Identifying your bicycle by its serial number

You don’t need a serial number to know what type of bicycle you have.

If you can share a photo of the bicycle, it will be easier for Quorans or members of bicycle related forums to answer you just by looking at it and its parts or just its frame. You can see many types of bicycles available in the market from this image I found at AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons).

Do you see any there that looks like yours? If you do, click on their link to “Different Bikes for Different Cyclists” for the name of the type of bicycle you have.

If you wish to identify its brand or model number, look at its frame. They are either:

-painted or
-embossed or
-printed on a sticker or
-with an emblem attached, as shown below for a Seven Up brand.

If the information you require are lost as the frame is badly rusted or had been painted over, the serial number can be used to identify them based on the format used to build it by its manufacturers. If you are able to decode the format used, you will also be able to discover when and where it was manufactured.

The easy way to do it is do a search for “bike forum serial numbers” which will lead you to forums with members discussing on matters related to serial numbers. By doing that search, I found link to "Serial Number And Date Code Information" at “The Cabe” which is short for “The Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange”. If you are sure that your bicycle is an antique, you can go through the serial number charts they shared on that link. You can also start a thread there to enquire about your bicycle by sharing its photo and serial number.

Your other option is do a search for “bicycle serial number chart” or “decode bicycle serial number ”. Click on link to “image” to look for chart with serial numbers shared similar to yours.  Once you have found it, you can click on the link to the chart to read details posted about it.

How can I choose the best bike for my children?

This chart provides a general idea of the type and wheel sizes of bicycles your children can ride on, based on their age.

The best bike, from your children’s point of view, will be the one that is:

-suitable for their age as one that is too big scares them.

-in the colours that they like.

-printed with images of their favourite cartoons (for the younger ones).

-similar to that their friends are cycling on (for the older kids).

-meet their purpose, example, BMX for kids who enjoy performing tricks or road bike or fixie for those who enjoy speeding down the road on large wheels or MTBs for those who like to cycle on rough terrains.

From different parents’ point of view (I have met many), the best bicycle for their children will be the one:

-that is safest to ride on, which is usually smaller in size than the one recommended by the bike shop
because they are worried that their children cannot handle them and will be hurt.

-that is the cheapest one in the shop because they are frugal or they have a budget to meet.

-that is easy or not costly to maintain, example, with no gear components installed because they do not trust that their children will take care of the bike well.

-that can also be ridden by other members in the family because they are practical or there are too many members in the family to get each child a bike.

-that have more accessories installed like carrier, mudguards, bell and basket.

-that comes with lots of free gifts like helmet, bell and lights.

From a bike shop owner’s point of view, the best bike for children will be one:

-that the child can ride over a longer period of time (but that is bad for my business).

-that can be shared amongst siblings and, if possible, adults in the family (but that is bad for my business).

-that are installed with carrier, basket , mudguards, bell, front and rear light for children who rides to school or run errands on them.

If you are looking in that direction, consider getting adult folding bikes for your children. As you can see, the seat post and stem height on a folding bike are adjustable to cater to riders of various heights.  This also allows the cyclist to sit in a more upright position.

So, an adult folding bike in wheel size of:

-12″ and 14″ can be ridden by a child age 4.

-16″ can be ridden by a child age 5 and above.

-20″ can also be ridden by a child age 6 till adulthood.

Also, the handlebars on some folding bicycles can be removed if they are bolted on to the stems or there is a quick release mechanism to release them from their stems.

If the distance from the seat to the handlebar is too far to reach. it allows the parent to replace the current handlebar to one that is curved towards a shorter rider in the family.

There are adult bicycles in the market with smaller wheel size that their children can also ride on. This is a 16″ wheel size bicycle made for the Japanese market. A child age 5 or above should be able to ride on it.

This is also made for the Japanese market. Its rear wheel is 16″ while the front is 24″.

Some 20″ wheel size bicycles for children can also be ridden by adults. A child age 6 should not have any problem cycling on a 20″ wheel size BMX.  However, if the top tube length is too long, the handlebar can be pushed towards a shorter rider to enable him to reach it.

