1. Hercules English Bicycle
2. Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers
3. Amf Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers

Bicycles (except children's bicycles) are almost always required to have a frame or serial number. Some manufacturers use a date-code as part of the serial number. For example, a Brompton uses YYMMXXX as their serial code, so a Brompton with a serial number of was manufactured in 2013.06 or June 2013. Hercules SETUP utility is useful serial port terminal (RS-485 or RS-232 terminal), UDP/IP terminal and TCP/IP Client Server terminal. It was created for HW group internal use only, but today it's includes many functions in one utility and it's Freeware! For the German Bicycle and Motorcycle manufacturer see: Hercules Fahrrad GmbH & Co The Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910 in Aston in England. The name Hercules was chosen for its associations of durability and robustness. The company was founded by Edmund and Harry Crane and started life in Coventry Street, Birmingham. Note that the serial number information below is fragmentary and incomplete, and many bikes have proven to be much newer than the serial numbers would suggest. It appears that Raleigh recycled many of the older serial numbers in later years, so there are lots of bikes from the 60s and 70s that have serial numbers that would suggest much greater. Okay, fine, so maybe there are a few bikes without serial numbers, but this is rare and typical only on hand made bikes or really old bicycles.; In this picture 200910427-2A is a manufacturer number and not a serial number. However, to make bikes as easy as possible to find, feel free to enter all numbers.

For the German Bicycle and Motorcycle manufacturer see: Hercules Fahrrad GmbH & Co

The Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910^[1] in Aston in England.^[2]

The name Hercules was chosen for its associations of durability and robustness. The company was founded by Edmund and Harry Crane and started life in Coventry Street, Birmingham, England, initially producing 25 bicycles a week.^[3]

History[edit]

Crane's parents bought the Petros Cycle Company which was subsequently managed by Edmund's mother, Edith. Their children, Harry and Ted, left school at 14 and helped their parents with the business. In 1906 Jack Crane was declared bankrupt and the family moved to Lightwoods Hill. There they sold bikes at auctions. The bankruptcy finding meant they were bought in the mother's name and sold to the sons even though she had also been made bankrupt.

In 1911, Harry and Ted rented a derelict house in Coventry Street, using a name they had already registered in 1910, the Hercules Cycle and Motor Company. Harry assembled bicycles and Ted cycled around Birmingham for parts. Ted had problems selling because of fierce competition but soon made progress, trading on low price and high quality. Production outgrew the site and bikes were packed on the pavement. The brothers went from 25 to 70 bicycles a week within six months. They moved to a house with a yard in Conybere Street. It had 10 workers. Within a few months, production had doubled and the company moved to larger premises in Conybere Street, Highgate.

Growth[edit]

In 1923, a third move was made to an ex-Dunlop factory in Rocky Lane, Aston. This became Hercules's Britannia Works and grew to 13 acres (53,000 m²). It was the site of the company's offices.^[3] By 1914 production rose to 10,000 a year. The First World War brought an order to make shells.

In 1928 Hercules exported one in five of all British cycles and, by 1935, 40 per cent. In 1929, it took over the Dunlop factory in Nechells, less than a mile to the north-west in Long Acre. This site was named Manor Mills.^[4] The company made its six millionth bicycle in February 1939.

During this period, Birmingham had been home to a large number of cycle manufacturers, most of which did not prosper. The success of Hercules was attributed to a number of factors, including the name and production methods. After 1923, Hercules produced the majority of the components of their bicycles, apart from the inner tubes and tyres. Factories ran using mass-production, producing more than 1,000 cycles a day, each taking less than 10 minutes to assemble.

Ted Crane would not employ union members. He paid 10 per cent better than the union rate, although he sacked workers who could not produce 15 per cent more than unionised workers.

Hercules exported a significant percentage of production – by the time Sir Malcolm Campbell was invited to see the three millionth bicycle in 1933, over half the production had been sent overseas, earning £6 million and letters of congratulation from the King and Prince of Wales.

