Bicycle Tracking Device: This $15 Gadget Turns Apple AirTag Into Discreet Bike Beacon
If you’re aware of spy gear and culture whatsoever, you’re probably familiar with the idea of putting a stealth tracking device on precious cargo.
Why not do the same thing to your bike? As global supply chain delays continue to slow bicycle production, bikes are hot commodities on all markets (including the black market).
Stealth Tag has you covered when the best U-lock still fails at the hands of thieves.
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The execution is as simple as the concept. The Stealth Tag is about the size of a big bottle cap. Simply seat an Apple AirTag inside it, then push the cap into the bottom of your steerer tube. “Slight expansion,” according to Stealth Tag, holds it in.
If your bike goes missing, nearby devices can locate the AirTag via Bluetooth and drop a pin on the Find My app. (Note that AirTag is only compatible with iPhone 11 and later — in this case, Android users are out of luck.)
The $15 gadget is currently compatible with multiple popular mountain bike steerer tubes from Fox and Rockshox. Find out if your fork can house a Stealth Tag. As of this writing, it’s on sale for $13.
A Quick Audit: Is the Stealth Tag Any Good?
Maybe. The concept is pleasingly simple, and if it works, it’s a stroke of elegant genius. But, of course, it has to work.
You’ve seen these plastic caps before; there might be some on the ends of your handlebar, protecting anything that may contact them. To install the Stealth Tag, punch it upward into the bottom of the steerer tube.
That means friction is the only thing securing it. Could it pop out when you land a drop or rattle your way over choppy trails? There’s only one way to know for sure. Still, a low-cost threshold might justify trying it out — especially depending on how much you spent on your bike.
Stealth Tag purchases don’t include Apple AirTags. Buy one separately, starting at $29.
It seems like the idea for the Stealth Tag was hiding in plain sight. Now, the Stealth Tag itself will be doing the same thing.
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