Where is the frame number on a fatbike?

First check the underside of the frame. According to the police, the frame number is engraved there in the frame, but according to the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, these days it is often no more than a sticker covered with a layer of paint. The exact location varies by brand. If you cannot find it, get your proof of ownership: according to the police, the number is usually listed there.

Below, you can read where else to look, why you need the number, how to check the frame number of a fatbike, and what to do if your bike does not have one. At the bottom, there are fatbikes to compare.

Where is the frame number located on the frame?

The police describe the frame number as a unique number engraved on the underside of the frame. In the past, frame numbers were stamped into the frame, writes the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, but nowadays it is often a sticker. For example, Gazelle and Batavus place a barcode sticker near the bottom bracket. Not all bikes have such a sticker: some brands put the number in the frame.

We could not find an official overview by fatbike brand or model from the police, the RDW or Stop Heling. Therefore, search the entire frame. If your bike contains a chip, note that number too: according to the Dutch government, the frame number or chip number is particularly important when reporting a theft. According to the police, such a chip may be located in the tube beneath the saddle.

Where else is the frame number listed?

On paper. According to the police, it is usually listed on the proof of ownership you receive from the bike dealer. Stop Heling says that for bikes, the serial number is the frame number, and that a serial number is usually also listed on the packaging, delivery note or invoice. So keep these documents.

Once you have found the number, write it down and keep it in a safe place, the police advise. Also take a photo of your bike and note its identifying features, for example on a bike registration card. You can register serial numbers in the Stop Heling app. This information remains on your own phone; only after a theft and your report will it be added to the police database.

Why do you need the frame number?

Especially in the event of theft. If you provide the frame number when reporting the theft, the police can find your bike more quickly, and the number is often required for insurance purposes. The police can only return a recovered bike to you if the theft report includes a frame number or chip number, writes the Dutch government.

With this information, your fatbike will be registered as stolen in the RDW bicycle theft register after you report the theft. According to the RDW, 7 percent of reports result in the bike being returned to its owner.

How do you check the frame number of a fatbike?

In the RDW bicycle theft register. You need the brand and frame number for this. The register only contains reports made after January 1, 2008, and the police have a maximum of 10 days to check a report before the bike is registered as stolen. If you get a “no” result, the bike may still have been stolen according to the RDW: far from everyone reports a theft.

A second check can be carried out through Stop Heling, the police database of stolen goods. Enter at least 5 digits or letters from the serial number, which for a bike means the frame number. If it appears in the database, do not buy the bike. If the register shows that a bike you want to buy has been stolen, report it to the police via 0900-8844, or anonymously via 0800-7000.

Buying a used fatbike: what to look out for

According to the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, obscured frame numbers or postcodes, forced-open locks or locks without a key indicate theft. Do not blindly trust a sticker either: according to the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, it is very easy for thieves to remove a frame-number sticker and replace it with a fake one.

Always ask for a receipt showing the frame number and a description of the bike, and keep it. If you buy from a bike dealer, you are legally protected as a buyer according to the police. And if you buy a bike while suspecting that it has been stolen, that constitutes handling stolen goods through negligence. According to Stop Heling, this can result in a prison sentence or a fine.

Does every fatbike have a frame number?

Not necessarily. In 2013, Fietsberaad reported that a mandatory frame number for bikes would not be introduced. If your bike does not have a frame number, the police say you can have an RAI number added to your bike at a bicycle depot near you. Bring your proof of purchase with you.

The police also mention bike engraving initiatives, in which a unique code is engraved into your bike. If your bike is stolen before a number has been added, provide the police with as many other identifying features as possible: according to the Dutch government, for example, the brand, type and color, and according to the police, also scratches, the type of lock and the sticker from the bike shop.