Hi All!
Earlier, I wrote a post on GPS tracking of stolen bicycles (
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3928.0 ). Now, it is possible for any user to track their bicycle thanks to a new product, the SpyBike Covert Bicycle GPS Tracker, made by UK-based Integrated Trackers. See:
http://www.integratedtrackers.com/GPSTrack/Products.jsp?target_item=Spybike.jsp The device is hidden inside most most steel, aluminum, or carbon threadless steerers (so, in lieu of a Tout Terrain The Plug 2 and PAT cable), has a reasonably long USB-rechargeable battery life, is motion-activated, and looks like a standard threadless headset top cap. It is 23.5mm diameter x 110 mm long and weighs 67g, and requires a steerer greater than 250mm long.
So, how does the thing work?
It uploads location coordinates to your smartphone and a website if activated by theft.
To use it, you first purchase a pay-as-you-go SIM card and pair it with the Spybike tracker. When you are about to leave the bike, you pass what appears to be a magnetic key over the top cap to activate it. A blue confirmation light blinks to let you know it is armed. Once on, the internal motion sensor detects sharp movements and uses GPRs to send GPS coordinates to your cell phone by SMS (the built-in quad-band GSM modem makes it compatible with cell networks worldwide). A new coordinate is recorded every 20 seconds so long as the bike is moving; it goes into sleep mode when the bike is stationary, saving the battery until motion activates it to again send a fresh series of coordinates.
Should you forget to arm it and the bike is stolen, it can be remotely activated with your cellphone.
This thing isn't cheap. It runs a little over USD$150, and I believe there is an extra charge for the SIM card.
This sounds like just the thing to track a bike once it is stolen, provided it is pre-charged and the thief does not recognize it for what it is and removes it promptly (I know! Secure it with an Atomic-22 security bolt!). Maybe it could be deactivated with a magnet. Unfortunately, it does nothing to prevent theft, but might be really useful on-tour in the event a bicycle were to be stolen. I can see this being a really useful tool for recovery
with police assistance, as I can't imagine things going too well on one's own.
Interesting videos, accessible from a tab on the Spybike website:
http://www.integratedtrackers.com/GPSTrack/Products.jsp?target_item=Spybike.jspBest,
Dan.
