Rudge Bicycle Serial Number

All bikes¹all have unique serial numbers.

I have an all original '52 Rudge (based on hub date) which has chrome, no black, and the brazed on pulley mount. It probably won't help you, but the serial number on mine is 317860 R. I believe Raleigh acquired Rudge in 1943. One source for Raleigh serial numbers indicates AJ as being used in 1948. 1929 840000-end of run then undated until 1932 (highest number I’ve seen is K854620) Note About Undated Hubs. There were no date marks, or numbers that could be used to date hubs, in 1930-1931. These were instead marked with the letter A, which has lead many to presume erroneously that they have the much earlier and scarcer A hub.

My understanding from what I have been reading is that all Raleigh built (as opposed to just Raleigh badged) bikes used the same frames across equivalent models (various parts books seem to show this too - 1950 and 1955) and so presumably used the same serial numbering system, as it would make little sense if the bare frames were fabricated. In production longer (1948-1960) than any of the other Raleigh 'club' bikes and indelibly associated with Reg Harris, Britain's greatest cycle champion of the era and Raleigh spokesman, the Lenton series was indeed 'the undoubted thoroughbred of its class' as the best selling entry level club/sports machine of the immediate post-war era.

Finding a bicycle serial number

Most bicycles have their serial number engraved beneath their bottom bracket, but sometimes serial numbers are found in other places. Here are some examples of where and what to look for:

The bottom bracket (where serial numbers are typically located) is circled.
A serial number on the underside of a bottom bracket.
Another serial number beneath the bottom bracket, aligned parallel to the frame.
Rad Power bikes have their serial number on the head tube. Crack no cd call of duty 4 modern warfare pc game. This is on the front of the bike.
Some Schwinn bicycles also have the unique identifying number (their serial number) on the head tube.
A serial number located on a rear dropout. Some BMX bikes and a few Schwinn bicycles place the serial on the rear dropout. On older Schwinns there are numbers stamped on both the drive side and non-drive side rear dropouts; the one on the non-drive side dropout is the serial number.
Some bikes have multiple serial numbers.²When adding a bike to the Index, it's best to enter all the groups of numbers and letters separated by spaces.

Download java 1.7 for windows 10. Hopefully you can find the serial number on the bicycle you're looking at - email contact@bikeindex.org if you're having trouble.

Searching serials on Bike Index

Finding bicycles by serial number on Bike Index is a critical part of our functionality. When searching for a serial number, use our serial search bar - it's the second bar on our search form.

Rudge Whitworth Bicycle

We've done a few things to make it more likely that you'll find the bike you're looking for.

Certain numbers and letters are difficult or impossible to distinguish between (e.g. 0 and O, S and 5). We treat all these numbers the same way - a search for 005LLL will match a bike with the serial OOS111.
We split bike serials up by spaces and store each separately. If you see multiple numbers on a bicycle - such as in the photo of the Look bike above - try searching for just one of the numbers at a time. Searching for eitherM4106I9CA1 or 200910427-2A will find the bike.
We do close serial matching - bikes with serial numbers that are close to the serial you entered are shown below the matching results under the heading 'Serial Numbers Close to..' - given a search of a serial number with a couple numbers/letters that are different or missing.
We do not currently do partial serial searches. If you search for 1234, you will only find bikes with serial numbers of 1234 and serials close to that - not a bike with serial number of 12345689.

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 you encounter.↩

Rudge Bicycle History

Rudge Bicycles For Sale

Rudge was successful in the period of the ordinary and they almost invented the safety. In 1879 they produced one of the first models designed by Lawson. This bicycle was already called 'the bicyclette', a name that became the French word for bicycle.
This Rudge bicyclette model H has a rare double tube frame. The bike is incredibly heavy, in fact it makes me think of a light motorcycle! The model is not unique for Rudge; we know of some French factories that built the same frame; these might be copies of the original Rudge design. This bike has socket steering (without balls). Rudge also made a version with pivot steering.
This bicycle with serial number 79069 was built in 1891-1892. It has a lot of nice details and was very well restored by Maarten WaarlÃ©, who also made the pictures. Note that the mudguards are original, even the strange 'wave' near the front fork. Look at the illustration from the catalogue! Only detail that is not correct is the new leather on the saddle.
I asked Maarten why the step was mounted on the right side, when all other safeties have it left side. He told me there was no other possibility: the axle was long at the right side and too short on the left side..
I really love this bicycle, it is the safety in its best form. Not very practical, but experimental in a lot of details. It's like an evolution, leading to the modern bicycle in only ten years time.