# Serial number help???



## philhyde

I wrote to Specialized, providing the serial number of my frame. This is the response got back:

"I am sorry the serial number will not helps us identify the year of your Specialized bike"

So I'm wondering - what good is a serial number? What DOES it tell you?


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## PJ352

philhyde said:


> I wrote to Specialized, providing the serial number of my frame. This is the response got back:
> 
> "I am sorry the serial number will not helps us identify the year of your Specialized bike"
> 
> So I'm wondering - what good is a serial number? What DOES it tell you?


I'm thinking you got someone that didn't want to be bothered. If you have a name or number, try contacting them asking that they pursue your question. If you have no such info, resubmit your question. Once opened, there are usually options where a customer can add info or update the request.

IME this is unusual when dealing with Spec's customer support. I'd try again.


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## philhyde

Thanks. The person did include a contact name/number in the response, so I do plan on calling.


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## ukbloke

I guess that because your bike was special issue, it bypassed the normal serial number process. Maybe they "comp'ed" those frames to various teams and didn't want any coming back as warranty claims. You might get further with a call if it really matters to you.


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## philhyde

ukbloke said:


> I guess that because your bike was special issue, it bypassed the normal serial number process. Maybe they "comp'ed" those frames to various teams and didn't want any coming back as warranty claims. You might get further with a call if it really matters to you.


I don't know what regular Specialized serial nos look like. Mine is "P4K E20273". 

As I noted, I do plan to call.


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## philhyde

I called yesterday and the Specialized rep indicated that the serial no tells them nothing about a frame. It is used during assembly to identify a part. So I was completely wrong thinking that it could be decoded, like an automobile VIN number.


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## ukbloke

philhyde said:


> I called yesterday and the Specialized rep indicated that the serial no tells them nothing about a frame. It is used during assembly to identify a part. So I was completely wrong thinking that it could be decoded, like an automobile VIN number.


Interesting, even if they are non-decodable you'd think they'd have a database to map from serial number to model, model year, production date, factory, assembly line, etc. and possibly tie this to the original owner's registration information too. How would they track down a production fault or validate a warranty claim without that kind of information?


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## philhyde

Yes, it makes little sense to me.


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## PJ352

ukbloke said:


> Interesting, even if they are non-decodable you'd think they'd have a database to map from serial number to model, model year, production date, factory, assembly line, etc. and possibly tie this to the original owner's registration information too. *How would they track down a production fault or validate a warranty claim without that kind of information*?


That was my thought as well. As soon as I read the OP's post I looked at my warranty info - the serial # was part of the requested info, so I don't get this either.

Good follow up question to Spec, though.


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## pdainsworth

Maybe they use it to track ownership for warranty claims. You can register your bike online with Specialized, so that would associate that serial number with you, the owner. It would be one way to verify original ownership.


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## PJ352

pdainsworth said:


> Maybe they use it to track ownership for warranty claims. You can register your bike online with Specialized, so that would associate that serial number with you, the owner. It would be one way to verify original ownership.


Makes sense, but if that were the case when someone made an inquiry using a serial # as reference, why would they be told it doesn't tell Spec anything?? 

Oh, wait a sec. Spec told the OP that it doesn't tell them anything about the _frame_... so you may be right.


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## dschreit

*Specialized serial number - what year is my bike?*



philhyde said:


> I wrote to Specialized, providing the serial number of my frame. This is the response got back:
> 
> "I am sorry the serial number will not helps us identify the year of your Specialized bike"
> 
> So I'm wondering - what good is a serial number? What DOES it tell you?


I had (stolen 2/27/13 in Bethesda, MD From Grosvenor station, DC Metro) a 2005 Specialized Rockhopper Comp with serial P5B021782 ( aka 021782 ) - it is a 2005. I know that the second "digit" of the s/n indicates the year (4 for 1984) for 80's and 90's specialized bikes, so yours is probably a 2004 due to the position of the '4' in your serial #.


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## StillKeen

ukbloke said:


> Interesting, even if they are non-decodable you'd think they'd have a database to map from serial number to model, model year, production date, factory, assembly line, etc. and possibly tie this to the original owner's registration information too. How would they track down a production fault or validate a warranty claim without that kind of information?


So Specialized work out (for example) that there was a production problem with say the first batch of 10,000 Roubaix frames from 07. So specialized are saying that they have no way to know if a 07 frame (which I assume they can tell by frame details and paint colors) is from the first batch with the problem or the remaining ten batches that do not have the fault? So for a recall (let's say the fault poses a very high risk of injury or death) they'd have to replace 110,000 frames rather than just 10,000?

I work in the medical device design/manufacture industry, and I cannot believe that a bicycle manufacturer wouldn't have that information. Maybe, maybe it's held by Specialized Quality department, and not open to everyone ... but I see no reason to guard such information.


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