Although the insanely-popular Stranger Things series on Netflix wasn't the catalyst – more like the result – of the growing 80s nostalgia nowadays, it's true that the fictional teenagers of Hawkins riding their cool BMXs made a lot of now 40-year-old dads long for their long-lost childhood bikes. If you're one of those people, or just like the look of retro bikes, you'll be delighted to hear that Raleigh is re-launching an iconic BMX silhouette, the Tuff Burner, as a limited edition bike in 2022.
The re-make of the MK1 Raleigh Super Tuff Burner screams BMX pop culture, and it's available today for pre-orders on Raleigh's website. The new Tuff Burner features a vibrant colour scheme with bright blue and yellow contrasts. The double-hole chromoly frame with a looptail rear, skyway mag wheels and the three piece BMX padset means pure retro aesthetics.
Raleigh Tuff Burner – Image Gallery
The 1980s are known to be close to the heart of many, especially the We Were Rad, who Raleigh are partnering with. We Were Rad is a collective with a mission to tell the "story of UK BMX in the 80s as told by the people who lived and loved it." According to its website, We Were Rad is a "three-year project that has amassed an archive of over 10,000 images and hundreds of stories from the kids on the street to those of World Champions."
Raleigh and We were Rad are keen to reintroduce the same excitement BMX cycling had back in the day to a new generation. "Our aim is to unite bicycle fans of all eras to experience the joy of cycling by inspiring the next generation to be loud, bold and own their individuality", Raleigh says. If you want to snap up one of the limited Tuff Burners, you’ll have to be quick and pre-order one via Raleigh. RRP is £600 (approx. $690/AU$1080), and it's available in the UK only.