During our recent trip to London, we visited the Science Museum and were delighted to see the Brompton folding bike on display. Another UK bicycle gem celebrated is the Raleigh Chopper.

The 'Chopper' bicycle forms part of the display 'Technology in Everyday Life c. 1968-2000'. This child's bicycle drew its inspiration from the work of leisure motorcyclists in the United States who drastically modified, or 'chopped', their machines in an extreme and flamboyant way.

Such motorcycles were fairly uncomfortable to ride but were intended more as style statements than a serious form of transport. The pedal-cycle version was extremely popular among children in Britain for many years from the mid-1960s.