Production continued and by the end of the thirties, Hercules had produced more than six million bicycles, and could claim to be the biggest manufacturer of cycles in the world.^[3]

A third factory was added in the 1950s in Plume Street, Long Acre, a short distance from Manor Mills. By this time, Hercules had become one of the largest businesses in Aston, and helped give the area its character.^[5] To this day, the mascot of Aston Villa football club is Hercules the Lion.

In 1946, Crane sold the company to Tube Investments for three and a quarter million pounds criticising his accountant who he said had 'given away the company'.^[6] He stayed on the board of the company. TI had been the main supplier to Hercules, providing the tubing from which the bicycle frames were made. By then, Hercules had lost its understanding of the market. Its racing bike had steel handlebars when alloy was the fashion. It had five gears when 10 were normal. It had heavy tubing and not Reynolds 531. The last bicycles with the Hercules name were produced by Raleigh factory in Nottingham. The name was allowed to die, although Hercules registered accounts until the end of 2001 and the company was not wound up until 2 December 2003. By then it was registered at Raleigh's address in Triumph Road, Nottingham.

Tube Investments combined the company with Norman, Phillips, and Sun to form the British Cycle Corporation in 1956. Hercules adopted the slogan 'Wonder Wheels'.

Sponsorship[edit]

In 1952 Eileen Sheridan became involved with Hercules. She broke records for Hercules between 1952 and 1954.^[7]

It was also at this time leading cyclist Derek Buttle approached Hercules about forming a racing team. In 1953, the company agreed, and became one of the first British bicycle manufacturers to run a professional road race team. The team raced on the Continent for a couple of years and disbanded in 1955.^[8] Sheridan, other time-trial professionals such as Ken Joy, and the road race team, were managed by a member of Hercules' sales staff, racing cyclist Frank Southall. He had held many records and rode for Britain in the Olympic Games. He also rode for Hercules as a professional.

Consolidation and decline[edit]

The British cycle industry suffered a downturn from this time, and Hercules was affected due to its reliance on exports – new tariffs were instituted in the US, and the Empire started to purchase bicycles produced in Africa and Asia. A 1955 attempt to diversify into moped production was largely unsuccessful. In 1956 Tube Investments made 1,250 employees of the British Cycle Corporation redundant, following deadlock with unions over changed working practices. Many of the workers were from Hercules factories.^[9]

As a result, Tube Investments bought the Nottingham-based Raleigh Cycle Company in 1960 to form TI Raleigh Industries. Combined, they controlled 75% of the British bicycle market. Management of the British Cycle Corporation was handed to the Raleigh management, as that company with its greater domestic focus, was larger and better known. Raleigh quickly decided to cut the number of brands, and move to using Raleigh designs and standards. Production was concentrated in Nottingham in 1960, and by 1963 there was little left of a distinctive Hercules.

The original company – still part of Raleigh – was dissolved on 2 December 2003.^[2] The company archives are at the National Cycle Archive.^[10]

The brand lives on as part of TI Cycles of India.^[11]

Hercules Trade Bike[edit]

Here is an example of a Hercules trade bike

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^British Cycle Corporation, July 1958
2. ^ ^abCompany registration 111679: Companies House – http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
3. ^ ^abcBirmingham Voice, 24 September 2003
4. ^Hercules CyclesArchived 2006-12-16 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^Birmingham City Council – History of Aston
6. ^The Bicycle, 4 December 1946, p30
7. ^'Eileen Sheridan – A Cycling Life' Peter Whitfield, Wychwood Publishing (2006)
8. ^Dennis Talbot - ex-professional racing cyclist
9. ^Our Century 1950-1975
10. ^A Collection-level Description of the National Cycle Archive
11. ^TI Cycles

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After buying a new bicycle, whether it’s a new one straight off the rack, or a second-hand vintage bicycle you got from someone, one of the first things you need to do before riding off into the sunset is to find the bike serial number.

This serial number is important for two reasons: one, if you don’t know what type of bike you have, you’ll be able to find that out with a simple bicycle serial number chart. Two, in case your bicycle gets stolen, you’ll be able to track it down since anyone, including the authorities, can identify the bike by serial number.

In this article, we’ll talk about what a bike serial number is, why it’s important, how you can find your bike’s serial number, why you need to register your bicycle and how you can do it, how you can find your missing bike, and how to tell whether your bike is stolen goods.

