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Bicycle License Plates

Old 03-26-16, 01:11 AM
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Bicycle License Plates

When I was a grade schooler, even through HS, I recall having a bicycle license plate which was to be fixed to the bicycle. My "English Racer" had one for certain but I do not remember much about how or why. The Raleigh and Dunalt that I purchased here in Wichita had plates. The Raleigh also had a license sticker on the DT.

Do any current cities in the USA/Canada require licensing of bicycles? What is the history on these plates? Not to be for the government taking more of my money but I could see this if the funds were used to augment bicycle infrastructure.
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Old 03-26-16, 03:05 AM
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I don't know if anyplace still has plates, due to the expense. As far as I know, any city that has bike licenses uses a decal. Most of them don't charge a fee, but only do it to make it easier to find the owner if the bike is stolen and recovered.
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Old 03-26-16, 03:37 AM
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I remember "vanity" license plates that kids could buy with their names on them.

Looking on E-Bay, in the early 1950's (before my time), there were apparently very realistic license plates associated with Wheaties Cereal.
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Old 03-26-16, 04:26 AM
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There are ebike license plates and attachment accessories in europe
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Old 03-26-16, 05:06 AM
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Prewar Italy and France had them.


Italy
Italian Badge 02 by iabisdb, on Flickr



France.
French Badge 01 by iabisdb, on Flickr
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Old 03-26-16, 05:58 AM
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When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought of auto plates like we have in Oregon. They cost extra but you can get one with a bicycle/rider image, and various other images. There's one where the $ goes to Oregon Cultural Trust. Of course mine has the cyclist on it.
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Old 03-26-16, 07:23 AM
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Last year I picked up this set off eBay. Not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I thought they were interesting.

Might have been a prize in a cereal box? I assume the hole in each one is because they were nailed to a wall or board for display.




And.....modern replica state plates w/ custom text are available for $10 on eBay
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Old 03-26-16, 07:58 AM
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We used to have the little license plates with the city name and a number, held on to the saddle with little S shaped hooks. They always clanked around riding the bike- They were always a shade of green for when I remember them. I remember getting them at the old Fire/Police station that's now just the Fire Dept.

You too @Chrome Molly?
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Old 03-26-16, 08:10 AM
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IMG_20141214_145400194
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Old 03-26-16, 08:10 AM
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Europe has had a long history of bike plates. I think most phased them out late 70's or 80's.

These examples came from Belgium or Nederlands

Non-Fixie sent me the Orange on on the bottom row for my Superia made Belgique.
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Old 03-26-16, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by YoKev
Yes, those are what I remember. That one is like the ones removed from the Raleigh/Dunalt.

Interesting the way times have changed. I do wish something could be done about theft but I do not think registration by license plate would do it, perhaps registration by serial number.

Anyway, just seems like a bit of vintage history, probably many of the bikes we find to rebuild and give new lives once carried a plate or a decal.
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Old 03-26-16, 08:50 AM
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I remember sporting the St James-Assiniboia plates on my bike in the late 60's and early 70's.

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Old 03-26-16, 09:18 AM
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Don't get me started on bicycle license decals -- some clown covered my Reynolds decal with one.

Left: exceptionally nice Capo Sieger on eBay several years ago.
Right: my Capo Sieger with San Diego California bicycle license covering the Reynolds decal.
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Old 03-26-16, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by John E
Don't get me started on bicycle license decals -- some clown covered my Reynolds decal with one.

Left: exceptionally nice Capo Sieger on eBay several years ago.
Right: my Capo Sieger with San Diego California bicycle license covering the Reynolds decal.
I can remember trying to figure out where to put the city sticker on my bike many years ago. They did give a choice, but the seattube wasn't exactly plain. Anyway, I don't seem to have a Columbus sticker on my bike, and I've been wondering if there is a well preserved sticker hiding under a city or campus stickers.
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Old 03-26-16, 12:29 PM
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Yeah we used to bend them around the seat stays of the bmx bikes and they would clank real nice when you jumped off the curbs
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Old 03-26-16, 01:53 PM
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Outstanding collection of Canadian bike plates on ebay right now. bobsky_27 on eBay

I have several from purchased bikes but no desire to collect them.
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Old 03-26-16, 02:58 PM
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We had them in my hometown, purely voluntary, but the local VFD had a bike rodeo, they taught the basic safety rules, inspected the bikes, fixed things, you got a hot dog, a can of soda, and a license plate. Almost every saddle, even the banana seats, had loops on the back, which I grew up thinking were for the plates (not bags).

Walmart sells NC bike vanity plates with kids' names on them. I should get one.
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Old 03-26-16, 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Velocivixen
When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought of auto plates like we have in Oregon. They cost extra but you can get one with a bicycle/rider image, and various other images. There's one where the $ goes to Oregon Cultural Trust. Of course mine has the cyclist on it.
I blew my chance when we moved up here a couple of years ago. Too much of a hassle now...
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Old 03-26-16, 03:55 PM
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I remember two different types in the 1960's: a rectangular one that hung under the back of the saddle, and a longish, thinnish one with rounded top and bottom that you could put between your spokes. This was Reading, Mass.
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Old 03-26-16, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by 1989Pre
I remember two different types in the 1960's: a rectangular one that hung under the back of the saddle, and a longish, thinnish one with rounded top and bottom that you could put between your spokes. This was Reading, Mass.
Would that add to the excitement of a fast downhill run?
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Old 03-27-16, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Loose Chain
Would that add to the excitement of a fast downhill run?
Nope.., not really. the only thing that would do that is having the girl next door that were keen on watch you.

As far as cities that license goes, I've had stickers from Honolulu (red) and St. Pete (lt. green). I wish more places offered it. I'm not sure I would adorn my road bike with one, but then again, I never leave it locked nor otherwise un-attended. My grocery hauler/camping bike, that is a different story.
Where are you from, Loose? (cool name, by-the-way). I see you are either an anatomy and physiology professor or you work for the Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P)
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Old 03-27-16, 10:53 AM
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Or a certified Airframe and Powerplant technician.
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Old 03-27-16, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by vtchuck
Last year I picked up this set off eBay... Might have been a prize in a cereal box?
I remember getting plates just like those from Honeycomb cereal boxes in the early '80s.
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Old 03-27-16, 03:09 PM
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Here's one from the Swiss canton of St. Gallen:



DD
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Old 03-27-16, 06:54 PM
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I was browsing my local CL this evening and found this:
New Orleans Bicycle Plate


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