Born in the 60's, 70's or 80's

never realy got into skateboarding,and a roller skate on a floor board didn't work too well,spent most of our time roaming the countryside seeing wot mischeif we could get up to

 

I wasn't very good either and knew it, but skating was huge fun and there was always something new to learn.
My widest board was a John Sabollocks deck which was about 10" wide, too. I think that was a Benjiboard (but may have been something else). Don't remember what it was shod with, but could well have been Sims Snakes and Full Trackers.
I ended up with a second hand Alva deck, Indys and truely rock hard, superslick, luminous limegreen and pink dual conical Alva wheels which were gratifyingly fast, but would come to an immediate and sudden halt if there was anything larger than a grain of sand between them and the ramp (which there frequently was).
After the skatepark closed, the ramps were moved to Farnham and we followed too. But it was further away and so the skating gradually began fade in the mid-eighties.
From about 86 until 88 I was living in Kentish town and was able to take advantage of the various facilities nearby.
After that, work, life and a decreasing pain threshold kept me off the boards, this time for good.
My favourite Vans were a pair of black hightops with luminous yellow skulls. Tasteful
I still wear Vans: Old skool Blue and Reds or black hightops with the rather tasty fly motif.

 

Well having a dodgy knee that dislocated pretty much every day meant I missed out on the thrills of skateboards and roller-skates, though hearing about "grazed skulls" maybe that wasn't a bad thing after all

Do remember having the Raleigh Chopper, with the whacking great gear stick in the middle. Our one got so beat up toward the end its life the seat used to rise up if you sat to far back on it. That and the fact that you risked life and limb on it because the brakes were so bloody dodgy. In the end I think we dumped it somewhere out of sight.

 

Roll-up roll-up for the re-born Chopper...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3399423.stm

 

Re: Roll-up roll-up for the re-born Chopper...

Oh no! I thought that had been consigned to the dustbin of history where it always belonged. It's an ergonomic nightmare.

 

Re: Roll-up roll-up for the re-born Chopper...

But they've moved the gear lever to the handlebars! Sacriledge I say:nigel:
The best thing about the chopper was easily the "gear shift" - it made you feel like you were driving (riding ) a proper grown up machine :JPS:
PS Technobear, you are obviously far too old to have properly enjoyed the seventies

 

Re: Re: Roll-up roll-up for the re-born Chopper...

Nonsense! My teenage years neatly coincided with the 70's and I enjoyed them enormously. I got to play with several of my friends' choppers

 

I never had problems with the ergonimcs of the Chopper. In fact I found the seating arrangement much more comfortable than most modern bikes i.e. I prefer being sat bolt upright rather than having to lean forward in anyway.

 

they should make a full size adult version too.
cheers

julian

 

Re: Re: Re: Roll-up roll-up for the re-born Chopper...

That's exactly what I mean. You were far too old