Getting a bike for christmas as a kid

Do kids still get bikes?

I remember getting a brand new shiny metallic red Raleigh Tomahawk when I was about seven, my mate at the other end of the street got a yellow Raleigh Chipper the same day.
It wasn't snowy but the was a thick white frost on the ground. We were out all day tearing around the local streets perfecting the art of the long skid. Only coming in when it was too dark to be outside.

That bike seemed to grow with me every year and was eventually replaced by another red Raleigh, a proper bike shaped one with full length matching mudguards, that rather bafflingly had a sticker on it saying "Imported into Canada from the United Kingdom". Though it may be explained by my dad having mates who worked in the docks.

Raleigh Gritstone 21 when I was about 12. Needed a footstool to get on it, and took two men to lift, but loved that bike!

I feel an eBay search coming on... :facepalm:

I had couple of second hand bikes when i was very young, then a Puch when i was around 9, a Dawes Velo when i was 12 or 12 and then a Raleigh Rapide when i was 16 - on the 19th December 1882 - see here -

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=228672

the receipt is on the first page. We had a small 30th birthday party for the Rapide last week - any excuse for a party!!

Merry Christmas,

Richard

I think I may have had a Tomahawk as well ! Always wanted a Chopper , they looked cool . Never Got one though . Same with a Bomber I think it was called . Then when I was about 12 , I got an Elswick Super Sprint . Burgundy with 5 gears . Thought I was the bees bolx on that one ! Did it up a few years later , put a double chainset on it , polished it , then someone went straight across a crossroads and killed it . I had the right of way .
At the time , I'd ordered a Peugeot 14 speed road bike from my LBS . The accident made me more determined to ride it !
My life , by Mike W Murray ! :facepalm:

got a raleigh racer one year, not sure of the model but it had drop bars and mud guards, this was way before the days of sueing somebody if you fell off or your bike was badly built! yep first ride out I face planted riding down the road at full pelt as the front guard popped off the mounts and they went through the front wheel :facepalm: not sure if it was that blow to head or the others afterwards as I rode that bike around the local forest like the bmx I wanted that made me the way I am now

When I was 12 ish I saw a Chopper in a second hand shop for £35 - Dad said it was too expensive so we left it. We were back the following week and the Chopper had been stolen.

Some weeks later the Chopper reappeared - the thieves had covered it in light blue gloss paint - not so much painted as 'spilt over'.

Dad bought it for me at the reduced price of £15.

My friends and I removed the paint and resprayed it with rattle can silver and i used it until the frame broke.

Fond memories!

Richard

can only remember ever getting two new bikes but unsure if first was for birthday, was a universal bmx with yellow tyres an pads, strange thing is carnt ever remember riding it an pritty sure i didnt have it long got a blue british eagle mtb with front suspention an disc brake, pulled stickers off it straight away as i realy wanted martin ashtons cannondale trials bike at the time so tryed making it look a tad like that

got a chipper off my gran when aged 6 first bike;thanks milly
then at 12 got a bsa javlin red one .
realy cold that year riding about on that;god happy days :xmas-big-grin:

The bikes I had as a kid make Tesco's BSO's look like the best thing since sliced bread. When I was 16 I convinced my step-dad to buy me a Revell, not the Romany just the one with 531 forks at £250 in the 80's. I loved it and went everywhere on it, then I went out with my sister's boyfriend's friend and the dick made me sell it and give him the money, I've never confessed to anyone I went out with a complete and utter dick and I will never forgive myself but it still was the most awesome bike I ever owned BITD.

Alison

2nd hand Raleigh Europa my first proper bike did me for the school runs for the nest 3 years.