IF - Bicycle

This is based on the Raleigh Chopper bike which was popular in the early 70s when I was but a child it was suppose to be the coolest bike around. Never had one and after having a go on one of my friend's, never wanted one - bit of a deathtrap, difficult to steer and not very pleasant on a long ride.

I'd had a succession of hand-me-downs throughout my bike riding life, the last of which rumour had it, was a handmade Harry Quinn racer, given to me by my dad's lab assistant at Liverpool Poly who's son was a keen racer.

My most spectacular fall from it, was racing down a hill with my brother and friends. The back wheel went from underneath me on a patch of gravel, and I smashed my knee into a manhole cover tearing right across my knee cap - I still managed to cycle home with blood pouring out. I hobbled into the back-garden to ask my mum and dad for a plaster, my dad took one look at my knee and promptly fainted. It was left to my mum to drive me to hospital and have 10 stitches in my wound, the scar was way cooler than any Chopper - still is.

Still had the bike into my thirties when it slowly started falling apart and I had to buy myself a new one though I still have one of pedals somewhere in the shed as a memento.