Due to the overwhelming number of requests that we get asking for tracking solutions for personal bicycles, we have compiled everything that you ever needed to know here on one page.
Q: Is there a tracking device that I can buy to put on my own bicycle?
A: The short answer is, not yet. While you can certainly adapt something currently available for use on your own bike, it would most likely be impractical and expensive. For a more detailed and educational discussion on this topic, keep reading.
Q: Can I use your Bait Bike tracking device to protect my own bicycle?
A: No. The tracking device that we use on the bait bike can only be used by law enforcement agencies. There are several reasons for this, both technical and legal, in addition to the fact that the equipment is very expensive and cost prohibitive for consumer applications.
Q: Why can't I put a LoJack or something similar on my bicycle?
A: Again, the simple answer is cost. There are not very many people that would pay $500 for a tracking device for a bicycle and a device like this, at this time, could not be manufactured, marketed, and serviced for too much less than this. We are still several years away from a $100 tracking device.
Q: Isn't there a GPS device available that I can hide on my bike?
A: Yes, however, while GPS is cool, it does have several drawbacks when used on a bike. First, it is power hungry and a bike doesn't have a power source like a car does. Any device installed on a bicycle would need to be powered by an internal battery and thus would need to recharged on a daily basis, weekly at best. Most consumers would simply be riding around with a dead battery 90% of the time. Second, the devices are still too large to be able to effectively hide it on a bike, keeping in mind that it would not work if hidden within the metal frame. Third, while the cost of GPS devices are coming down, there is still the monthly fee that is needed to connect the device with the cellular network and to access a tracking website, usually $20 to $40 per month.
Q: What about a radio tracking device like those that they use on wildlife?
A: This is actually the most practical solution today. These transmitters are very small and could easily be hidden on a bike, and the battery lasts over a month. They are also relatively inexpensive at around $100. However, these transmitters only transmit to a distance of about one mile, and the receivers used to track them are at least $300. Bicycle groups or clubs could invest in a receiver or two and share them with the group to ease the pain. If 50 people each purchased a transmitter for their own bike and then pitched in $20 each towards a fleet of 3 receivers, and if three responsible people could be trusted to respond when needed to track a stolen bike, then this solution may work.
Q: So what do I do?
A: For the majority of people, the best solution would be to invest in a good bicycle lock. Do a little online research and buy the best lock that you can afford, and then use it EVERYTIME your bike is not in your direct control. That means locking your bicycle to something immovable even when it is in your garage. There are a LOT of bikes stolen from people's garages. ALSO, make sure that you retain a record of the serial numbers stamped into the frame of your bike so that you can report this to police if it is stolen. A digital photograph of the bike and serial numbers would be great. Many agencies also recommend that you engrave your driver's license number into the frame. If your bike is stolen, report it to the police and register it at www.stolenbicycleregistery.com. Most police departments have a huge pile of recovered bicycles that they have to auction off every few months because they simply are unable to track down the owners. Don't let your bike become one of these.
