An Airtag will fit into the motor cover on a Domane+ HP.

[ubt]

The motor cover is ABS so there isn't any RF interference, or at least it's minimal. On the non-drive side there is plenty of clearance and that's where all the wiring is, so I'm reasonably sure heat won't be a problem. A T20, T25, and some velcro is all you need. In the second photo you can just barely see a bit of white between the motor and the crank arm; that's the top of the Airtag.

I did wind up flipping the Airtag over from what is shown in the photos, so that the white side is facing out. I was able to locate/connect to the Airtag from a bit further away after I did this, presumably because the Airtag battery wasn't sandwiched between the radio and the motor cover.

There is also room in the downtube battery compartment, which would have been nice since it's a locked compartment, but CF kills the signal.

 

[Rincon]

it's a locked compartment, but CF kills the signal.

Actually AirTags work fine in at least some carbon fiber frames. There’s an install video on YouTube demonstrating this. The guy places the AirTag inside the down tube, through the bottom bracket. He replies in the comments that it works. He also states that it works inside an “alloy” frame. Not sure if the Australian vlogger means aluminum or steel though.

Did you test inside a carbon fiber frame?

Edit: I just installed one inside my bike’s carbon fiber top tube. Works fine. I was able to Find My it and turn the beeper on and off. I just stuffed it inside the top tube, sealed in a ziplock sandwich bag. I’m good to go.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

What’s the Airtag for? I understand from previous threads they are pretty much useless for tracking a stolen bike. Using them on a key ring to find them when misplaced is one thing, but what am I missing?
CN

 

[Coolbob]

What’s the Airtag for? I understand from previous threads they are pretty much useless for tracking a stolen bike. Using them on a key ring to find them when misplaced is one thing, but what am I missing?
CN

@Comfortably Numb AirTags are similar in design and construction to 'Tile' and other tracking devices based on bluetooth technology. The difference is that Apple is leveraging it's market share to create a bluetooth tracker that is MUCH more like to be tracked outside the range of the owner's phone.

'Tile' and similar devices work when the owners phone or any person who has the 'Tile' app installed on their phone comes within bluetooth range (about 30ft) of the device. 'Tile' was one of the first and most popular bluetooth trackable devices.

Google says "There are 26 million Tiles out there (based on 2019 figures), with 6 million location requests every day - and Tile reports that it has over 90 per cent of the US Bluetooth tracker market - so it's a pretty expansive system."

All iPhone 11 and 12 models can track an AirTag, no app necessary.

Business Insider reports that "The phone has turned out to be the number one in the list of smartphone sales worldwide and as per the data, Apple has sold over 16 million iPhone 11 units in Q3 2020"
All I can find in my casual search on iPhone 12 sales is that they are 'much higher' than the iPhone 11. For simplicity, let's call it 32 million iPhone 11 and 12.

So 'Tile' has 6-million hits a day and AirTags can potentially be found by 32million iPhone users. Advantage Airtag.

 

[ubt]

It's not perfect, but it's also inexpensive and not useless. Any iPhone (6 and up; for ultra-precise location within the last few feet you need an 11/12) that comes into Bluetooth range will update the tag's location in the FindMe app.

AirTag helps YouTuber track his stolen bike within 34 minutes of theft

Apple newly launched its Bluetooth tracker AirTag which is the smallest in the market. YouTuber @Bikespeeds out the tracker to test in a staged bike thievery incident and found that AirTag…

www.ithinkdiff.com

 

[Comfortably Numb]

It's not perfect, but it's also inexpensive and not useless. Any iPhone (6 and up; for ultra-precise location within the last few feet you need an 11/12) that comes into Bluetooth range will update the tag's location in the FindMe app.

AirTag helps YouTuber track his stolen bike within 34 minutes of theft

Apple newly launched its Bluetooth tracker AirTag which is the smallest in the market. YouTuber @Bikespeeds out the tracker to test in a staged bike thievery incident and found that AirTag…

www.ithinkdiff.com

I won't get into it any further than suggesting you look for the previous Airtag thread and question what chance you have in getting into BT range if your bike is stolen. CN

 

[Comfortably Numb]

@Comfortably Numb AirTags are similar in design and construction to 'Tile' and other tracking devices based on bluetooth technology. The difference is that Apple is leveraging it's market share to create a bluetooth tracker that is MUCH more like to be tracked outside the range of the owner's phone.

