Turn over the bicycle frame and look at the underside. You should be able to spot the serial number in this position. It is often on the bracket tube that is welded to the frame tube. Depending on the year, however, it might be located on the brace behind the bottom bracket.
Serial Number Registry Mr.Hotfoot and Mel are building a serial number database. Collecting build dates and serial numbers will help the hotfoot community track the history and production quantities of the beloved Hotfoot. They would be able to pinpoint the year of manufacture from their serial number database. How do I find out the make of a diamond back BMX bike? 631 Views Where can I look up the serial numbers for my Trek Mountain Bike?
Inspect the number to determine if it has five digits and begins with a 1. Mongoose frames manufactured in 1975 to early 1976 had five-digit numbers hand-stamped on them, starting with 10000. If the serial number of your Mongoose has a number such as 11994, with no letters in or near the number, it is likely a frame from 1975 or early 1976.
Scan the area to see if the letter C is etched above the five numbers. The letter C stands for Chatsworth, the city in California where the Mongoose was made during the early years of production. If there's a C above the serial number on your Mongoose, the bicycle was probably made in early 1976.
Look for a letter and number in addition to the C above the five-digit serial numbers. In May 1976, BMX Products began including a letter and a number with the C. The additional letter indicated the month the frame was produced. The letter A stood for January, the letter B indicated February, and so on. After the letter designating the month of production, a number appears that stands for the year of production. The number 7 indicates 1977, the number 8 stands for 1978, and so on. A serial number from that time period might show CB8 above the five-digit serial number, which is sequential and indicates the number of frames produced in a particular series.
Check for the letter X instead of the C with the serial number, or look for the letter T in front of, above or below the CB8 sequence. If the serial number on the frame has an X instead of a C, then it is likely a Super X model. If the frame has a T in addition to the other letters and numbers, it is probably a Team Mongoose, a Team Minigoose or a Supergoose.
Check for a three-digit designation that doesn't begin with the letter C. In April 1981, the company decided to drop the C and use only one letter, in the A to L sequence, to indicate the month of production, followed by the number indicating the year of production, followed by the sequential serial number. The only exception to this are the frames that were made in the company's Merida factory in Taiwan. These frames begin with an M, followed by the month letter, the year number, and then the sequential serial number.
Been working on this list since Eldorado last year when I started collecting serial numbers. Made a lot of headway and taught my self some good info. Still have to figure out how to decipher the month-to-month serial numbers from 1978-1981, but I think I've got some good info here. The 1980-1981 serial numbers are still a bit of a conundrum, but I'll get it eventually. Thanks to the Haro collector guys for their valuable info.I've been hesitant to post this because it's not complete, but people keep asking me what they have, and I keep seeing bikes posted on eBay as 1970, when they are 280s (1982+), or chromo when they are mild steel, or minis when they are Eddy Kings, etc. I figured it was time to post this: 1. To give sellers and buyers some help ID'ing frames. 2. To encourage others to contribute serial numbers. 3. Get some help from others who may know to complete the key.
Frame info varies depending on what I was told, what I saw or what I could determine from eBay ads, etc. Some serial numbers are incomplete (For example, one guy told me his serial number was TTT 123, then posted a pic and it was clearly TTT 123 0. I'm sure tis happened more than once.) or questionable. These are included for what they are worth.
I plan to put all this in a spread sheet soon.
Okay, here it is. Feel free to comment, add, complain, whatever.
Torker SN Key
• SN on BB is 1979 or earlier (1978s with OG stickers will have double 4130 Chrome Moly sticker on seat tube; 1979s have single 4130 Chrome Moly sticker)
• SN on rear drop out is 1980 or later
• 2 letters at start = pre-1982
• 3 letters at start = 1982+
• Lower (earlier) letters in post-1982 serial numbers indicate production. For example, TLLs are later than TXX.
• SN styles seems to move in and out of years. Some work still needs to be done to put together a complete month-by-month 1977-1984 key.
• Numbers ascend in order through letters after 1982
• Long, non-standard SN = Asian-made, post-1984
End Letter Key
Big Bike
• B = Big Bike
• BM = Mild Steel Big Bike
L.P.
