Theft prevention/recovery?

K

KnobbyGuy

Member
Region
USA
Needless to say, these ebikes are expensive and a prime target for scumbags looking to rip people off. But a recent story from one of my motorcycle publications got me thinking. A guy had his ebike stolen at a large weekend motorcycling event in a camping/RV area but he had 'tagged' it with a Bluetooth tracker. He called the Police and they 'tracked' it to an enclosed trailer on the premises and arrested the perp who had other stolen goods.
I took a look at "Tile Mates" and purchased a 4 pack through Walmart for less than $40 (Apple also has a similar product).

These certainly can't prevent theft, but they should help with recovery efforts. You'd want to mount them discretely so a crook wouldn't remove it.
 
That helps but the "Tile Mate" (and all bluetooth devices) only have a 100 foot range.

I learned that Apple Tags use other people's phones to find the tag and report back to the tag owner.
I don't know if the other phones involved have to agree to having their phones used to find a tag.

I don't know if the Android Tags use other people's phones?

A better option is a wireless tag that uses cell service, but you would need to have a cell plan to operate the tracker.
It's similar to attaching a cell phone to your e-bike, but I think the monthly rate is a bit cheaper than a cell phone plan.
 
PCeBiker said:
That helps but the "Tile Mate" (and all bluetooth devices) only have a 100 foot range.

I learned that Apple Tags use other people's phones to find the tag and report back to the tag owner.
I don't know if the other phones involved have to agree to having their phones used to find a tag.

I don't know if the Android Tags use other people's phones?

A better option is a wireless tag that uses cell service, but you would need to have a cell plan to operate the tracker.
It's similar to attaching a cell phone to your e-bike, but I think the monthly rate is a bit cheaper than a cell phone plan.
Click to expand...
Good points. For a $10 device they certainly have some limitations (they advertise 250' range). The "Tile" branded devices do rely on other users that have the Tile App on their cell phones, so they will work best in highly populated areas. I have a few Tiles installed on equipment stored in a metal sided garage that sits on an alley in a small town and my App shows their location which is encouraging. If a crook would take your property to a remote location, that would be a problem.
 
I use the apple air tags on my bikes and golf cart. They work well. Also have one on our dog’s harness.
Amazon has AirTag holders for bikes. the Trek store did not even notice the one I had on my bike when they serviced it.
 
It is advisable to have LEO assist in that. I did that when my brief case was stolen.
 
Make sure you go through the police. I went to the place my AirTag said my stuff was and didn't know if I was going to get away without getting shot. The police told me to never do that again but to come to them for help.
 
In the year 2024 it is very wise to put an air tag on your E bike.
If you are not an Apple person, become one. Buy a used Ipad if necessary simply to use with your air tag. It is a relatively cheap investment that can be used to keep track of your Ebike
 
I would rather spend the money on decent deterrents that track it later, if that's IF you ever do then find just a frame
 
CanNik said:
I don't want an apple anything thank you

Plenty of alternatives if not this one google them

Click to expand...
What you linked operates on Bluetooth meaning its range is very limited. I am not an Apple fan at all. But there is nothing quite like an Air tag in terms of cost reliability and range.
An Airtag will track an item Globally via the network of Apple Devices. It is not limited to Bluetooth Range.
I have all Android devices and do not own an Iphone however I bought a used Ipad specifically to use with Airtags.
I have airtags on all my valuable items that are at risk of beiing stolen. When it comes to air tags and Apple I apply the old saying "If you can't beat them join them!"
 
Lantley said:
What you linked operates on Bluetooth meaning its range is very limited. I am not an Apple fan at all. But there is nothing quite like an Air tag in terms of cost reliability and range.
An Airtag will track an item Globally via the network of Apple Devices. It is not limited to Bluetooth Range.
I have all Android devices and do not own an Iphone however I bought a used Ipad specifically to use with Airtags.
I have airtags on all my valuable items that are at risk of beiing stolen. When it comes to air tags and Apple I apply the old saying "If you can't beat them join them!"
Click to expand...
I believe the "Tile" products work the same as the Air Tag AND they work with both Android & Apple.
 
I stand corrected tile does work similarly to Air Tags via the tile network. Howerver4 the network is not nearly as extensive.
However in time I imagine the gap between the size the Tile Network vs. Apple Network will decrease.
Tile also charges a fee for their full feature tracking no fee from Apple.
I do also stand corrected that Tile is a worthwhile option for one who does not like Apple Products.
More importantly its 2024 . In todays age there are reasonably priced trackers to monitor your Ebikes location worldwide.

