Biography.guide
Home › People › Engineer › Alan Oakley
Portrait of Alan Oakley

Alan Oakley

1927 – 2012

British bicycle designer

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Alan Oakley

Lived 1927 – 2012 (aged 85). Alan Oakley was a British engineer, known for Raleigh Chopper.

Alan Oakley (27 April 1927 – 18 May 2012) was a British bicycle designer from Nottingham who worked for the Raleigh Bicycle Company.

As Raleigh's chief designer he designed the company's best selling Chopper bicycle. He drew the design for the Chopper on an envelope as he travelled home from the US, in 1967, inspired to replicate the design of Peter Fonda's character's motorbike in the 1969 film Easy Rider. The trip was specifically set up for him to "get-to-grips" with youth culture. In the 1980s, production of the Chopper ceased when the rival BMX appeared, but, due to popular demand, a limited edition Chopper was released in 2004.

Early life and education Oakley was born on 27 April 1927 in Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, a small town three miles (5 km) east of Nottingham. The son of a local printer, he was educated at the all-boys Chandos Street School (which amalgamated in 1973 to form Carlton le Willows School).

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Known for
Raleigh Chopper
Education
University of Nottingham, Carlton le Willows Academy

People in Alan Oakley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alan Oakley's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alan Oakley?

British bicycle designer (1927–2012)

When was Alan Oakley born?

Alan Oakley was born on 27 April 1927 in Netherfield.

When did Alan Oakley die?

Alan Oakley died on 18 May 2012.

What was Alan Oakley's occupation?

Alan Oakley was an engineer.

What was Alan Oakley known for?

Alan Oakley was known for Raleigh Chopper.

What nationality was Alan Oakley?

Alan Oakley was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alan Oakley

· Wikidata: Q4707446

· DBpedia: Alan Oakley (designer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alan Oakley. https://biography.guide/alan-oakley-engineer/

MLA: "Alan Oakley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alan-oakley-engineer/.

Chicago: "Alan Oakley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alan-oakley-engineer/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:31 UTC