New idea from Muc-Off for hiding an Air Tag!

[Expidia]

Wow, this is the best idea yet . . .

Muc-Off Launches Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder

Muc-Off, the global leaders in bicycle and motorcycle care and performance, is stoked to launch their latest bit of innovation: The Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder.

www.vitalmtb.com

 

[Stihldog]

Looks like a good option. I can see a problem though if you’re using a CushCore. But not everyone uses a CushCore.

 

[steve_sordy]

I read to the end of the link and found this comment:


dirty booger
6 months ago
"If someone else’s AirTag finds its way into your stuff, your iPhone will notice it’s traveling with you and send you an alert. After a while, if you still haven’t found it, the AirTag will start playing a sound to let you know it’s there."

Wow, so hidden from bike thieves...

 

[Expidia]

I read to the end of the link and found this comment:


dirty booger
6 months ago
"If someone else’s AirTag finds its way into your stuff, your iPhone will notice it’s traveling with you and send you an alert. After a while, if you still haven’t found it, the AirTag will start playing a sound to let you know it’s there."

Wow, so hidden from bike thieves...

On Youtube there are simple instructions to follow on how to pop an Airtag open and disable the speaker. The speaker chirps is Apple's answer on how to prevent someone from say dropping an Airtag in a womens a purse (or a man purse if that's your flavor ) and following the victim home.

 

[Bomble]

I’ve got an airbag stashed on my van, followed a YouTube vid to disable the speaker and it works a treat. Even if someone knew there was one I doubt they would find it, I dropped it down one of the support struts on the body.

 

[Dave_B]

well, it's no longer hidden is it.

 

[7869hodgy]

well, it's no longer hidden is it.

Just listen for the rattle

 

[Expidia]

I'm not a cush core fan either. But at least this is a start in that bike companies and accessory vendors are trying to come up with better theft prevention measures. The Apple Air tags are an amazing "bit of kit" (I always wanted to say that)

If it was up to me, I'd like a device that as soon as they touch the metal it "electrocutes" the bastards

 

[SwampNut]

There are a hundred different stash devices for them on Amazon. Under the seat, behind a reflector, inside a stem bolt, phone mount, water bottle mount, etc etc. If a person hops on the bike and has an iPhone, they will be alerted after a while. BUT...you will be alerted far before that. I have AirTags on my luggage and my laptop bag, and get a warning when a couple minutes after the luggage goes into the check-in, or after I walk away from my bag. I believe the anti-stalking warning happens in a few hours.

There are also third party tag detectors for Android, where a knowledgeable thief could pre-scan a bag to see if there's a tag on it.

 

[SwampNut]

I just realized something. How is this going to go if you have a flat and hit a rock or just hard trail? It looks like it sticks out into the tire a lot. So are you going to destroy an AirTag, the mount, and possibly an expensive wheel? How far out will you be when you have no way to fix this problem?

 

[steve_sordy]

...................

If it was up to me, I'd like a device that as soon as they touch the metal it "electrocutes" the bastards

A nine-inch spike up through the saddle would do the job quite efficiently. Just don't forget to disable the device before riding it yourself!!

These days though, you'd probably have to fit a warning "this bike is fitted with an anti-theft device" but it still wouldn't stop the emasculated thief from suing you for GBH.

 

[smc_stefan]

Probably they would charge you with infringing of the thief's privacy rights when you track him down with an AirTag nowadays...

 

[SwampNut]

Certainly not in the US, but a friend of a friend in Germany was charged with a privacy violation for recording a thief who repeatedly entered his land to steal. Insanity.

I keep kicking around the AirTags for bikes, but am also in such a low crime area that I almost can't picture a loss scenario.

 

[smc_stefan]

Ok, thats wild. My post was meant to be sarcastic, but yeah, these days you never know.
In Austria it's legal to film and record what's happening on your own property.

Thought about AirTags but due to the fact that only around 23% of people in my country use iPhones, it doesn't make too much sense and I also refuse to switch to Apple just for that. I read about rumors though, that Apple might get contracts with "other" OS developers (which would mean Google) so both OS could get use of AirTags, which would be brilliant.

I'm also located in a very low crime area and have insurance for the place I store my bike anyway, so I'm not really concerned.

 

[SwampNut]

It would be completely unlike Apple to do that, and totally illogical.

 

[smc_stefan]

That's true, but on the other hand they even reached an agreement with Elon Musk over Twitter, so nothing seems impossible. Read about the AirTag thing in a tech blog some time ago. From a business perspective it could make sense for Apple, iPhones are mainly highly popular in the US and GB but not around the world, they are at about 30% in Europe and 15% worldwide. So charging Google for the use of the AirTag technology plus selling millions of AirTags to Android users worldwide could make sense. We will see what happens, I would like it to happen but if not I can also live without it.

 

[Kiteboy]

Glad I live in Florida. Thieves have been known to plant airtags on bikes, cars, etc... and steal them from victims homes. Not so much in Florida. Breaking into a home to steal a bike (or anything else) here comes with the very real risk and high probability of leaving at room temperature.
Also filming a thief or trailing them via airtag to their lair is not against the law here.

 

[SwampNut]

It is just as legal to smoke a home invader or robber in CA as it is in FL.

I think I've settled on an underseat, seat rail mount for a tag. I think it would be basically invisible. Opinions? My bike doesn't have any logical places for a reflector housing. I'm sure as shit not putting this inside a tire since I've seen what happens to them if you have a flat.

 

[billium]

I would not use this mount ever - because of the eventuality of a flat.
Plus imagine the fun of pulling out the airtag covered in Slime every year to replace its coin cell!
Both of my ebikes have lockable batteries and I simply put the AirTags wrapped in foam behind the battery so they are easy to access when their coin cells need replacing but hard for a thief to get at.

 

[SwampNut]

Keep in mind that batteries, metals, and carbon fiber will attenuate radio signals. This device is already ultra low power with short range. You may not notice it, but if you're trying to maximize the AirTag's range, you should avoid enclosing it inside/behind anything other than plastics or fiberglass.

 

[billium]

Keep in mind that batteries, metals, and carbon fiber will attenuate radio signals. This device is already ultra low power with short range. You may not notice it, but if you're trying to maximize the AirTag's range, you should avoid enclosing it inside/behind anything other than plastics or fiberglass.

Good point - you need to measure performance for any location you choose. My bike here works about 5M away from my phone which should be of help if the worst happens.