'Tile' and similar devices work when the owners phone or any person who has the 'Tile' app installed on their phone comes within bluetooth range (about 30ft) of the device. 'Tile' was one of the first and most popular bluetooth trackable devices.

Google says "There are 26 million Tiles out there (based on 2019 figures), with 6 million location requests every day - and Tile reports that it has over 90 per cent of the US Bluetooth tracker market - so it's a pretty expansive system."

All iPhone 11 and 12 models can track an AirTag, no app necessary.

Business Insider reports that "The phone has turned out to be the number one in the list of smartphone sales worldwide and as per the data, Apple has sold over 16 million iPhone 11 units in Q3 2020"
All I can find in my casual search on iPhone 12 sales is that they are 'much higher' than the iPhone 11. For simplicity, let's call it 32 million iPhone 11 and 12.

So 'Tile' has 6-million hits a day and AirTags can potentially be found by 32million iPhone users. Advantage Airtag.

I've had a Tile for years so I am aware how they work. All I can suggest is to read the previous Airtag threads that have been posted and see how effective these are going to really be. I'd love to see them be an effective anti-theft device but read the thread and see what 'holes' there are in it. CN

 

[Coolbob]

I've ordered a 4-pack of AirTags and I'll be disabling the speakers on the Airtag I install on each of our bikes. I'll try different locations once I get them, but for now the plan is to either spray paint the plastic side black and install them under the seat, or maybe stash them under the motor covers.

 

[Rincon]

what chance you have in getting into BT range if your bike is stolen.

Why do you need to be in BLE range? The GPS location is relayed by every iPhone that comes near the AirTag. The owner receives the location via cellular or Wi-Fi anywhere in the world. Once in the area the owner can use their eyeballs or their ears and the AirTag’s UWB beacon, or BLE, to locate it. The beauty of the AirTag is that you don’t have to be near it to know where it is.

That other thread is full of misinformation and misconceptions by people who haven’t laid eyes on an AirTag, let alone ever opened a physics book.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Why do you need to be in BLE range? The GPS location is relayed by every iPhone that comes near the AirTag. The owner receives the location via cellular or Wi-Fi anywhere in the world. Once in the area the owner can use their eyeballs or their ears and the AirTag’s UWB beacon, or BLE, to locate it. The beauty of the AirTag is that you don’t have to be near it to know where it is.

That other thread is full of misinformation and misconceptions by people who haven’t laid eyes on an AirTag, let alone ever opened a physics book.

I went to re-read the thread I was referring to and could not find it. (it is not the Airtags being the new Lojack thread) I now believe it was on an  discussion group I go to. I'll go look again.
I would love to see Airtags be the answer, however I prefer to avoid the theft initially than resort to recovery. I'm looking at something that alerts me to someone tampering with my bike or directs attention of people in the vicinity of my bike to the culprit's actions.
I recall the thread also spoke of the thief being notified he was in range of a BT device and if savvy, would go looking for one, or simply turn his phone off. Correct me if I'm wrong please, but if the Airtag signal gets nullified, by whatever means, you'd have no signal to track. The doughhead opportunists are not the problem. The savvy pros are.
I hope I'm wrong. CN

 

[Dallant]

I went to re-read the thread I was referring to and could not find it. (it is not the Airtags being the new Lojack thread) I now believe it was on an  discussion group I go to. I'll go look again.
I would love to see Airtags be the answer, however I prefer to avoid the theft initially than resort to recovery. I'm looking at something that alerts me to someone tampering with my bike or directs attention of people in the vicinity of my bike to the culprit's actions.
I recall the thread also spoke of the thief being notified he was in range of a BT device and if savvy, would go looking for one, or simply turn his phone off. Correct me if I'm wrong please, but if the Airtag signal gets nullified, by whatever means, you'd have no signal to track. The doughhead opportunists are not the problem. The savvy pros are.
I hope I'm wrong. CN

Of course avoiding the theft is optimal. If I was an ebike thief, I’d always look under the seat first. A savvy pro will likely know how to nullify something that alerts you to tampering. I’m pretty sure most ebike thieves where I ride are of the “doughhead“ type.
ATs are a just-in-case addition and you can get 4 for $100. Nullify the AT‘s signal and let us know how you did it.

