Raleigh Bicycle Company the mid-1960s, TI–Raleigh owned Brooks (one of the oldest saddle makers in the world), Sturmey-Archer (pioneer of 3-speed hubs), and Reynolds (maker of 531 tubing). Carlton, which had been unable to make inroads in the USA market after a failed rebranding deal with Huffy, found success in the late 1960s by recasting itself as "Raleigh-Carlton", a Raleigh-logo'd bike with some Carlton badging, and using the US dealer network to import and distribute bikes. The Raleigh Chopper was designed by Nottingham native Alan Oakley, though this has been disputed by Cambridge designer Tom Karen. The Chopper was patented in the UK
Electra Bicycle Company Day Tripper were introduced after the Electra Townie, but as of 2009 are no longer in production. The company partnered with fashion design firm Petro Zillia to produce a high-end fashion bike with a strong graphic quality. The bike was featured widely in the fashion press, and Petro Zillia’s chief designer Nony Tochterman gained coverage by riding the Electra up the runway at a fashion show. Electra Bicycle Company Electra Bicycle Company, a subsidiary of Trek Bicycle Company, was founded in Vista, California, in 1993, by Benno Bänziger and Jeano Erforth. Electra offers a wide range of modern cruiser bicycles.