CheckMEND

1) Anyone used the checkMEND website recently? I can't get it to accept either of my debit cards, and, as far as I know, I'm not completely out of money (...yet).

2) I'm trying to run a frame number through it. The bike also has a barcode on it, at the bottom of the downtube, with three different numbers. Looks more like a security barcode than a price barcode. Does anyone know if one of these would be better? If so, which? Don't fancy paying for four separate searches if I can avoid it.

Having found the barcode, this is for peace of mind. The advert looked kosher, seller sold it from his flat, seemed like a nice guy and knew a sensible amount about bikes, but on the other hand... I'm in a foreign country where I don't speak the language very well in a city notorious for bike theft. Don't want D-locking by some outraged Spaniard.

I'm giving up for tonight, but not being able to buy the report has pissed me off. Particularly since I was planning to paint strip the frame tomorrow, and now I don't want to before I've made sure it's mine. :(

Hi Seeds, sorry you seem to be having trouble making payment on CheckMEND, if you have not already done so please could you contact the CheckMEND support team who should be able advise more specifically on why your transaction is failing. With regards to the best number to check against, we normally recommend the frame number in the first instance unless there are any specific security markings. If the original owner registered the bike on something like Immobilise.com, they would have been encouraged to register all unique serial numbers. If the police recover a bike, they should do the same but may only record the frame number. Obviously please do not search against the bike model number if it has one as this may result in many matches. I hope this helps, to contact support please email: support@checkmend.com

From the horse's mouth...!

Cheers, will do.

OK, managed to get it working by using the UK site, putting all my details in block caps and filling out the full name of my county in the [required] field marked "State".

Bike's apparently not stolen... though worryingly "Item type: bicycle" is "not known to checkMEND", despite it being one of the suggested options in their own drop-down menu.

Won't be using again, unless they improve the payment options and make it obvious that they have actually searched for what was asked for.