About Ivan, AKA Chopper Collector
When COVID first struck in 2020, schools closed and I was sent home with no work to do apart from continue with my business which was very difficult as all the model car fairs were cancelled and also restricted stock on the market. Growing up, I always had an interest in bicycles. My grandad would often tell stories of friends who worked at Raleigh in Nottingham. He was born and bred there so I suppose I have it in my blood. I then made the transition from collecting vintage models to collecting vintage bikes.
A week later I purchased my first Raleigh Chopper. It was a Mk2 in Infra Red that had been restored over a ten year period after being found in Pangbourne river. Over the next couple of years, I have continued my Chopper journey with collecting over 30 bikes and collating a collection of rarities. Throughout the last six years in collecting, restoring and selling Raleigh Choppers I have gained an exceptional amount of knowledge from peers and a vast array of hands-on experience with the bikes. What you see on this website is the result of hard work, passion and perseverance.
In August 2026, I carried out a number of BBC live interviews about my passion for Raleigh bikes and Raleigh’s recent insolvency. I was very lucky to have been contacted by the BBC, as they found me through my website. Here are a couple of videos which were broadcasted. The first was a live talk on the World News Channel. I then did Nottinghamshire Breakfast Show, BBC Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire Radio, as well as a video for BBC East Midlands. I enjoyed every second of it!
‘Only the very best quality has passed through my hands.’
