There has been a fair amount of debate as to where to hide an Apple Air Tag on a bike so that it’s not immediately discovered and removed by thieves. Muc Off might just have produced just the right solution: a valve with Air Tag holder, so you can keep your Air Tag inside your tyres.
This seems like a genius solution. It’s not immediately visible, and any thief trying to remove it in a hurry is going to end up with a flat tyre and a bike they can’t just ride away. Plus they’ll probably have tired thumbs and be covered in sealant juice. Every silver lining and all that.
It doesn’t seem to be compatible with tubeless inserts, but can you imagine the torture of trying to install an insert plus an Air Tag? You might find yourself wishing for someone to take your bike after that.
Which sealant for maximum sticky thief deterrent? Perhaps the next product release should be some sort of DNA traceable sealant that glows under UV light? Just top the sealant bottle off with a spot of your own pee to create a totally unique sealant fingerprint so you can definitely claim that bike is yours?
Join our mailing list to receive Singletrack editorial wisdom directly in your inbox.
Each newsletter is headed up by an exclusive editorial from our team and includes stories and news you don’t want to miss.
Anyhow, while the MucOff bods get working on that indispensable idea, have yourself a press release with all the official details.
After the success of the brand’s Secure Tag Holder earlier this year, Muc-Off’s Product Team have designed a unique version that allows for an Apple AirTag® to be stowed inside the tyre and rim of a tubeless-compatible mountain or gravel bike. This makes for the ultimate covert tracking solution, completely hidden from bike thieves.
Designed for use with an Apple AirTag® (not included), which is housed in a protective, 3-part silicone and rubber tubeless valve mount and supplied with a range of tubeless valve bases, so you can ensure an airtight seal is achieved against the rim when installing inside a tubeless tyre.
Also built-in to protect the rim and the AirTag® from high-impacts is a sacrificial stem which compresses and rebounds under extreme loads. Although the holder will absorb impacts, it is secure to the valve with a durable stem mount which allows sealant and air to flow through the valve as usual and will not rattle inside the rim and tyre.
The Apple AirTag® itself works by allowing users to track any item from their phone, using the Find My® app. Once activated, any item to which the tag is connected appears on the radar within the app, so tracking the bike down is as simple as looking on the map.
According to a study from Direct Line Insurance*, between April and August 2020, UK bicycle thefts exceeded 110k, whilst bike registration specialists 529 Garage** reported that the US experiences over 2m bike thefts every year, that’s one every 30 seconds! With aggregated data from Worldometers*** suggesting that the number of new bikes produced in 2021 will exceed 150m by year end, there really has never been a more important time for riders to equip themselves with the added security this technology provides.
“Technologies like the Apple Airtag® can be a great defense against would-be bike thieves. This is what led us to develop our Tag Holders, we wanted to give riders secure and thief-proof ways of fixing the tracker to their bikes. The newest offering – the Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder – is a completely unique undercover solution unlike anything we have seen on the market so far. We will continue to embrace emerging technologies to enhance every rider experience, as we continue our exciting program of innovation in the future.”
– Alex Trimnell, CEO at Muc-Off.
The Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder and Secure Tag Holder follows on from Muc-Off’s recent launch of their new Bike Insurance product, provided by NextGen. With several innovative benefits including a multi-bike discount, free upgrade cover and no renewal price rises, Muc-Off’s ambition to continue improving riders’ experiences shows no sign of abating. The launch of the Secure Tag Holder means riders now have an epic combo of Muc-Off offerings to keep their bikes safer than ever.
The Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder retails via Muc-Off distribution network and at muc-off.com for £14.99/€19.99/$19.99 and as part of a kit which includes a set of black Muc-Off 44mm Tubeless Valves for £34.99/€42.99/$44.99.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.