It uses bluetooth. Range is like 20 feet.

There are a variety of sim card compatible gps units on the market that will perform this function for you. However, the police won't help you get your bike back, so you'll be kicking in doors yourself.

 

It uses bluetooth. Range is like 20 feet.

Not exactly...it's also tied into apple's "Find My" network, so it pings off any (modern) Apple device that it gets close to. If the thief takes the bike somewhere remote, then you're screwed, but if its around people, there's a good chance you'll get a signal back.

 

Do you think it would be a great idea to put an Apple Airtag on your mountain bike to track it? I think the device is small enough that you could wedge it into a crack/aperture and it wouldn't be noticed right away by a thief.

Doesn't your phone warn you if an Airtag is following you? It is some sort of anti-stalking feature.

 

There's a way to take the speaker out of the airtag so the thief can never hear it. They can get a notification that an airtag is following them, and they can click play sound which will give its location away.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S7DVT33?pd_rd_i=B07S7DVT33&pd_rd_w=9xbAO&pf_rd_p=c948d1c4-2ace-4ebe-b463-b35b878b8e34&pd_rd_wg=FC9hm&pf_rd_r=312ZYKHTNZSSVJTEG8B3&pd_rd_r=3524e94c-011a-4ee0-a4a7-321611fd81db

Seems like you could fit this somewhere. Anyone find something with better than a 2 week charge time?

 

That device looks a bit large but thanks for the info.

 

It was also my first thought about the air tag. The only problem I can see is if the thief also has an iPhone, they’ll get a warning that an air tag is following them and they would be prompted to find it and throw it out.

 

It was also my first thought about the air tag. The only problem I can see is if the thief also has an iPhone, they'll get a warning that an air tag is following them and they would be prompted to find it and throw it out.

remove the speaker - super easy

 

Coworker of mine just this week had their truck stolen out it their driveway. They left the fob inside the car accidentally. They noticed the movement on the camera and realized what was happening. A shortly after calling it in they realized the dogs GPS collar was in the truck, they let the police know and they actually caught them. No idea which collar or how long the battery lasts or how big it is, but it was a satisfying story nevertheless.

 

Don't buy a mountain bike from Yeti. They engage in censorship. For more information, Google: "Yeti cancels the tribe."

So you're looking for a way to track your stolen Yeti, eh.

 

No, I don’t own a Yeti. To Hell with that company!

 

Dave 2D just posted a video about this.

 

Without the airlines confirming he was there (very circumstantial anyway), having the phone was just possession of stolen property, very difficult to prosecute. If someone stole a bike out of your garage and it was sitting in zems apartment, you could have all the location trackers in the world plus live video from the handlebar and no le agency would give you the time of day.

 

You really shouldn't just make blanket, absolute statements like, they can't, or they won't.
A buddy of mine had two dirt bikes stolen from his garage, total value about $8000.
Another friend of his found one for sale on Craigslist, my friend showed the detective, they set up a "buy", and the county and state cops drove 100 miles south at high speed, with my buddy along for the ride. They also towed a trailer behind the county cops suv.
The buy went off, they recovered one of the bikes and trailered it home, and got info on where the other one was and who actually stole them. Turned out it was a guy from just a couple miles down the road. They also recovered the other bike.

 

So now we need someone to invent a secret bike holder for an air tag. I’m thinking a plastic plug that would snap into the bottom end of the fork steerer.

 

So now we need someone to invent a secret bike holder for an air tag. I'm thinking a plastic plug that would snap into the bottom end of the fork steerer.

Something that fit inside your handlebar under a grip would be best.

 

Why bother? There are many devices on the market for this purpose. You're gambling that this thing would be within bluetooth range of an Apple device when Apple has a market share of 30%.

 

Believe it or not, active users of smartphones in the United States is nearly 50%. There are more android sales, 70/30%, but the average iPhone is in active use for nearly 5 years, and Android is less just over 2. Even the phones themselves are supported with new software updates for 6 years plus. Most android phones get 18 months, tops, outside of some critical security issues.

This is coming from a person who only made the switch to iOS 2 years ago, after getting frustrated with having to buy a new phone every 2 years. I also liked the new directions apple was headed on privacy. I used to always be one who would endlessly experiment with my phone as things were not updated after a year to make them last longer, and really enjoyed some of the customizations under android, but after a while I just wanted it to work.

I am hoping a one time cost of airtags will do the job for a reasonable cost.

 

Airtag stem cap.

 

Inside the rim, let the valve stem double as an antenna.

 

I wonder if an AirTag would fit neatly in a OneUp EDC steerer plug? It's definitely not ideal as a theft tracker, but there's a lot of scenarios where it would be decent.