• L = L.P. (Low Profile 1980-1981)
• LM = Mild Steel L.P. (1978-1979)
• M = Mild Steel L.P. (1980-1981)
• No Letter with two-letter SN= Standard (formerly L.P.) for 1981 only
• 0 = Long L.P. (1979-1982) Also has longer top tube (19+”) and usually a 1 1/8” downtube.)
Eddy King Replica
• E = Eddy King
Mini
• R = Mini
280s
• No Letter with three-letter SN= Standard 280 (1982-1984)
• 0 = Long 280X, (1982-1984) Also has longer top tube (19+”) and 1 1/8” downtube.
Cruiser
• SC = 24” cruiser (Small/Short Cruiser)
• C = 26” cruiser (Cruiser)
THE TORKER SERIAL NUMBER COLLECTION
MX (The name of the first Torker frame. In 1978, it was renamed Big Profile or Big Bike.)
93: chrome, claimed to be 1977 pre-production, undrilled rear brake bridge, odd-size head tube and seat tube, forward/pressed drop outs, 70º head tube
TF 585: chrome, claimed to be 1977, forward/pressed dropouts
TF 605: chrome, claimed to be 1976 MX, odd-size head tube and seat tube, forward/pressed dropouts
Big Bike
TO 38 BM: Big Bike on SN on BB, mild steel
AT 138 BM: Big Bike on SN on BB, mild steel
AT 188 BM: 20”, red, Big Bike on SN on BB, mild steel
1978/79 L.P.s & L.P. Xes
TI 16 LM: 20” chrome, mild steel, SN on BB (1978?)
BT 3308 M: 20” OG chrome, mild steel, SN on BB, 1” DT, 18” top tube, flat brake bridge, round gusset hole
RT 1201 0: 20” red, SN on BB, TT 19”, Down tube OD 1', American BB, L.P. Long
KT 343: 20” chrome, SN on BB, flat brake bridge, round gusset hole, chromo sticker,
TJ 5344 L: 20” OG chrome, “53” is stamped over itself. SN on American BB, OG stickers had double down tube Chrome Moly sticker
TU 3531: 20” repowdered to OG red, American BB, SN on BB
TY 1655 L: 20”, blue (OG?), no stickers, thrashed, SN on BB
TZ 2018 L: 20” red, SN on BB, chromoly, 18” top tube, claimed to be 1979
Eddy Kings
1979
TV 18? E: 20” blue, SN on BB
TX 193 E: 20” red, SN on BB, 18” TT
TY 286 E: 20” red, SN on BB
1980
TV 181 E: 20” Blue Candy, SN on drop out
TT 1198 E: chrome, SN on rear dropout, 18” top tube, OG chrome, OG stickers, drilled mini fork
TO 271 E: 20” black, Eddy King, SN on drop out
DT 640 E: 20” chrome Eddy King
DT 712 E: 20” OG red, Eddy King
JT 986 E: 20”, chrome, wrong stickers
KY 1020 E: 20”, SN on dropout
LT 1039 E:
NT 1050 ?: 20” chrome, OG stickers, 18” top tube, SN on drop out
Minis
WT 193 R: Mini, chrome, SN on dropout, no gussets,
TT 081 R: Mini, black repaint, SN on dropout, 17.5” top tube, no gussets, 13/16 seat tube ID,
1980 (?) LPs & Longs?
1T 475 0: 20” Black, (SN is odd.)
TJ 3344 L: 20” chrome American BB
TN 862 LM: 20” chrome, mild steel, 1978 or older, unsure of SN location
TU 531 0M: 20” blue, NOS, no downtube sticker, SN on dropout, long mild steel?, claimed to be 1981
TX 1578 L: 20” chrome, American BB, (Mine in 1979/1980?), unsure of SN location
TX 1946 L: 20” chrome, purchased in 1980 or 1981
TY 2278 LM: 20” chrome? (stripped)
TY 2278 LM: 20” re-powdered red, then re-powdered white, broken seat tube repaired, American BB, SN on ???? (SHOWED UP TWICE.)