Just note that getting the child a BMX with a longer top tube length means that he will be able to ride it for a longer period of time.

When the child is taller replace the seat post to one that is laid back.  The increased distance from the saddle to the handlebar will make the child's ride more comfortable.

The carrier on this 20″ wheel size bicycle can handle load as it is welded to the frame. This is a suitable bicycle for a child who rides to school or have to run errands on it.  

Changes can be made to a bicycle to meet the purpose for buying it.  For example, the customer of the above bicycle, opt to attached a removable padded rear seat to the bicycle so that she can ferry her younger sibling. The original saddle was replaced with one that is larger so that seniors in her family can sit on it comfortably. A stem extender was also added to increase the height of the handlebar so that someone taller in the family can ride on it with comfort.

Here is another 20″ wheel size, low cost and low maintenance bicycle to consider getting for children age 6 and adults to ride on.  It looks like a folding bike as its top tube is low. 

If you plan on getting a bicycle for your child to ride to school on, consider getting one with full mudguards installed as it rains all year round in Malaysia. 

Is a hard bicycle saddle better?

Take a look at saddles usually installed on bicycles for long distance rides and you will know that for a comfortable ride, a wider plushy saddle is the better choice.

Manufacturers tend to provide saddles that are smaller and less padded in order to reduce the weight of bicycles.

This is why customers who have just started cycling tend to change the original saddles installed on the bicycles they purchased. As it will take about three months for the gluteal muscles at the buttocks to develop, saddles that are padded or larger in size provide them some relieve from the aches they have to endure when they started cycling.

Cyclists with pronounced posterior tend to choose the most padded saddles they could find in the shop.

Some may feel embarrassed about being seen with a larger saddle installed and will opt for padded foam or gel saddle covers.

Some may also opt to wear padded cyclist shorts.

There are many type of saddles in the market. Some brands supply them in different shapes and sizes for male and female cyclists. The ones for female riders tend to have shorter nose which can be uncomfortable for some male riders. Female riders tend to have wider hips which can make it uncomfortable for them to sit on saddles for male riders which tend to be narrower.

If you prefer hard saddle, the one you should consider getting should be made of leather. It is more expensive but as you sit on it over a period of time, the leather will conform to the shape of your butt to give you a more comfortable ride.

Just make sure that you install it correctly on the seat post as that can also affect the comfort of your ride.

Should bicyclists obsess less over their component selection and focus more on developing their motor?

Getting a bicycle is not as straight forward as that. I am serving a generation of customers craving instant gratification with their purchase. Here are some points to note when choosing a bicycle.

When customers enter my shop, the first question I will ask is if they are cycling with their friends. It defeats the purpose of buying a mountain bike if the group of friends you are joining are riding road bikes. Your cycling skills can’t help much here as you will be struggling to catch up on your knobby tyres as your friends sped by on their road bike with 700C slick tyres, heads bent forward on tarred road.

Similarly, size of wheels also matters. In Malaysia, it is now popular to choose bicycle with wheel size of 27.5” or a 29er. So, if you were to buy a 26” bike, you may have a problem chasing after your friends cycling on a 27.5” or a 29er, as with each revolution, it can go a bit further than a 26er.

Once my customers have that settled, they will then have to decide if they would like to consider buying bicycles similar in standard to what their friends are cycling. If they just opt for a cheaper model than there is an issue of "losing face", a cultural behavior that the Asians will understand. That is, the feeling that you have lost self-esteem as “what you have is not better than theirs”.

