The Chopper was launched in the USA in 1969, and Tony Hadland dates its UK launch to 1970; the V&A, however, dates the Mk1 launch to 1969, so the UK year is disputed. For the Mk2, the V&A's record gives both 1973–1985 and 1972–1983, and Wikipedia gives 1972–1983, citing The Independent for the 1983 end. Variants include the Mk2 Sprint GT (1972–1973) and a 5-speed Mk2 (1973–1974). Choppers made from 2004 onwards fall outside this guide.
Known components
None recorded yet. Our confirmed sources for this model don't list its parts. If you have a catalogue page or an original spec sheet, please send it in.
What the sources say
| Year | Name · variant | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Chopper | Launched in the USA in 1969, per Hadland. | BikeBiz |
| 1969 | Raleigh Chopper MK1 · Mk1 | V&A: Mk1 launched 1969. | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| 1970 | Chopper | UK launch 1970 per Hadland; ten-year production. | BikeBiz |
| 1970 | Chopper (US catalogue) | Catalogue title in the Ebykr index; contents not read. | Ebykr |
| 1972 | Chopper MK2 · Mk2 | Wikipedia: Mk2 produced 1972–1983; the 1983 end date cites The Independent. | Wikipedia |
| 1972 | MK2 Sprint GT · Mk2 Sprint GT | Wikipedia: Sprint GT produced 1972–1973. (1972–1973) | Wikipedia |
| 1973 | Raleigh Chopper MK2 · Mk2 | V&A: Mk2 manufactured 1973–1985. | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| 1973 | MK2 Pink 5 Speed · Mk2 5-speed | Wikipedia: Pink 5-speed (derailleur) produced 1973–1974. (1973–1974) | Wikipedia |
| 1983 | Chopper MK2 · Mk2 | Wikipedia | |
| 1985 | Raleigh Chopper MK2 · Mk2 | Victoria and Albert Museum |
Unconfirmed mentions
These come from a single uncited or enthusiast source. They are not used for the dates, components or confidence above. If you can confirm one from a catalogue, please tell us.
| Year | Name | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | MK2 SE · Mk2 SE | Uncited. (1976–1977) | Wikipedia |
Sources
Last updated 19 October 2026. Every fact on this page comes from one of these.