Help find serial number

[Sailariel]

I restored a Miyata Cross 100 and it looks absolutely great. My wife suggested that I register the bike with the police department. Well, I have gone over the whole frame and have found no number. I did find, 1/4 0f the way up the downtube stamped into the downtube "SM" It is not a small frame since it is a 62cm. Most bikes have the numbers on the bottonm of the BB housing--No such luck. Can anybody shed some insight on my serialnumberless bike ?

[litespeed]

If you can't find a number buy yourself 1/8" sets of steel stamping letters and numbers (unless you already have them) and stamp your name and maybe even your phone number under the bottom bracket. Or a random number if you plan to maybe sell it some day. I also drop a couple of my calling cards (Name, address, phone number and e-mail address) down the down tube after removing the seat, of course.

[wanderingwheel]

One common and easily missed place for the serial number is on the fork, usually on the steering tube just above the fork crown.  I've also seen serial numbers on the headtube, dropouts, brake bridge, and seat tube cluster.  You've got an awfully considerate police department if they're asking for a serial number as compared to all the other ones I've seen that scrawl their own ID number onto the bike with an electric etcher.

Sean

[Sailariel]

Our police department registers bikes for 25 cents. This puts your bike in their book and a decal is put on the bike. We have very few bikes stolen here. I will again go over the bike and see if I can find the number.

[DaveB]

The serial number is sometimes hidden by the plastic cable guide fastened under the bottom bracket shell.  You can remove the small fixing screw and push the guide aside to see if there is anything under it.  That's where the s/n was on my early 80's Trek.