This is how I help my customers overcome that problem. The general idea of most customers is that better components will be installed on a higher priced bicycle. In order to help them make the right decision, I will let them compare components on one bicycle with those on another instead of comparing price of each bicycle to make the decision to purchase. Sometimes, a less well known brand may have better gearing system installed vs one that is branded even though they are similar in price. Then you will have to decide if you would prefer the brand you are seeking and pay more for higher end components installed, which tend to be lighter in weight.
I let my customers feel the mechanism of the bicycle so that they can tell, for example, the difference of using a bicycle with mechanical disc brake over one with hydraulic disc brake or one with V-brake. I let them lift up a 20” steel folding bicycle so that they can imagine how heavy a steel bike with 26” wheelset or higher would be like. Then they can decide if it is best that they pay more for bicycle with alloy, chrommolly or carbon frame.
The important thing as a customer is that you must ask the shop if spare parts of components on the bicycle of your choice are easy to find and replace. So, even if you opt to choose a lower end bicycle due to current budget, you know that you can upgrade the components at later stage when you understand bicycles better as you ride and are sure that you are serious about cycling.
Once you have cycled on your bicycle (or your friends’) and have a clearer idea of what you really like, you will have reached the stage to be obsessed about components. But this time it is because you want to build up your cycling skills with the right components.

Should I buy a fork for BMX or MTB?

When you buy a fork for mountain bike, you have the option to buy one with suspension or without. There are forks in the market for 20″ MTB like the one shown here. 20″ MTBs are usually recommended for kids of age 6 and above.

If you plan to buy a replacement fork just make sure that it fits the size of the bicycle you intend to install it on. They come in sizes for 20″ right up to 29″ bicycles. Choose one with suspension if you plan on riding off road as it will take the strain off your shoulders during bumpy rides on your bicycle.

If you buy a cheaper fork with suspension, it is likely that you will not be able to adjust the shock absorbers as there is no dial on it to adjust their tension or to lock it so that it does not move at all.


BMX forks do not have suspension and they are usually built sturdier and stronger than other fork without suspension, eg, meant for a fixie or a regular 20″ bicycle. You will not be able to install your BMX rims or tyres on a fixed gear fork as the tyre width for BMX can be as wide as 2.35″

Mountings on the fork for the brakes are located differently for V-Brake, U-Brake or disc brakes. So, inform the shop the kind of brakes you intend to fix on your BMX.

In Malaysia, it is now popular for youngsters to modify their 20″ BMX with a double fork (with or without suspension) like this.

This is how they want their BMX to look like after modification.

Or like this.


This is how they ride (fly) the modified BMX.


This is dangerous and illegal. Bicycles like these get confiscated by the local authorities if riders are caught in the act.

The specifications of a bicycle

In general, it is good to know the specifications of the bicycle you are interested in. If you discover a shop selling a bicycle way below the price of other shops, hopefully, it is because it is doing a great promotion to draw customers in and not that they have replaced expensive components with cheaper brands or models.

The same applies if you are buying a used bicycle. You would want to buy a second hand bicycle because the components have been upgraded. You can haggle on the price if you know that the original components, which were better, have been replaced.

Here is another point to take note of when you are buying a bicycle for a child. Bicycles for children are usually supplied with mudguards installed. If you don’t see them, they are likely removed by the retailer to be sold separately. Australian brand bicycles for children will usually be supplied with coaster brake and bell installed.

Some brands have websites with specifications of their bicycle posted online. Some distributors supply their bicycles to their retailers with tags that include the price and specifications.



You know that you are getting a real discount on the price if every components/model indicated on the tag are still on the bicycle.

If you want to know the specifications of a bicycle, you need to know:

1. the brand of the bike.
2. what kind of bike it is, eg, MTB or roadbike, etc.
3. the tyre size, eg, 26″ or 27.5″ or 29er or 700C.
4. the model name or number of the bike.
5. if possible, the year of manufacture, just in case some components have been changed for later models.

Do a search for “specifications (brand name) (type of bicycle)”, and you should be able to find the models that are available if they are posted online. If you are able to find their facebook page and it is actively managed, you can post a message there, to find the specifications of the bicycle you are looking for.

Which is the best bicycle for fitness?

The best bike for fitness depends on the terrain you enjoy riding on. 

If the terrain is hilly, a geared bike will be helpful as you can control the speed when you are cycling downhill and it will help you ride up slopes with lesser efforts.

If you would like to cycle to shops near your home for fitness, you will need a bicycle with a basket or rear carrier installed to carry your purchase.

