The earliest datable number I have come across is NH1****** This indicates June 1971 as backed up by its hub date, but I have seen plenty of bikes stretching into 1973 with old style non datable frame numbers. The latest frame date I have seen is NN0****** Indicating October 1980, although I have seen much later hub dates.

Just to completely ruin my theory, other frame numbers were produced. I have a 1973 hub date MK2 with the frame number P201428.No idea what that’s all about. I have seen a few bikes with (P) (R) and (T) and 6 numbers.

I do not know exactly when frame numbers changed style.... I know they moved from the rear dropout to the seat tube around the middle of `73, but I can't say that ALL numbers stamped on the seat tube were the later datable numbers... I just don’t know. (yet)
In Early 1974 Raleigh issued a press release declaring that by June 1st 1974 all Raleigh cycle frame numbers would be moved to the top of the seat tube facing towards the rear stays. This fact doesn’t tell us when Raleigh started to do this to Chopper frames, only a definite end date for rear drop out numbers.

Chopper Sprints all had early un-datable frame numbers on the rear dropout, even though they were produced as late as late 1973...

Nor do I know how many factories produced Choppers... thus I have no definitive list for the first letter (factory name) of datable numbers... I have seen, (N) for Nottingham on most bikes, but also (W) (R) and no doubt there are others. We do know for sure Choppers were built in Dublin... and Raleigh had a factory in Canada during the Chopper era.

If you have a Sprint you know its 1972 1973

If you have a Special Edition you know it is mid 1976 to mid 1977.

The last production run was mainly Black, but silver red and blue were offered to the end.
By the 1970`s Raleigh had bought up most of the U.K. bicycle producing companies from the previous 7 decades. Raleigh Choppers were produced as "other makes" Choppers by the Raleigh factory throughout the 1970s. In fact the "Sprint" was first released as a Rudge Chopper Sprint, although badged as Raleigh! B.S.A. Choppers were common in Europe, Speedwell Fireballs and Malvern Stars in Australia and Raleigh Dominators in the U.S.A. There were more...mail me with your finds,.
Maybe odd frame numbers were used for these non-Raleigh branded bikes.

If all else fails... e-mail me direct. Rob@RaleighChopper.info and Ill try to help you out.

So what do the other numbers found on a Raleigh Chopper mean? Click to find out

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