 

Actually, perhaps being inside a metal tube would affect the bluetooth range too much to be useful?

 

Inside a SWAT box won't work since bikes with those are carbon. The carbon will shield any signals from passing so that won't work. I think under the seat seams like the best location since it's not encased in any metal or carbon.

 

Can confirm placing them in metal and carbon is having an issue. I installed three Airtags on Friday in my stems. Went to check Find My app just now and all three were "last seen" yesterday morning around the time when I installed them. Tried finding, tried pinging a tone… "cannot locate"

gonna go searching for adhesive holders for under the seat I suppose.

 

Mounted an airtag inside a black silicone case (cheapie from amazon) and double side taped it to the upper clamp of the seatpost under the saddle. Can't really see it unless you're looking for it - although I might add a zip tie to fasten it for some additional piece of mind, which will make it slightly more visible.

I had it initially mounted inside the top tube in my carbon frame to keep it real stealthy, but like others have stated, the reception wasn't so great.

 

Mounted an airtag inside a black silicone case (cheapie from amazon) and double side taped it to the top clamp top of the seatpost under the saddle. Can't really see it unless you're looking for it - although I might add a zip tie to fasten it for some additional piece of mind.

I had it initially mounted inside the top tube in my carbon frame to keep it real stealthy, but like others have stated, the reception wasn't so great.

Can you link me to the silicone sleeves from Amazon? All of the ones I've seen there won't ship for like 3-4 weeks.

 

this really isn't much different than those Tile tags that have been on the market for years. They're pretty much useless for trying to recover stolen items.

 

As I understand it, all iphones help track your tags, whereas with tile it's just people with the app installed, which is a much smaller subset of passing phones.

That said, although my tiles were piss-useless when I first got them, they've actually made enough firmware improvements in the last 3 years for me to upgrade my 1-star review.

It somehow knew my wallet was in my wife's car at the other end of town last week, and my wife does not have the app installed.

But finding stolen things vs. lost things? I guess we'll have to see.

 

I've never had a problem with Samsung Galaxy phones lasting many years. But last year I gave a big middle finger to Apple, google, and Samsung and run GrapheneOS on a Pixel 3.

 

GPLama with way more analysis:

 

If you go tubeless you can put it inside the tyre.

Tubeless valve with airtag holder would be good kickstarter project.

 

yeah, because I would want it bathed in sealant all the time. great idea....

I'm not as optimistic as this GPLama guy about their usefulness for tracking my bikes. I don't think he really ran enough tests on that specific sort of scenario. His "under the park bench" test really is going to be catching a maximum number of passers-by. What happens when a thief grabs your bike and rides off with it? If they toss it into a van and drive off with it? If the thief has an android phone (or turns their phone off, or doesn't even have a phone)? Will it come close enough to any iphone-using passers-by for you to get any location pings?

Can you use an app like this to look for these sorts of tags on bikes you think you might want to steal?

Bluetooth Smart Scanner, BLE Finder, BLE Scanner | Ace Sensor Inc.

Is an app like that good enough to allow a thief to FIND the airtag so they can remove it and leave it behind before taking off with your bike?

 

Saddle makers let's start making an easy spot to insert an airtag into the saddle .........just sayin'

 

so thieves have a premade spot to look so they can remove the tag?

 

I maintain it might well be worth considering for thefts of opportunity vs. actual career bike thieves.

The later group will be pretty hard to out-tech, for sure.

Which group is more likely to take your bike is probably location-specific.


I actually think my road bike power meter has a tracker built in. I can't imagine it will ever be useful for anything.

 

I've placed one inside my frame (carbon) and it's working well. NFC range is reduced, but Bluetooth seems to be working well. I'm sure it would be better in the open, but that has obvious disadvantages So far, so good in a hidden spot inside the frame.

 

Do you think it would be a great idea to put an Apple Airtag on your mountain bike to track it? I think the device is small enough that you could wedge it into a crack/aperture and it wouldn't be noticed right away by a thief.

I think it would work both for find my if walking away from it, kids bikes and also theft as it will take some time before theif is notified, I think under saddle or behind water bottle or hidden under frame is best to not mess up reception of Bluetooth. Me and my buddy where looking for this also something flexiable to mount differently on four different bikes, couldn't find one and wanted it also quick for kids bike as we got airtags now. We ended up making one for ourselfs and it ended up to be quite nice I think so going to ship some out also in weekend feel free to message me I'll share the link (don't want to share link here so I don't break any advertisement rules to self promote , found this forum just now when I tried to find some good discussion on this topic)