1981 (?) LPs & Longs
DT1080: 20” blue, OG paint, little info, on eBay
ET 2582: 20” red, OG stickers
FT 2450: 20”, chrome, Torker Factory Team rider’s frames, late-1980
HT 3400: 20” chrome
JT 4327 M: 20”, NOS red, SN on dropout, TT 18.5 Down tube, 1” OD down tube
LT 3594: 20” chrome, original owner, claims 1980, SN on dropout, OG seat tube decal is original, others repros, 18' top tube, 1” OD down tube
NT 3712: 20” chrome, toptube measures 18.5, claimed to be a 1981 mini, but isn’t
NT 5013 M: 20” powdered candy red, mild steel, SN on rear dropout
OT 807 0: 20” red, American BB, claimed to be 1980/1981?
OT 5227 M: 20” red, mild steel, American BB, 18” toptube, 1” down tube, alleged to be 1979, no chrome moly decal
PI 4182 or PL 4182 or PT 4182: 20” OG chrome, SN on drop out, 1” DT, 18” top tube, flat brake bridge, round gusset hole, SN on dropout
PT 4308: 20”, chrome, 17.5 top tube (?), American BB, claims to be 1979 or 1980
PT 441 ?: 20” red paint too thick to make out last letter/digit.
PT 4478: ??
PT 5691 M: 20” chrome, OG stickers, no Chrome Moly sticker, American BB, 18.5” top tube, gusset, mild steel,1980/1981?
RT 5107: 20”, blue, 18.5” top tube, SN on drop out
ST 1277 0: 20” chrome, 19” top tube, SN on drop out, 1983-style stickers, (owner said: Top-tubes center to center approx. 19-1/8”, Down-tube diameter is approx. 1-1/18')
ST 1526 0: 20” chrome, 280, 1981/82, 19” TT, SN on dropout, claimed to be from first run of 280s, 1 1/8” downtube.
VT 6650 N (M?): 20”, refinished blue, new stickers
ZT 7072 M: 20”, refinished blue
ZT 7101: 20” chrome, gusset.
26” Cruisers (1981)
OT 0026 C: 26” cruiser
OT 0049 C: 26” cruiser
OT 0063 C: 26” cruiser, chrome
PT 0072 S: 26” cruiser
PT 0014 C: 26” cruiser
QT 209 C: 26” cruiser
XT 394 C: 26” cruiser
24” Cruisers (1982-1984)
TZZ 176 SC: (Sept. 1982) 24” cruiser, damaged, repaired with Redline-type gusset added, drop outs messed up, chrome
TYY 141 SC: (Oct. 1982) 24” cruiser
TYY 191 SC: (Oct. 1982 )24” cruiser
TYY 205 SC: (Oct. 1982) 24” cruiser
TYY 236 SC: (Oct. 1982) 24” cruiser
TYY 244 SC: (Oct. 1982) 24” cruiser
TVV 276 SC: (Jan. 1983) 24” 340 cruiser
TKK 486 SC: (Dec. 1983) 24” cruiser, machined head tube, red outline decals, Redline-style gusset, fork drop outs have single hole (eBay, the Netherlands)
TBB 0525 SC: (Sept. 1984) 24” cruiser, machined head tube, red, yellow and black stickers
TAA 0553 SC: (Oct. 1984) 24” cruiser, machined head tube, no decals, Redline-style gusset
(3-letter SNs for 1982+ 280/280X/Pro X)
TZZ 6241: (Sept. 1982) 20” chrome, repowdered orange, 19” top tube,
TXX 2484 0: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome, 280X, OG stickers, round gusset, flat brake bridge
TXX 2491 0: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome , SN on dropout, flat brake bridge , round gusset hole
TXX 2531 0: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome, 19” TT, claims it’s a 1981
TXX 6542: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome, 18.5 TT
TXX 6633: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome, 18.5 TT
TXX 6636: (Nov. 1982) 20” chrome, OG 280 decals, Complete Bike
TWW 2339 0: (Dec. 1982) 20” chrome, Claims it’s a 1979
TVV 4294: (Jan. 1983) 20” chrome, reinforced (machined) head tube with old-style gusset with round hole
TSS 4845 0: (April 1983) chrome, reinforced (machined) head tube with old-style gusset with round hole, OG stickers are 280 type, but without 280 and have an extra inner red stroke, flat brake bridge, forks look chubby, but may be photo
TRR 8122: (May 1983) 20” chrome, reinforced (machined) head tube with old-style gusset with round hole, repop Pro XL stickers, no fork
TPP 6053 0: (July 1983) 20” chrome, 280, OG stickers, round gusset, flat brake bridge
TOO 6463 0: (Aug. 1983)20” chrome, 280 X, oval cut-out in gusset, no stickers
TNN 6518 0: (Sept. 1983) 20” chrome, 280X, OG stickers, round gusset, flat brake bridge
TNN6534 0: (Sept. 1983) Chrome 20”, 280X, Oval gusset hole, OG chrome, no stickers
TNN 6808 0: (Sept. 1983) Chrome, 280X, Oval gusset hole, OG chrome, OG stickers
TNN 7081 0: (Sept. 1983) 20” chome, 280X, new stickers, oval cut-out in gusset
TMM 7212 0: (Oct. 1983) 20” chrome, 280X (Joseph’s OG 1983)
TMM 7289 0: (Oct. 1983) 20” chrome, oval gusset
