It is strongly recommended that all bicycle owners register their bicycle serial number with a national bike registry. If your bike is lost or stolen and later recovered, members of the public or law enforcement can use a serial number registry to trace it back to you.

Bike Index is the largest index of bicycle serial numbers in the country and is recommended for registration. When the Minneapolis Police Department recovers a bicycle, MPD staff will check its serial number against bike index and other public registries.

Register your bicycle

Register each bicycle separately. If your address or phone number changes, make sure to update it. The best time to register a bicycle is when you buy it.

If your bicycle is lost or stolen, you can mark it as lost or stolen. If you plan on purchasing a bicycle from someone you do not know, check the serial number. Be sure to verify that it is not marked as lost or stolen before paying. If you discover that a bicycle you are being offered to buy is stolen, do not buy the bicycle. Instead, alert the Minneapolis Police Department.

How to register

You'll need to provide:

• Your email address, street address and phone number
• General information like the type of your bicycle, frame size and color
• Name of the manufacturer
• The bike's serial number, which is likely under the bottom bracket or in one of these locations:
  • seat tube
  • headset
  • rear stays
  • bottom bracket

 Register your bicycle with Bike Index