Contents

• 3 Where To Find The Bike Serial Number
• 6 Can You Look Up A Bike Serial Number?

What is a Bike Serial Number?

First things first- what is a bike serial number? Simply put, a bike serial number, also called a bike frame number, is a string of numbers with anywhere between six to ten digits. Each and every bicycle has a unique serial number assigned by its manufacturer.

What does a bicycle serial number mean, you ask? It’s a form of identification much like a fingerprint that tells you which of the thousands of the same bike is yours. It also helps the manufacturer in terms of inventory, and the repair shop in finding suitable parts that need replacement in your bicycle.

Now, how do you read a bike serial number? The answer somewhat depends on the bike brand or manufacturer, since each one has their own metrics on how to assign these identifying digits onto a bike or bike part.

That said, the first digit/s usually indicate the year when the bicycle was made, the second set of digits representing the month, and the last few digits indicating the assembly and individual ID of the bicycle. The easiest way to read the bike serial number is by using a bicycle serial number decoder for the specific brand of your bike.

Why The Bike Serial Number Is Important

As you can tell, the bike serial number is very important, even though it’s almost always overlooked by bicycle owners. You may not think that you need it, but it can help you in so many ways. For example…

1. If your bicycle gets damaged and you’d like it to be covered by its warranty, you’ll need to provide the bike serial number.
2. If you need to take the bike in for repairs, the mechanic will be able to better figure out what bike parts are compatible with your ride.
3. Most importantly, if your bicycle gets lost or stolen, you can use this unique identifier in order to track down and locate your bike.

The third example is the most important, since describing your bike or having photos of it won’t be enough. Let’s say you own an amazing BMX bike. Unless you’ve made significant modifications to it, there are literally hundreds of the same bike with the same color and same size wheels out there.

In fact, in some ways, a heavily modified bike will be harder to track, as any thief with common sense will want to dismantle the bike as soon as possible so it’s not as identifiable and so he can sell its individual parts to different customers.

If you have the serial number, you’ll have a better chance to find your bike (or its dismembered parts) with the help of an online bike serial number search, bicycle tracking organizations, and the police. Installingdevice trackers for bikes is a good idea, but even if you buy the best one money can buy, it can still be removed, so knowing your serial number is a good back-up.

Where To Find The Bike Serial Number

Now that you know why the serial number is important, let’s talk about where to find a bike serial number. Now, usually, it’s under the bicycle’s bottom bracket, right in that spot where the pedal cranks meet. But if it’s not there, don’t stress. Below is a list of other spots you can check.

Where is the serial number on a bike?

• Headset
• Rear stays
• Seat downtube
• On top of the crank

Once you find the serial number, you need to record it and save yourself some copies in case you ever need to do a bike identification by serial number. You can…

1. Take a picture of the serial number (make sure it’s 100% readable)
2. Take a picture of yourself with the bike (make sure the serial number can be seen)
3. If there’s a barcode sticker on the bike near the serial number, take a picture of that too, as it might be useful for warranty claims
4. Send the pictures to yourself via email or upload them to the cloud

Do E-bikes Have Bike Serial Numbers?

Yes, electric bicycles have serial numbers as well. This number identifier can be found at the same places that the serial number would appear on a traditional pedal bike, so you can start your search around these locations.

Next Step: Register Your Bike

Once you do all the steps above, the final thing you should do is to register your bike in a bicycle serial number database so you’ll have better proof that the bicycle is yours.

The process is quite easy, too. There are plenty of local and international registration services that are free of charge and easy to use, such as Bike Register, Bike Index, and 529 garages. Depending on your location, you might also be able to register your bike with your local police department. This works in New York and Chicago, to name a few cities.

You might even get an ID sticker for your bike to show that it’s been registered, which might help ward off criminals. Either way, prevention is always better than cure, and while registering your bike may not be able to prevent it from getting stolen, it does help you get it back if you are registered as its rightful owner.

What If Your Bike Doesn’t Have A Serial Number?

Most bikes today come with a serial number, but not all of them. Older, hand-made, vintage bicycles either don’t have serial numbers at all, or the bike has been severely worn by time and the number is simply not readable.

