Ian Hespelt, 39, was arrested and charged on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after police spotted him cycling along the San Francisco bays

A cycling hipster accused of smashing a car window with a metal bike lock has been arrested after authorities recognized him by the sight of his distinctive moustache.

Ian Hespelt, 39, was caught after bicycle police spotted him riding his bike near McCovey Cove, San Francisco, and his uniquely curled moustache matched that seen in a video of the incident.

He was subsequently arrested and charged on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, vandalism and maliciously throwing a substance at a vehicle, the LA Times reported.

A video posted on YouTube in the wake of the August 28 cycling event appeared to show a mob of cyclists beating a female driver's Zipcar and one - purported to be Hespelt - smashing the window of the vehicle.

The four-minute clip, which has been viewed more than 270,000 times, was taken at San Francisco's monthly Critical Mass bike ride protest in the city's Marina District.

In the video, about a dozen bikers are riding against traffic when a Zipcar station wagon being driven by a woman draws close to the group and possibly brushes against one of the riders.

One of the cyclists yells 'Stop that' and then says 'You f***ing hit my bike' while other members circle around the car and begin to behave aggressively toward the woman and her vehicle.

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The woman's attempt to back up and drive around the group is blocked and she gets berated.

A video posted on YouTube in the wake of the August 28 cycling event appeared to show a mob of cyclists beating a female driver's Zipcar and one - purported to be Hespelt - smashing the window of the vehicle

The four-minute clip, which has been viewed more than 270,000 times, was taken at San Francisco's monthly Critical Mass bike ride protest in the city's Marina District

When she tries to get away from the group again, her car is beaten on and a male cyclist appears to hit the driver side window of the car with a U-lock several times.

Although the window was hit, it did not shatter immediately and the woman was able to drive past.

In the wake of Hespelt's arrest, his mother Randi Hespelt told SFGate viewers were only seeing one side of the the story.

Describing her son as 'mild-mannered' and 'private', she said: 'He believes in himself and his causes, and he’ll get through this one way or another. He has support behind him if he needs it.'

Critical Mass does ask participants not to 'ride into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road' or to 'pick fights with motorists, even if they're itching for one' on its website.

In the video, about a dozen bikers are riding against traffic when a Zipcar station wagon being driven by a woman draws close to the group and possibly brushes against one of the riders