BIke Alarm with tracker

[rualexander]

If you have an iPhone you could have a look at the Knog Scout
https://www.knog.com/pages/scout-bike-alarm-and-finder
No idea if they are any good, don't have an iPhone myself.
Not very well concealed though.

Not available for Android devices yet, if ever.

 

[figbat]

How does the GPS signal get through the metal of the steerer tube? Doesn't that act like a Faraday cage?

Pretty sure they don’t work by GPS, they work by connecting to any nearby iPhone which then reports the device via the Apple infrastructure. So all it needs to to is reach a passing iPhone, of which there may be many.

 

[EltonFrog]

We have the AirTags in our Bromptons. Not wholly convinced of their efficiency if the bike(s) were to be stolen but we had fun tracking them in the luggage system of the various airports, Hawaii, Heathrow, Los Angeles , Vienna etc., a bit of piece of mind.

Though it’s not helpful that various online sources, including this site reveal the best place to hide the tag, thus making it easier for thieves to find and remove them.

 

[Juliansou]

Thumbs up for the Knog - been using one for a year or so. Work on the same basis as the Apple tag so pretty reliable. I have found the siren to be pretty weak but you do get an alert on your phone if you’re within 30metres or so - handy if you‘ve just nipped to the shop ( not that I do much shop nipping on the bike it’s installed on!)

 

[newfhouse]

Pretty sure they don’t work by GPS, they work by connecting to any nearby iPhone which then reports the device via the Apple infrastructure. So all it needs to to is reach a passing iPhone, of which there may be many.

This is correct. The tag uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate promiscuously with passing phones. Any screening caused by burying the device too deep in the bike will limit the range and hence the effectiveness.

The Knog is compatible with the Apple system and works in the same way. The default placement under the bottle cage should work well in terms of transmission range, but has the disadvantage of being obvious to experienced thieves.