TLL 7541 0: (Nov. 1983) 20” chrome, 280X (original stickers), oval gusset, round brake bridge
TLL 0125 P: (Nov. 1983) 20” chrome Pro X, OG stickers, Redline-style gusset, round brake bridge
Haros Made by Torker
TXX 154 F: Freestyler Gen 1 Nov. 1982
TXX 450 F: Freestyler Gen 1 Nov. 1982
TXX 483 F: Freestyler Gen 1 Nov. 1982
TUU 821 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Feb. 1983
TTT 1029 F: Freestyler Gen 2 March 1983
TTT 1041 F: Freestyler Gen 2 March 1983
TSS 1105 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1118 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1138 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1141 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1163 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1171 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TSS 1235 F: Freestyler Gen 2 April 1983
TRR 1352 F: Freestyler Gen 2 May 1983
TRR 1354 F: Freestyler Gen 2 May 1983
TRR 1399 F: Freestyler Gen 2 May 1983
TQQ 1462 F: Freestyler Gen 2 June 1983
TQQ 1515 F: Freestyler Gen 2 June 1983
TQQ 1674 F: Freestyler Gen 2 June 1983
TQQ 1713 F: Freestyler Gen 2 June 1983
TPP 1727 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1748 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1749 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1808 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1828 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1829 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1872 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TPP 1887 F: Freestyler Gen 2 July 1983
TOO 1973 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TOO 1990 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TOO 2009 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TOO 2033 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TOO 2090 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TOO 2130 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Aug. 1983
TNN 2184 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TNN 2185 F: 20” Chrome, Haro freestyle
TNN 2258 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TNN 2283 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TNN 2329 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TNN 2347: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TNN 2353 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TSS 2357 F: Freestyler Gen 2 1983
TNN 2366 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Sept. 1983
TMM 2484 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Oct. 1983
TMM 2527 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Oct. 1983
TMM 2684 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Oct. 1983
TLL 2653 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Nov. 1983
TLL 2738 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Nov. 1983
TKK 3007 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3032 F:
TKK 3050 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3124 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3148 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3216 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3339 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TKK 3363 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Dec. 1983
TJJ 3483 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Jan. 1984
TJJ 3551 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Jan. 1984
TII 3729 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Feb. 1984
TII 3882 F: Freestyler Gen 2 Feb. 1984
THH 3924 F: Master Gen 1 March 1984
THH 3937 F: Master Gen 1 March 1984
THH 3978 F: Master Gen 1 March 1984
THH 3982 F: Master Gen 1 March 1984
TGG 1440 F: Master Gen 1 April 1984
TFF 4309 F: Master Gen 1 May 1984
TEE 4497 F: Master Gen 1 June 1984
TDD 4599 F: Master Gen 1 July 1984
TDD 4649 F: Master Gen 1 July 1984
T 10846004 M 6004 Master Gen 2 Oct. 1984
TEE 0083 HS: 83 Sport Gen 1 June 1984
TDD 0196 HS: Sport Gen 1 July 1984
Mountain Bikes
TZZ 025 MS (T, I or 1?), OG black powder coat and stickers (combo of rub-ons and foil headbadge) Summit name on clear, complete bike, forks have Torker drop outs, etc.,
Asian-Made Torkers
TH8512 946824: 20” chrome, no gusset, no decals (Japan-made?)
Incomplete SNs