Brought a cheap retro Orange frame off of eBay 6 months or so ago, as a project to do up. Finally got round to having a proper look at it, clean it up etc ready for rebuilding and the serial number has been ground off…

So has anyone lost an old Orange frame, I thinks its a P7 (17″):

Looks like it may have been ground off sometime ago, as it was pretty dirty and why I probably didn’t spot it straight off.

A quick Google brings up newer P7’s that have been stolen but I couldn’t see any older ones. Any other ideas on finding the original owner? oh and if someone has a retrobike account can they stick up a link to this post?

I think the chances of finding the original owner are pretty slim, just make some kind of an offering to the Trail Gods and get on with enjoying riding it, make small donation to STW or volunteer doing some trail building, that sort of thing….

respect to you for your honesty
if the genuine owner doesn’t show, I’d second the trailgods option

bassspine – Member

respect to you for your honesty
if the genuine owner doesn’t show, I’d second the trailgods option

+1

Hope you find them mate, if not well least you tried.

If no-one claims it in a week, then it is mine. 🙄

+2 for an offering to the Trail Gods.

SS I take my hat off to you, +3 for an offering to the trail gods

I think you could privately report to the ebay seller that it looks stolen. They have a reputation to protect. They may then investigate who they bought it off. Or if the the ebay seller goes quiet, approach the plod.

If all channels are exhausted, then the bike really becomes yours without you conscience pricking every time you ride it.

IMO

Don’t worry about it. I bought a gun once, it too had the serial numbers ground off, but it still worked ok and did the job it was meant for.

report it to police if they find no ref of it withing 6-8 weeks its yours i found a dawes frame behind local shops got it home cleaned it up gave over frame number,model ect and a few weeks later i had a letter saying it was right fully mine as u cant do frame number just give best detail u can.

Even if serial no. isn`t visible it can sometimes be read as it is deeper than the actual number itself by use of a dye or is it acid ? which police use to check cars etc.
Also it may have datatag or the likes.

Somebody recently reported a potentially stolen bike to police that was bought off ebay. They raided the address and found an Aladdin’s cave of gear – including my bike which was returned. The guy had all his assets frozen and is now in prison (where I feel he belongs).