Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

[chris]

Posh Kids on posh estates got Raleigh Choppers - BUT I grew up on a middlesbro council estate in the 1970,s - and we never had Chopper money - But we still wanted CHOPPER style , So... as we couldnt afford one , we built our own - and over those red hot summers an entire sub culture of "Rigging up a bike" was born ,,,,, - Firstly you begged stole or borrowed a normal bike , a hand me down Raleigh - Or a secondhand workbike - Or sometimes even one you dragged out the canal - , Then over the next few weeks you got it going , Fix a puncture here - Replace a cable there - and then you started your CUSTOM build !!!! - Firstly the sensible handle bars were binned , in favour of a pair of "Monkey Hangers" or "trackers bars" Monkey hangers where like what they had on Easy Rider and trackers where similar but about three foot wide , Then the "Sensible mud guards where ditched , in order for a small cut down Alloy "Racing mudguards" , Some times we even hand made them from coke cans, or looted chrome ones off an unattended Yammy Fizzy - Next job was to fit a Smaller front wheel - 26 inch rim out back and a 24 up front, this was an easy modification with just one minor set back - you now had no front brake !!! - next came a trip to the local bike shop (DORRELS in North Ormesby ) , where pocket money was spent on ALL of the following items - Bright Red handlebar grips with Multi coloured foot long Tassels on the ends . - Chuck the bell in the bin and replace it with a big chrome "honker" horn You know the kind sea Lions love - with a big black rubber squeeze ball on it - Rear view mirrors , one each side - Then get busy with the Airfix paints or if you where lucky the Rattle cans , the sensible raleigh paint jobs where replaced with , Pink n lime green abominations - with multi coloured electrical tape threaded through the spokes , add a few drinks bottles - a Union Jack elasticated seat cover (looked like a shower cap your granny would wear ) and finish it off with lolly stick spoke revers - We thort we where the bees knees , and you know what - In the glorious summer of 76 ....we were.

[darren]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

Great post ur memories are very clear indeed.

Im sure if u had saved loose change eventually u could have had a chopper.

[DSCOMAN]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

excellent recall Chris....what about fitting an aerial to the back of a chopper bike, and the racoon tails that mods on scooters used to use...lolly ice sticks in the spokes to make an engine noise....;-)

[philfrommancs]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

Ha. This thread made me laugh.
I too grew up on a council estate and never had a new bike. Mine were always "rescued" bikes my dad "aquired "
Late 70's I remember getting " cow horns" on my bike. Meaning big wide handle bars. A white leather saddle bag on the back. And mirrored metallic tape wrapped around all the frame.
Cool as you like with my fake leather jacket with studs on the back 😎

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[Mulletino]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

Not forgetting back then you could go to the tip and climb all over the pile to find the bike bits you needed, either for your home-made special or for a go-kart.

I never had a Chopper, my bro had a tomahawk, but this is what i ride now:



No good for steep hills though.

[Nik_Barbour]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

I always had second hand bikes, but my Grandad was a sign writer, so they used to have custom paint jobs and pinstriping.

I had a Raleigh chopper but the gear lever was missing and the mech cut short. For some reason I remember adding an old pull up car ariel my dad took off his old escort once.

Anyone else remember these brush hub cleaners. Someone at work mentioned them the other day, I'd totally forgotten about them.


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[zabadak]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

Not second-hand but both bikes I had in my time were quite cheap

[battyrat]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

My best bikes were all dragged out of the river and built up with odd pieces we could find here and there. As far as bikes go there were some weird looking mongrels out there back in the day. It was one of those summer holiday things us lads got up to.

[Twocky61]

Re: Lads home customised bikes of the 1970,s

I used to have a Harrier (a cheaper version of the Chopper)

On the back of the seat I had a whip aerial (not attached to anything, but if CB radio's were widely available in the 70's, my aerial would have been connected to that)

I also fitted indicators front & back, powered be batteries in a bicycle pump style container, attached to the part of the bike where the bicycle pump usually goes

& the lights front & back were dynamo. Only trouble with dynamo batteries, the lights glow dimmer cycling up a hill. And as for traffic lights & waiting at junctions you can't be seen by drivers