Hundreds of bike enthusiasts turned out in the rain to get their hands on one of Raleigh's most iconic products. Thousands more queued online and waited for the website to go live at 12pm for their chance to purchase one of the brand new Raleigh Choppers, modelled on the iconic bike released in the 1970s.
People travelled from all over the country to descend on the Raleigh shop in Maid Marian Way on Tuesday, June 20. Heavy rain throughout the morning didn't dampen the mood as the store opened at 10am at the Raleigh Experience Centre - however some people decided to camp out and arrive as early as 6.30pm on Monday evening.
It was an amazing turn out to mark the return of an eagerly anticipated bike which has become synonymous with the city. Managing Director Lee Kidger told Nottinghamshire Live: "It always surprises us because of the amount of people who have come here - but what it really highlights is the community of the Raleigh brand and the love for the product.
"This is the most iconic bike ever produced and people travelling so far away is really heartwarming."
With original MK2 Choppers still selling for a fortune at auctions today, Raleigh fans have been demanding a new Chopper from the company for decades. And bringing the bike into 2023 has legally required a few minor tweaks, but the new Chopper is as close to the original as possible.
The bike is priced at £950 - and is on sale in the two original colours, Ultraviolet and Infrared. A description of the event on EventBrite stated: "On 20th June the Raleigh Experience Centre will open to the public at 12pm with brand new Raleigh Choppers in stock to take away on the day. As a friend of Raleigh, you are welcome to enter from 10am to purchase your Chopper early and catch up again with fellow enthusiasts.
"We want to give you priority but at the same time keep it fair to the general public, so please be advised that you will be limited to purchasing only one of each colour (Infra Red & Ultra Violet) during this early access event."
