Quite a nice idea: http://www.thetileapp.com/

Downsides seem to be: iOS only and only last a year – but if I lived in a high theft area I’d seriously be interested…

bury it araldite under saddle or under BB

Only works up to 150ft away, so more of a ‘where have I put my keys’ type thing, isn’t it, than a security device?

They say it will communicate with any phone within range running the app. So if someone else is within 150ft, it will still pass the position onto you.
So it could work for security if you have enough people in the area using it.

[paranoid]could also make it easy to find high value bikes that you know are security tagged ![/paranoid]

I was with it until those two guys started talking at the end. Bleurgh

JY – you can reduce your paranoia – it apparently only shows up (1) to you (2) once you’ve listed the item as missing.

CraigW – only with any phone “running the App” not any phone… and since it only runs on iOS and most people will not have the App or have it running it will be a much reduced network of detectors.

Rockhopper – araldite not ideal as needs replaced every year. Saddle can obviously be swapped easily enough once they know where to look 🙁

Is your stem hollow? Take it off the steerer and hide it in there.

http://www.gizmag.com/spybike-gps-tracker/22999/
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1054587410/the-bikespike

These look a lot more use

Genuine *wish I’d thought of that* moment with the tile and bikespike
Both seem a bit expensive for those of us with many bikes…

I agree it needs to be internal or thieves will just remove it. will putting it inside a steel or aluminium tube reduce the GPS signal?

I agree it needs to be internal or thieves will just remove it. will putting it inside a steel or aluminium tube reduce the GPS signal?

. I think it’s bluetooth rather than gps but your right. I guess you have to have a plastic top cap on your steerer. I would glue it under the saddle.

I’m offended that it’s designed to be thrown away when the battery dies but I just guess that’s the way if things nowadays :(. It would probably work well anywhere where there is a high take up of the device so I’m not sure it will work for us yet but the idea is quite nice

Putting it inside a frame will not work as the RF signal will not pass through metal (or carbon fibre for that matter). Also placing it close to a metallic surface will detune the antenna meaning it will likely not work properly. GPS needs a clear view of the sky as the level of the signal is so low by the time it reaches the earth (about -130dB).

It is pretty much a waste of time putting trackers inside bike frames or stems, handlebars, seatposts etc.

We could always get in touch with the makers- if enough people with iPhones and bikes get in touch – I am sure they could change the form factor to something tubular – then we are getting somewhere.

I get the impression that these startup are a little more flexible than the “big boys” – let hope so.

looks good, nice little idea, not dead easy to apply to a bike but I would have thought a quick request and they’d be keen to assist, small companies are always keen if its possible as it might mean more income. I imagine other smartphone platforms wouldnt be far away.