‘I was king of the streets’: Paddy McGuinness recalls Raleigh bike

For many people, a Raleigh bike provided their first taste of freedom on two wheels, becoming the vehicle for childhood adventures, trips to the shops and countless memories of growing up.

Those memories were relived on Paddy’s Radio 2 show, where the Bolton presenter also recalled his own Raleigh bike.

He said: “My first Raleigh bike was a Raleigh Boxer little thing, bright yellow. It was like a mini Grifter.

“I thought I were king of the streets folks, when I went out on that when we stabilisers on the back.”

Others also called in with memories of their first bike made by Raleigh.

Lisa in Lancs said: “I had a Raleigh Sprite that I used to fetch me mum’s spuds home in.

“Then I upgraded to a Raleigh Alpha with dynamo lights as a reward.”

Keith from Ilford spoke about his Raleigh Grifter, with Paddy saying: “That bike was like a tank on wheels. But what I remember about the Raleigh Grifter was the gears on the handle. Which I’ve never seen before. And also that seat. You could have had that seat in your front room. You’d have happily sat down watching Corrie with a cup of tea sat on your Grifter seats.”

Others spoke about their Raleigh Chopper and Tomohawk.

Paddy McGuinness opted to do his epic Children in Need challenge on a Chopper as he always wanted growing up.

Raleigh was founded in Nottingham in 1887 and gained fame for its Chopper model, which featured extended handlebars and is now part of its retro range.

Accell Group, based in the Netherlands, bought the company in 2012 for around 100 million US dollars (£74 million), adding to its roster of bike brands throughout Europe including Haibike, Winora and Ghost.

But the group said it had now “explored every possible avenue” for the business’s future, including discussions with potential buyers.

Having failed to secure a viable solution, the company has now begun insolvency proceedings in the Netherlands.