If you plan to cycle with younger children for fitness, consider a 20” folding bike so that it will be easier to ride along with them as they cycle on their 12”, 16” or 20” bicycles. 

A folding bicycle is also suitable for someone who is less confident about handling a larger bike. It will also enable you to take a bus or a train part of the way if you can bring one onbroad. That way you can bring it to a park or somewhere safer or with less traffic to ride.

Do you know that a 26" to 29" or 700C bicycle can be mounted on a trainer?  

When the weather is bad for outdoor activities, you can cycle it stationary like a gym bike in the comfort of your home. The trainer is also great for beginners who would like to build up their stamina before they hit the road with seasoned cyclists.

Don’t find excuses to stop cycling for fitness. Look out for cycling buddies to ride with. It will be more difficult to back out if you have made an appointment with your buddies to ride.

Just make sure that you are cycling on the same kind of bicycle your buddies are on when you join them as you do not want to be chasing them on your 20″ folding bike if they are cycling on a 27.5″ MTB.

Do we need an expensive bike light?

Do you need an expensive bike light? That depends on how often you ride at night and how bright you need it to be if there are no street lights where you ride. The higher the lumens (brightness) the more expensive it is going to cost. Just make sure that the lumens of the light you are getting are within the limit acceptable in your own country.

This 300 Lumens front light is USB rechargeable and water resistant.

Then there is the front light and the rear light. Some brands sell them packaged together which tend to be cheaper than if you buy each separately. There are some rear lights that can also shoot laser beams right on the road you cycle. There are also front lights that can beam the contour of the surface you are cycling on.

Older models are cheaper, especially those with PVC casings. They can be a hassle to unscrew the cap or open up to replace AA cells. They usually have on, off and flashing light functions. The brightness depends on the number of batteries required to run it.

The later and better models run on led light and are usually USB rechargeable with its brightness indicated in lumens.

They have more light setting functions, some as many as 6. They tend to be lighter in weight with alloy casing or with silicon covers. Some brands even sell silicon covers in many colours so that you can interchange them. They are usually easier to install and remove.

So, now that you know what is available in the market, it will be easier for you to decide what you are willing to pay for after checking it brightness, the weight, the functions that go with it and its ease to install. If brand name is important to you, then you have to pay for that too.

There is another option for bicycle light that most cyclists missed checking out on. Do you have a mini lightweight torchlight at home or in your car? If you can mount it on a bicycle light holder that you can find in the market, you may prefer to use that over the regular bicycle light. There are torchlight that are supplied with a regular battery and a rechargeable AA battery. They also come with a charger that you can use to recharge other rechargeable AA batteries that you have in your home. One of the functions I like about such torchlight is that you can reduce the size of the light or have it narrowed down to a pinpoint mode so that it shines more brightly in dark corners.

Am I done on this topic? No. If you are talking about making yourself visible with light while you are cycling, there are headlights,…

…lights on wheels that you can change its design digitally for a signature look.

There are lights that you can strap on your body or bag.

There are lights that run on dynamo if you are an eco-hero.

There are lights that you can attach to your handlebar to indicate right or left turn. Lights that can be mounted to the front of your helmet…

…or permanently attached to the rear of your helmet.

The right question to ask is how safe you want to be while out cycling in the dark. The safer you want to be the more expensive it will cost you should you consider installing every gizmo there are in the market to brighten your ride.

Should I do mountain biking, BMX biking, or road biking?

If you love nature, mountain biking is a good choice. 



If you enjoy speeding and bending forward to ride to reduce aerodynamic drag, road biking will be the better choice. 



If you enjoy fully utilising your optimal strength and putting on a show doing twists and turns, a no gear bike like BMX is for you.


This is a video of one of my customers, doing his stuff on his BMX. He is paid to perform at local events.




The best way to choose, if you have not bought any of the above bicycles to experiment with is to watch videos of cyclists doing their stuff on their bike. Do you envision yourself doing the same and enjoying it as much?

How thrilling do you want your ride to be? 

Can you see yourself doing that?  Is fatbike a bicycle that you will now consider?