{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1738605"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1738605/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NL5190/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NL5190/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NL5190","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL0104","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1738605/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1738605","accessionNumber":"B.4-2024","objectType":"Bicycle","titles":[{"title":"Raleigh Chopper MK2","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"The must-have appeal of the Raleigh Chopper MK2 led to a craze during the 1970s and 1980s and the massive demand for this model saved Raleigh from going into administration. The origins of the chopper bike lay in ‘chopped’ motorbikes, made popular in 1950’s California.","physicalDescription":"The bike has a long frame in an arrow design with high handlbars and a long black seat, with a metal back bar (inverted U-shaped bar). The frame colour is ‘Infra red’ with  ‘RALEIGH’ in yellow decal on the down tube towards the back wheel and ‘CHOPPER’ in yellow decal on the down tube towards the handle bars. The 3-speed gears are operated by a frame-mounted T-Bar Shifter with red gear lever and the tyres are black rubber with a front redline. The bike has a stand, a small rear metal rack, a short metal mudguard over the smaller front wheel and a longer metal mudguard over the larger rear wheel.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Tom Karen","id":"AUTH326119"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Raleigh Bicycle Company","id":"AUTH408292"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"chrome","id":"THES252483"},{"text":"rubber","id":"AAT12941"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Welded steel tube frame and handlebars, chrome-plated steel wheel rims, metal head badge riveted to the frame, colour spray, self-adhesive decal ","categories":[{"text":"Children and childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Film and cinema","id":"THES264410"},{"text":"Transport","id":"THES48881"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":["2023NL5190","2023NL0104"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CA001","id":"THES388360"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bicycle","id":"AAT212636"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Nottingham","id":"x31196"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1969","earliest":"1969-01-01","latest":"1969-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1972","earliest":"1972-01-01","latest":"1972-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the family of Tom Karen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"1060","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"10/10/2023","earliest":"2023-10-10","latest":"2023-10-10"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1370","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"10/10/2023","earliest":"2023-10-10","latest":"2023-10-10"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"740","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"10/10/2023","earliest":"2023-10-10","latest":"2023-10-10"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"dims taken from loan list spreadsheet","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'RALEIGH' - yellow decal on the down tube towards the back wheel\r\n'CHOPPER' - yellow decal on the down tube towards the handle bars","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This Raleigh Chopper MK2 was owned by Tom Karen and is an early example from the MK2 range, although the exact date of manufacture is unknown. In 2023, on the opening of Young V&A, the bike was loaned for display in the Design Gallery's 'Design Changes How We Travel' section, and it was subsequently accessioned into the collection. \n\n","historicalContext":"The Raleigh Chopper MK2 was designed by industrial designer Tom Karen [1] of Ogle Design Ltd in about 1969 and manufactured by the Raleigh Bicycle Company in Nottingham, England, from 1972 to 1983.  Tom Karen was a hugely influential designer and Ogle’s clients ranged from London Transport and Philips to Meccano and Kiddicraft. The design of the chopper bicycle was influenced by dragsters and ‘chopped’ motorbikes. The latter were so called because they were often built from modified or ‘chopped’ motorbikes to produce a bike with a stretched-out appearance: elongated seats and ape hanger handlebars. The popularity of these chopper motorbikes in 1950s California led to American children customising their bicycles to emulate the design and cool image of the bikes and their riders. To cater for this market, in 1963, the American bicycle company Schwinn released the Sting-Ray, an elongated bicycle with a long ‘banana’ seat, sissy bar, (sister bar / passenger back rest) large back wheel and wide stance, ape hanger handlebars. \r\n\r\nThe Raleigh Chopper MK1 was launched in 1969, the same year cult film Easy Rider was released: an iconic road movie featuring Harley-Davidson chopper motorcycles. Thomas Karen OBE was Managing Director and Chief Designer of Ogle Design from 1962 –1999 and recalls the birth of the UK chopper: “Raleigh’s Managing Director Peter Seels came to see me at Ogle in 1968. He explained that the US company Schwinn were producing a rugged bicycle for kids that was a great success. Raleigh wanted to capture a share of that market but with a design that had a distinct flavour of its own.” [2] \r\n\r\nThe chopper craze really took off in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s with the Raleigh Chopper MK2, manufactured from 1973 to 1985. This version was an instant hit with customers and Raleigh sold over 1.5 million worldwide, sometimes struggling to keep up with demand and as a result there were slight variations to the original specifications. The Chopper MK2 was available as a 3-speed model in Infra Red, Ultra Violet, Fizzy Lemon, Quick Silver, Space Blue and Jet Black (prismatic decal model). It outsold other bikes 6 to 1 until the arrival of the BMX and the huge sales rescued Raleigh from administration. \n\nRaleigh was established in 1887 in Nottingham, England and had become a world leader in bicycles by the 1920s, producing about 100,000 cycles each year. Fast forward to the 21st century and in 2004 the Raleigh chopper was relaunched with tweaks to the original MK2 model to meet modern safety standards. It proved so popular with children and adults that it sold out within three hours. [3] Raleigh was purchased in 2012 by Netherlands-based bicycle company Accell Group and continues to design and make cycles, with a limited edition Raleigh Chopper released in 2023 as an “almost exact replica of the old-school Chopper MK2” [4] and an online Raleigh Chopper aftermarket where you can purchase parts for your original or contemporary MK2 models.\r\n\n[1] Design Council\n[2] https://tomkarendesigner.co.uk/#/chopper-times/\r\n[3] Wikipedia\r\n[4] www.raleigh.co.uk\r\n","briefDescription":"Chopper bicycle, Infra Red MK2, designed by Tom Karen about 1969, England\r\n\r","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"","id":""}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"","id":""}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Bicycle","id":"AAT212636"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.4-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"4","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-26","recordCreationDate":"2022-12-19","availableToBook":false}}