Bicycle Serial Numbers

[Wester]

How many letters or numbers does a bikes serial number contain or does it vary with different manufactures ?

 

[midlife]

Varies with manufacturer, for example bitd Raleigh were generally pretty fastidious and stamped where they were made, the month and year of manufacture plus an individual id number. Falcon cycles jut stamped a few random numbers......

Shaun

 

[raleighnut]

My 653 TT frame does not have a frame number and I don't even know who made it.
It is a high quality (from the lugs and the internal tube that carries the rear brake cable) handmade frame though it just does not have any numbers marked anywhere on it (or any decals/badges)
EDIT - Other than a Reynolds 653 transfer on the downtube and one each side of the front fork, plus it is extremely light so it ain't a BSO that someone has put false 653 stickers on.......before anybody suggests that.