Almost all bicycles have a unique identification number engraved into their frame. This number is usually between seven and ten digits long, and it's called the “bike serial number” or “bike frame number”.
Where can I find my bike serial number?
You can usually find the bike serial number on the under side of the bottom bracket. The “bottom bracket” is the part of the frame that the pedals go into.
So all you have to do is turn your bike upside down and have a look…

The bike serial number is usually on the underside of the bottom bracket
If it’s not there, don’t worry! On some bikes it will be elsewhere on the frame. So if you don’t see it on the bottom bracket, check:
- Head tube
- Rear dropout
- Bottom of seat tube
- Top of crank
If you're confused by these names, check out my complete guide to the parts of a bike or, I've also labelled them on the image below!

Other places the number could be
Some Schwinn bikes and Rad Power bikes have the serial number engraved into the head tube. Other Schwinn bikes and some BMX bikes have the number on the rear drop out.

Serial numbers on the head tube and rear dropout
The only bikes that won’t have a serial number engraved somewhere on their frame are either very old or hand made (some bespoke frame makers don’t assign frames numbers).
So if you don’t see it a first, keep looking. I was beginning to think that my old bike didn’t have one before I finally found it at the top of the seat tube!

I finally found mine at the top of the seat tube!
What does my bike serial number mean?
A bicycle serial number is a unique number allocated to your bike by the manufacturer. It helps the manufacturer and bike shops with inventory, making it easier to match compatible parts to that bike.
Each manufacturer has their own identification system. But the first numbers usually indicate the year, and then month of manufacture. And the remaining numbers indicate the specific ID of that bike.
The best way to read a bicycle serial number is to search the web for “[brand name] bike serial number decoder”.
Why is the bike serial number important?
You will hear many people (including me) banging on about the importance of knowing your bike serial number.
That’s because when your bike is stolen, it’s the serial number that gives you the biggest chance of getting it back.
You use the serial number to register your bike with the various registration schemes such as Bike Index, Bike Register and Project 529. If the police recover your bike, they'll use the serial number to link it to you.
And it’s the serial number that will prove to anyone that the bike is definitively yours.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to matter how much we bang on about how important this is! Because over 80% of cyclists don't know their frame number. Which means that the chances of them getting their bike when it’s stolen are tiny.
So, don’t be one of those people! Go and find your serial number now. Photograph it. Email it to your self. Register your bike with one of the bike registration organisations.
Be a winner!
I found the serial number to my e bike but when I put it in the system it says that serial numbers don’t exist
Hi, does this mean my bike was manufactured in 2016? SNMNG16F11716
I got a snfsd8kb1600
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Cc3du947
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F1107c0950
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snace05a23751
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I have a bicycle given to me without any information except for this id – GE12L00752. I figured out that it must have been made in December or year 2012? Who made the frame of the Bicycle? I’m trying to find this out. Thanks John
I have a Micargi gas bike with serial number A25 1416896
Cannot find any info on this bike. Can you help you
My bicycle serial number is DJKB101276, CAN YOU HELP?
People at bike shops deliberately refuse to tell people this whenever they fix up bikes.
my son was hit by a car from the back he was in coma for 5 days they stole his bike the cops ask me about the model number I don’t have it I have the receipt how can I get the model number
I’m really sorry to hear that, Jasmin. Have you looked in all the places on the frame in this article?
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Can anyone please tell me what brand the bike might be?
Thanks
I have a twenty folding bike
na 6000 930. How do I find how old this is and how much it could be worth?
I have a bike I’m restoring it’s alot of brand name parts but can’t find out what kinda mountain bike serial #C65NE988 iz,iv been lookn everywhere