 

[ubt]

I recall the thread also spoke of the thief being notified he was in range of a BT device and if savvy, would go looking for one, or simply turn his phone off.

If the thief had an iPhone, they would be notified they had someone else's tag with them when they got to their home location. If they didn't have an iPhone, there with be an audio alert from the Airtag after three days. The speaker can be pretty easily disconnected but I just assume the thief will become aware of the Airtag and hopefully decide to ditch the bike rather than go into Mission Impossible mode to find and mitigate.

Correct me if I'm wrong please, but if the Airtag signal gets nullified, by whatever means, you'd have no signal to track.

That's correct.

The doughhead opportunists are not the problem. The savvy pros are.

Well, I mean they *both* are, and an Airtag isn't what you should use if you wanted to leave your bike locked up outdoors at night or leave it unattended for long periods of time. Presumably that is not what people are doing with expensive e-bikes, but one never knows. Personally, I just want something for when I turn my back for 20 seconds and some opportunist decides today is their lucky day. I live in an area where you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a dozen iPhone users, so there should be plenty of sensor data, and $30 is a pretty cheap way to a little bit of incremental protection.

No one is saying adding an Airtag will prevent theft or guarantee recovery. Ultimately, I have coverage under my homeowners insurance as my last stand.

 

[Rincon]

I would love to see Airtags be the answer, however I prefer to avoid the theft initially than resort to recovery.

You‘re on the right track. An AirTag is just one part of an overall strategy to protect your bike. It isn’t a strategy in and of itself. It is simply a tactic, one of many layers of security you can use, along with a lock, situational awareness, and common sense, among others. The AirTag is actually the last resort, if all else fails. If you don’t have a $29 AirTag when all else fails, then what do you have?

 

[Comfortably Numb]

If the thief had an iPhone, they would be notified they had someone else's tag with them when they got to their home location. If they didn't have an iPhone, there with be an audio alert from the Airtag after three days. The speaker can be pretty easily disconnected but I just assume the thief will become aware of the Airtag and hopefully decide to ditch the bike rather than go into Mission Impossible mode to find and mitigate.


That's correct.


Well, I mean they *both* are, and an Airtag isn't what you should use if you wanted to leave your bike locked up outdoors at night or leave it unattended for long periods of time. Presumably that is not what people are doing with expensive e-bikes, but one never knows. Personally, I just want something for when I turn my back for 20 seconds and some opportunist decides today is their lucky day. I live in an area where you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a dozen iPhone users, so there should be plenty of sensor data, and $30 is a pretty cheap way to a little bit of incremental protection.

No one is saying adding an Airtag will prevent theft or guarantee recovery. Ultimately, I have coverage under my homeowners insurance as my last stand.

I'm going to look into what my home insurance will do for me.
Ultimately would like to be able to pop into a grocery store for maybe a 1/2 hour or so and have a fair idea my bike will still be out front when I get back to it. The rest of the time I will keep it in sight, like stopping for a coffee. I'll get as many items as I feel I need. I'm an  guy so I'll probably spring for an AT too.
Right now all I have is a Kryptonite New York U lock and a cable. I am researching what to add next to my arsenal.
CN

 

[Comfortably Numb]

I hope putting a link here is kosher with EBR.

Regarding this thread, here is a link to the Airtag category in the  Discussion group I mentioned earlier.
There are lots of Airtag threads there. https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/airtags.232/
CN

 

[Ebiker01]

No chance here....and tracking is unafectted by the alu/plastic cover. Not Trek, BH ebike .

The "find my" feature for Iwatch to locate Airtag would be a great addition. Hopefully the dev. will release a software update.

Streamable Video

Watch this video on Streamable.

streamable.com

 

[Dallant]

I'm going to look into what my home insurance will do for me.
Ultimately would like to be able to pop into a grocery store for maybe a 1/2 hour or so and have a fair idea my bike will still be out front when I get back to it. The rest of the time I will keep it in sight, like stopping for a coffee. I'll get as many items as I feel I need. I'm an  guy so I'll probably spring for an AT too.
Right now all I have is a Kryptonite New York U lock and a cable. I am researching what to add next to my arsenal.
CN

Asked my insurance agent if using AirTags would save me any money on my bike insurance…nope!