Tcm bendix magneto overhaul manual. If this is the case for you, don’t worry. You can still register your bicycle.

The best way to go about it is to reach out to Project 529, a non-profit company for bicycle registration and tracking. You simply need to purchase a registration kit to establish ownership of your bicycle.

This kit comes with a tamper and weather resistant sticker and a unique identifier, similar to an actual bike serial number. Just stick it to your preferred location on the bicycle frame, and it will stay there permanently, so you can use it to track your bicycle if it ever gets stolen.

Can You Look Up A Bike Serial Number?

You’ve taken all the preventive steps to protect your bike, but what can you do if and when the worst happens and your bike goes missing? Can you look up a bike serial number? The short answer is yes.

While you can ask for the help of the local police and bike tracking organizations, as well as notify bike shops around the area and the general community so more people will be on the lookout, you can also try and find your bicycle yourself.

You can do this by using websites like Bike Register and Bike Index, as their mission is to help bicycle owners like you track down their stolen bikes. It’s also easy to use their website and do a bike serial number lookup. You just need to enter your serial number in the search bar and wait for the results to pop up.

Is It Okay To Track Down Your Bicycle Yourself?

Like we mentioned just now, it’s perfectly legal, bicycle law wise, to do a bike serial number check yourself so you can try to locate your stolen bicycle. However, while you technically can go and try to personally retrieve your bicycle, it might be dangerous, so it’s best if you inform the authorities where you found your bike and have them proceed from there.

Hercules English Bicycle

Other Ways To Protect Your Bicycle

Aside from knowing your bike serial number which helps you track down a stolen bike, there are a few other things you can do to really safeguard your bicycle and prevent it from getting stolen in the first place. These include:

1. Buying a good quality device tracker for bicycles like this one from Amazon
2. Looking for a reliable bicycle storage company such as CycleSafe.com and SecureCycleStore.com

Remember, it’s just as important to invest in safekeeping your bicycle regardless of how much you spent on it, aka whether it’s a cheap hybrid bike under $500, or a new, glamorous, and expensive fat bike.

Bonus: How To Tell If Your Second Hand Bike Is Stolen Goods

When we’re buying merchandise that isn’t brand new, there’s really only so much we can do to guarantee the item’s condition, whether it works properly, or even where it actually came from in the first place. Besides, a huge reason why we’re buying second hand is to save money, and there are quite a few things we are willing to look over to save a few bucks.

Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers

But, it’s still important to make sure that what you’re buying comes from a good place, i.e, it’s not stolen. When it comes to bicycles, here’s how you can tell whether the bike is stolen goods, or it’s simply not worth purchasing for whatever reason:

Amf Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers

• Look for the bike serial number, and search it up on the bike tracking sites we mentioned above to see whether it’s registered or has been reported missing, etc.
• If the serial number isn’t visible, like if it’s been filed out or scratched while the rest of the bicycle is in relatively good condition, chances are, the thief tried to erase the number.
• If the price of the bicycle is too low for the market rate even though it’s not showing any obvious issues or signs of damage, it’s either the owner just really wants to declutter, or the bike is stolen and the thief wants to get rid of the product asap.
• If the product advertisement is severely lacking in information and actual photos of the bicycle, it might be a scammer selling you something not worth your money or the thief doesn’t want the bike to be easily identified online.
• If the seller is unresponsive or vague in how they answer your questions about the bicycle, especially questions relating to the bike’s origins, there’s likely something wrong with the bike (or it’s stolen) and the seller doesn’t want you to know until it’s too late.

Want to know how to make the most of your second-hand bike? Read this guide on How to remove rust from bikes and How to measure bike wheels so you can replace them with the right size tires.

Conclusion

A majority of bicycle owners have no idea what the bike serial number is, where it’s located, how to find it, and what purpose it serves. This is unfortunate since the serial number is a very important piece of information that protects your ownership of your bicycle.

Remember, knowing (and keeping copies) of your bike serial number is a must to keep your bike safe, and to help you get it back if it gets lost or stolen. This way, individuals and institutions can help you look for and identify your bike by serial number and registration.