Frame Engraving - is it Safe?

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Just had a newsletter from the local police offering free postcoding for bikes. The description states

"Please note that the process will involve engraving the underside on the bike frame. We will then seal the engraving to protect it from the elements"

Just a bit worried how safe this is on an aluminium frame...especially as it appears the actual engraving is to be done by the local bobbies, not a bike shop person... Has anybody else has it? Any frame problems? Does it look messy?
 

andygates

New Member
That'll be with a buzzy engraver - kinda like a tattoo gun or a vibrator with a nail attached. Perfectly safe on a chunky bit of metal like the BB shell. Clean the bike first so that the lacquer binds properly.
 

PrettyboyTim

New Member
Location
Brighton
I got it done at my LBS shortly after getting my bike. Unfortunately the guy doing the engraving made a mistake and put the wrong postcode on there. He then had to cross out the incorrect last letter and replace it with the correct one. WATCH THEM LIKE A HAWK as they do it. I was getting distracted buying some inner tubes at the time.

They didn't lacquer it or anything afterwards.
 

Danny

Legendary Member
Location
York
You sure Andy? In York the police used to use a chisel type thingy to bash your post code and house number into your frame.

Now they put some kind of chip into your seat tube which seems much more high tech.
 

DLB

Senior Member
reminds me of when i got my postcode stamped on my BB aged about 10 at the local primary school. Don't think that did any damage to my old raleigh grifter. Anybody remember the grifter bikes. My god they were heavy!!!
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
My LBS does it when you buy the bike off them ... and puts on their post code so it doesn't matter if you change house. Its on the underside of the BB.
 

andygates

New Member
That's three technologies then - stamping, etching or engraving. None are going to bend your frame and summon Ann Coulter to critique your outfit :wacko:
 

simonali

Guru
Think I'd rather cough up 25 quid for a datatag than have my paintwork defiled. Still valid if you move house, too!
 

yorkshiregoth

Master of all he surveys
Location
Heathrow
Would this be safe on a carbon frame?
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
simonali said:
Think I'd rather cough up 25 quid for a datatag than have my paintwork defiled. Still valid if you move house, too!

Have you ever had to use it?

Reason I ask is I had a Datatag several years ago. When the bike was nicked as far as I could tell they did nothing, and I mean NOTHING, about it.
 

lazyfatgit

Guest
Location
Lawrence, NSW
The problem with any marking/tagging is that the bikes needs to be spotted in some way as potentially stolen.

Not seen too many policemen doing spot checks on bikes around here.

i guess if it turns up dumped or is found during some other crime investigation then it would help.
 

lazyfatgit

Guest
Location
Lawrence, NSW
I had them on my last 2 bikes, but after asking on the C+ forum what was the most likely system to ensure recovery of my latest bike, i decided on the balance of the replies not to bother.
 
Stamping will damage aluminium and carbon frames. Don't do it to them.

I've heard that your LCC/CTC sticker is nearly as effective as a deterrent - thieves assume the bike will be stamped, smart-watered, datatagged and have a homing device.
 
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