Quote From PC Mag comparing the 2.
"
Tile, on the other hand, offers apps for Android and iOS, so its trackers work with just about any recent smartphone. If you’re an Android user, Tile is the only way to go.

For what it's worth, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag and SmartTag Plus are solid options for Galaxy smartphone owners, but they have yet to gain the same popularity as the competition.

Location Accuracy​

Apple has the upper hand when it comes to location accuracy for a number of reasons, including the aforementioned UWB support that enables precise directions to guide you to your lost object. And because AirTags use the Find My app built into every iPhone and iPad, it taps into a much wider network of users than Tile, which requires you to install an app on your phone to become part of its location network. That said, Tile has sold tons of trackers, and the Life360 acquisition adds even more devices."
 
I'd rather make sure they can't steal the thing in the first place. This buys me a half hour even against a mains-powered angle grinder (which no thief outside a store is going to be able to plug into) and a half-dozen cutting wheels.

talesontwowheels.com

Litelok X3 Review – From a Bike Owner’s Perspective

The angle-grinder-resistant Litelok X3 bicycle and motorcycle lock has been getting a lot of pre-release publicity. Here’s my take as an owner, not a professional trying to destroy one.
talesontwowheels.com talesontwowheels.com
 
I always feel uncomfortable locking up my Evelo(s) and then leaving them 'out of sight'. I think the Manufacturers could really do a better job of 'locking out' the electronics to make the bike more secure. At the very least, an ignition switch would be nice or a removable display. Maybe even a mechanical lock-out on the crank to prevent some low-life from riding away. I've got "fold-up" pedals on my bikes to aid in transporting on the car rack but it'd be slick if they had a 'key lockout' system like my Thule rack.
 
I used the Tilemates for an overseas trip to Japan while transporting two bikes as checked baggage as was discussed in this thread. They worked well but it really depends on how many other tiles users are in the vicinity which are likely miniscule in number compared to Airtag users. I was able to track it from my departure point to my layover flight and ultimately the arrival at its final destination and on to the courier company which delivered the bikes to the residence. The one glaring caveat being that it doesn’t offer the same precision or range as Airtags but for owners of Android phones it’s better than nothing.
 
The Google/Android version of Find my... is pretty much waiting to launch immenently according to rumors. It's likely there will be lots of options and on a much bigger network once Google rolls it out.

From Google blog post

An update on the new Find My Device network​

We also want to share an update on the launch status of our new Find My Device network, which we announced at I/O 2023 as coming this summer to Android. These new Find My Device features will help you locate your missing belongings like headphones, phones, and other everyday items (like luggage and keys) using a range of new third-party Bluetooth tracker tags.

User safety and the prevention of unwanted location tracking is a top priority for Android. We are working in partnership with Apple to help finalize the joint unwanted tracker alert specification by the end of this year. At this time we’ve made the decision to hold the rollout of the Find My Device network until Apple has implemented protections for iOS.
 
KnobbyGuy said:
I always feel uncomfortable locking up my Evelo(s) and then leaving them 'out of sight'. I think the Manufacturers could really do a better job of 'locking out' the electronics to make the bike more secure. At the very least, an ignition switch would be nice or a removable display. Maybe even a mechanical lock-out on the crank to prevent some low-life from riding away. I've got "fold-up" pedals on my bikes to aid in transporting on the car rack but it'd be slick if they had a 'key lockout' system like my Thule rack.
Click to expand...
Good Point. The manufacturers could easily put a PIN on the display to lock up the bikes electronics to deter theft. Seems like a relatively simple thing to do.
 
Lantley said:
Good Point. The manufacturers could easily put a PIN on the display to lock up the bikes electronics to deter theft. Seems like a relatively simple thing to do.
Click to expand...
An option for a PIN is contained in most aftermarket displays and has been for years. All of the KT displays (hub motors) and all of the BBSxx displays have them and have had since at least 2015.
Check your display's user manual (assuming you even have one... most people have never seen theirs).

I personally never use them because I have found stuff like this tends to work best keeping the rightful owner out of their own system rather than a 3rd party. I've seen plenty of help requests from people who forgot their PIN or there is some malfunction and the person is now locked out of their bike. Another one you see a lot is Person B buys a bike from Person A and doesn't take remembering the PIN seriously, parks the bike for awhile and then posts in a user group asking how to bypass the forgotten PIN (you have to buy a new display).
 
I hear where your coming from with the operator error issue.
However its a matter of educating the riders. Sort of like cell phone use. We are all aware that cell phones have PIN numbers but bikers are not aware that their Ebikes can be disabled electronically.
If Ebikes where routinely/always electronically locked down it would have a dramatic impact on theft.
Manufacturers need to promote this feature.
 
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