Apple Airtag as a Bike Tracker

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MartinHnik
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2022 3:44 pm

by MartinHnik

What about double sided tape under stem? Especially for SL7/Venge under cables. But looking at it now it might be quite visible as the tag is white. Under the saddle is better place I guess.

by Weenie


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req110
Posts: 867
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:23 am

by req110

3m vhb tape works 100%, especially with light stuff like airtag.

Only issue is visibility.

I gotta make some black sticker to make it less visible.
SW SL8 RTP 56cm @ 9270 / CLX II / CS OSPW / CEMA BB
S Epic 8 L @ XX T-Type / Berg Ratheberg 30 / Quarq / Fox Transfer SL 100mm / 3p

Bowser
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:44 pm

by Bowser

There's a good GPLama video on YouTube showing the range and accuracy based on different mounting locations for the AirTags. Long and short of it, placed inside the frame and signal is pretty much gone.

I bought a pack of four and sprayed the top of each with dark grey Plasti Dip to make them less conspicuous. I then put a small blob of silicon on the underside of each saddle and 'glued' them on. They've been on for 3 months and not moved. Because they're dark you really can't see them. Being outside the frame the signal is decent.

Is it perfect? No. Is it better than not having them? I feel they are.

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1925
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

The way I see it, they are so darn cheap, what is the worst that can happen? They steal your bike and pitch the tag or they steal you bike and do not touch your tag. Either way, your bike is stolen. I do not see that tags prevent a thief from taking your bike. A lock would do that better than a tag. Hiding or camouflaging the tag is something I would do.

I just think it will be odd with the unlawful search laws in the USA that you could call the police and say 'My bike is inside that building!' With just the proof of this tag, is that enough to kick open the door? Would you really knock on the door and ask if you can have your bike back? Would you wait until you saw it and then steal it back?

Bowser
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:44 pm

by Bowser

It's a fair point on retrieval Butcher. Maybe I have too much faith in the British police, but I feel if I'd had a break in, bikes gone missing, police come round to do forensics and the likes and I tell them I know where the bikes are, I feel there's a reasonable chance they'd listen. Maybe/probably I'm naive.

But either way, the AirTags are inconspicuous and they make me feel more secure. Falsely or otherwise.

jih
Posts: 596
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:54 pm

by jih

I've tried this on my bike and on a friends bike. On my bike (a giant TCR) I put it inside the frame's top tube just behind the steerer. In my friends bike (an SL7) input it inside the seatpost.

Both of us have had the same issue- the phone only occasionally picks up the AirTag, and on a ride loses it and reports it lost. The AirTag on my keys hasn't given me a piece of trouble.

Has anyone had similar experiences and solved this? I find it hard to see what could be blocking the signal. Would carbon fibre really block the Bluetooth signal?

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12458
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

I put mine in an adhesive pouch inside my Madone’s DT (accessed via a door underneath the bottle cage.) If my phone is on the other end of the house and I jostle the bike after several hours, then the AirTag will chirp.

rjich
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:38 am
Location: NYC, NY

by rjich

It's a nice idea and I bought one for my bike which we decided to instead attach to our dog harness in case he went on a run and hid somewhere.
I felt it wasn't worth trying to hide too much on a bike. If stolen that bike isn't staying anywhere long and presumably a pro would have an iPhone to receive the alert of a hidden tag tracking them.
Either use a proper GPS tracker and stash it in a BB if it has signal, otherwise it's fingers crossed, insurance and don't lock outside. With the price of these bikes it's not too hard an ask to buy a proper 2g GPS tracker rather than something not really fit for purpose.

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Konsi
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 10:34 pm
Location: Genève
Contact:

by Konsi

I have Airtags on most of my bikes. I had a bike stolen from a train and could luckily recover it ( http://konstantinkleine.de/essays/2020/ ... road-bike/ ), for those situations it might be helpful. If not, I don't treat the bikes differently just because there is an airtag on them now. On my Gravel bike it is screwed in with the top tube bag, on the road bike disguised in a piece of old inner tube and ziptied to the seatpost cradle

req110
Posts: 867
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:23 am

by req110

Sand it down and spray with black color. Image
SW SL8 RTP 56cm @ 9270 / CLX II / CS OSPW / CEMA BB
S Epic 8 L @ XX T-Type / Berg Ratheberg 30 / Quarq / Fox Transfer SL 100mm / 3p

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1925
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

Nice.

bobones
Posts: 1271
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:19 am

by bobones

I stuck one in the space under my computer mount and sealed it in with Sugru.

Image

kervelo
Posts: 866
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:58 am
Location: Finland

by kervelo

Muc off hides the Airtag inside the (tubeless) tyre:
https://eu.muc-off.com/products/tubeless-tag-holder

Image

rpowell
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:47 am

by rpowell

That mucoff idea would be sweet as a headset cap. An airtag fits perfectly in an 1-1/8 upper headset clamp.

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12458
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

kervelo wrote:
Mon May 16, 2022 6:06 am
Muc off hides the Airtag inside the (tubeless) tyre:
https://eu.muc-off.com/products/tubeless-tag-holder

Okay so AirTags are actually pretty huge and this obviously won't work with road tires. The minimum recommended tire width is 38mm, and I still wouldn't run one of these. Low pressures plus rocks, roots, drops, etc. = bottoming out the tire. If you flat, you break your fancy AirTag holder and there is an elevated risk of damaging your rim.

by Weenie


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