Apple Airtag as a Bike Tracker

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stevec1975
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:37 pm
Location: London

by stevec1975

Reading this story convinced me to add an Apple Airtag to my bike

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/cycl ... the-window

TLDR: Guy uses Airtag tracking to recover 3 Bikes (worth 15K) stolen from his house

The challenge is how/where to mount these on the bike, you can buy holders that fit to the seat rails or bottle cage bolts, but kind of obvious to remove for any clued-up thief.

Thought I would share my approach as food for thought for using these and hiding in the frame.

Airtag with 'pull' O-ring (for retrieval purposes) and bubble wrap.
Image

In place in frame, a tight fit (this is using the old mechanical cable access on the Cervelo, not used since switching to R9200)
Image

Vinyl wrap cover over to hide it (it is sticky on the inside, so also adds to keeping it in place)
Image

For any thief, they would have to be on the ball to spot this and remove it before I could find them!

Total weight cost was 3.1g, (deducting the no longer used bb guide), the Airtag is waterproof and the battery needs changing on a yearly basis, so no problem to remove the wrap and replace.

by Weenie


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ryanw
in the industry
Posts: 2284
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:52 pm
Location: London

by ryanw

That chap is my friend / team mate.

I literally told him (and the team) about 3 days before he was burgled to put an AirTag in his Spesh.

Goes without saying I'm now owed a fair few beers!

I have one in my SL7 and one in my Open. They're not perfect but obviously work.
SL8 S-Works Project Black - 6.29kg
IG: RhinosWorkshop

mashiehood
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:13 pm

by mashiehood

same here, have them in all my bikes, everthing helps.

mashiehood
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:13 pm

by mashiehood

also my summer bikes go in the loft, my winter commuter is locked in a asgard metal box, which if they try and break into will make a racket + its locked inside to an anchor..... if the cretins want something they will take it but make life hard for them...

User avatar
Stendhal
Posts: 894
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 1:43 am
Location: Silicon Valley

by Stendhal

I plan to do this as my son works for Apple and can get me a deal. Thank you Steve for doing the research and posting results on how to mount. :D
Cannondale Supersixevo 4 (7.05 kg)
Retired: Chapter2, Tarmac SWorks SL6, Orbea, Dogma F8\F10, LOW, Wilier, Ridley Noah, Cervelo R3\R5\S2\Aspero, Time Fluidity, Lapierre Pulsium, Cyfac, Felt, Klein, Cannondale pre-CAAD aluminum

eins4eins
Posts: 700
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 11:49 am

by eins4eins

But if the thieve is using an iphone as well, wouldnt he be notified that the bike is "airtagged" after a few minutes?

PoorCyclist
Posts: 783
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:26 am
Location: California's country side

by PoorCyclist

eins4eins wrote:
Tue Dec 14, 2021 10:13 pm
But if the thieve is using an iphone as well, wouldnt he be notified that the bike is "airtagged" after a few minutes?
Yes that is the general flaw with this air tag stuff.

Aerohead23
Posts: 354
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:35 am

by Aerohead23

It takes a while to get notified , you'd surely have it tracked by then, plus they need to be travelling with it for that long time. Presumably most theives move them on quick or get them and store them so they wouldn't get a notification.

HJWS
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2020 2:55 pm

by HJWS

ryanw wrote:
Tue Dec 14, 2021 8:20 pm
That chap is my friend / team mate.

I literally told him (and the team) about 3 days before he was burgled to put an AirTag in his Spesh.

Goes without saying I'm now owed a fair few beers!

I have one in my SL7 and one in my Open. They're not perfect but obviously work.
How are you mounting them on the bike? Keen to see other tidy solutions.

Maddie
Posts: 1532
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:44 am

by Maddie

I put them in the downtube with a bit of bubble wrap and cable ties to pull them out if necessary. I had to remove the forks for that (especially nice on my SL7 and Venge) since the ones from Samsung are too big to put them in the downtube via the bottom bracket.

Alex222
Posts: 121
Joined: Wed May 09, 2018 4:09 pm
Location: Surrey, United Kingdom

by Alex222

Saw a couple of tidy options on Adam Blythe's Instagram feed, linked below

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/laut-bike-t ... k-laut0002
https://www.freewheel.co.uk/laut-bike-t ... k-laut0001

Aerohead23
Posts: 354
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:35 am

by Aerohead23

Alex222 wrote:
Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:02 am
Saw a couple of tidy options on Adam Blythe's Instagram feed, linked below

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/laut-bike-t ... k-laut0002
https://www.freewheel.co.uk/laut-bike-t ... k-laut0001
The saddle one is class, ill order that now.
I find the Airtag great. I live in a little village and we are 5 mins from the school and we let the boy walk, so i have an airtag on his coat and make sure he gets there and back.

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

by Butcher

Could someone clarify this.

I put an airtag on my bike. This tag uses any Apple phone [that is capable] in the area to let the owner of that tag where it is. I get that but why would it allow any Apple phone there is an airtag around. Wouldn't that get annoying? Why would you care if someone elses tag is close by?

Yes, I get that thieves would like to know but I'm talking about regular consumers. I can see a setting that would allow you not to share that information but I cannot see why there would be a setting that would allow you to see all the airtags around. As these become popular, it would get annoying to know that information.

Sorry if it's a stupid question, just would like to know the logic behind this device.

Aerohead23
Posts: 354
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:35 am

by Aerohead23

Sorry forget everything i said.

Its a shit anti theft device:

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT212227

by Weenie


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Aerohead23
Posts: 354
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:35 am

by Aerohead23

Apparently it hours before the alert thing kick in though

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