed with everybody getting the "post" on a Sunday :thumbs_up:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> It looks fairly heavy and the chain ring is a hocker


 From memory I think they were 54 tooth.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

Teg62x said:


> Was great for Sunday paper delivery, two bags needed with everybody getting the "post" on a Sunday :thumbs_up:


 I never had a Sunday round, just Monday-Saturday but mine was a long round into the countryside.

I got more job satisfaction from that than any jobs when I left school :thumbsup:


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## Teg62x (Dec 28, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> I never had a Sunday round, just Monday-Saturday but mine was a long round into the countryside.
> 
> I got more job satisfaction from that than any jobs when I left school :thumbsup:


 I was the same with my milk round! I started delivering papers at 12, then got a milk round at 14. It was the best job I had, and the cash was good too!


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

Teg62x said:


> I was the same with my milk round! I started delivering papers at 12, then got a milk round at 14. It was the best job I had, and the cash was good too!


 I did fruit and veg picking during the school holidays and oddly the strawberry picking which was the easiest also paid the best.

I was always first at the paper shop and could go home and get back in bed before school.

Happy days eh :thumbsup:


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## Teg62x (Dec 28, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> I did fruit and veg picking during the school holidays and oddly the strawberry picking which was the easiest also paid the best.
> 
> I was always first at the paper shop and could go home and get back in bed before school.
> 
> Happy days eh :thumbsup:


 Happy days indeed. :thumbsup:


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

Teg62x said:


> Happy days indeed. :thumbsup:


 What year and age is that pic ??


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## Teg62x (Dec 28, 2016)

1971-1972 I think. :laugh: 
And no I'm not the one with beard! @WRENCH


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

Teg62x said:


> 1971-1972 I think. :laugh:
> And no I'm not the one with beard! @WRENCH


 The one in the beard is @WRENCH well I never :laugh:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> The one in the beard is @WRENCH well I never :laugh:


 The only thing I agreed with Margaret Thatcher on. :laughing2dw:


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## sabailand (May 28, 2010)

danoafc said:


> The Boxer was the smallest of the 3, followed by the Strika (which I had in black and I thought I was a complete badass, and the Grifter which was the biggest. However there was a boy on my street who owned a Mongoose BMX with mag wheels. The absolute b*****d!! :laugh:


 Yeah there was always a kid on the street with all the best/latest toys or bike.....in your case bike, always someone with the 10 speed drop racer while i made do with some bone shaker.

When we all had action men my first one was an old one given to me by a neighbour, it didnt even have any clothes :laughing2dw: , while the other kids had ones with gripping hands etc....my day would come though.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

sabailand said:


> Yeah there was always a kid on the street with all the best/latest toys or bike.....in your case bike, always someone with the 10 speed drop racer while i made do with some bone shaker.
> 
> When we all had action men my first one was an old one given to me by a neighbour, it didnt even have any clothes :laughing2dw: , while the other kids had ones with gripping hands etc....my day would come though.


 I found a bike on a dump once when I was about 9 or 10.I picked it up and the wheel went one way and the bars t'other :laugh:

I threw it back on the floor and my mate picked it up only to do the same as me

Then another lad picked it up and he managed to push it home where his dad got it working.

There's a moral there but I don't know what it is :hmmm9uh: but when I got him a paper round where I worked he didn't last a week and I did his round twice :laugh:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Here's a weird two speed gear system from the early 20th century. Pedal forward for high, backwards for low.











it's quite simple, but a bit strange. One chain, and two freewheels that work one clockwise, the other anticlockwise.


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## Jari37 (Jan 5, 2020)

sabailand said:


> Yeah there was always a kid on the street with all the best/latest toys or bike.....in your case bike, always someone with the 10 speed drop racer while i made do with some bone shaker.
> 
> When we all had action men my first one was an old one given to me by a neighbour, it didnt even have any clothes :laughing2dw: , while the other kids had ones with gripping hands etc....*my day would come though.*


 100%. I never went without growing up, but I also never had any of the fancy toys some of the other kids had. Didn't stop me craving the plasticky tat that was popular at the time - Big Trak anyone? To this day I don't know why I wanted this...


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> strawberry picking


 Try a day on one of these,


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> Try a day on one of these,


 Errrrr no ta


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## Twinkletwinkle (Apr 18, 2020)

[IMG alt="EBEF0853-3011-4710-81D5-ED39FD36C811.jpeg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/forumgallery/monthly_2020_04/EBEF0853-3011-4710-81D5-ED39FD36C811.thumb.jpeg.7b08a9e4c20102c445f5d8c0b14b910f.jpeg[/IMG]

Thats a blast from the past. These were all the craze when I was a kid. I remember the Burner well enough. I had a couple of BMX in the early 1980's when i was about 12. Table tops and bunny hops, CW's and sky ways...them were the days. I really wanted a diamond back or mongoose but had to make do with a black and gold one from a shop called Gentle Man Johns. It was 65 quid.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Who remembers the Golden Shot ?


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## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

Twinkletwinkle said:


> Thats a blast from the past. These were all the craze when I was a kid. I remember the Burner well enough. I had a couple of BMX in the early 1980's when i was about 12. Table tops and bunny hops, CW's and sky ways...them were the days. I really wanted a diamond back or mongoose but had to make do with a black and gold one from a shop called Gentle Man Johns. It was 65 quid.


 Skyway what a brand I'm in the middle off a replica skyway build


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## bowie (Mar 12, 2005)

WRENCH said:


> Who remembers the Golden Shot ?


 i had a yellow chopper great bike for giving backers (Ann Aston)


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Bet you this would be a laugh,


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