If you have a nice high-quality bicycle, you often suffer from the fact that other third parties also find the bike beautiful. So beautiful that they steal it from you and resell it in parts or take it abroad to make money. Many stolen bicycles disappear never to be seen again and the police can only recover a small number of stolen bicycles.

GPS tracker as bicycle theft protection

Bicycle owners are therefore increasingly using a bicycle GPS tracker to protect themselves against bicycle theft and want to find out where the bicycle has disappeared to. The thought is right. However, when buying a GPS bicycle tracker, you should consider a few points in order to have real protection against theft and to be able to track where the bicycle has disappeared to.

In the following short video are the TOP 5 errors in the bicycle GPS tracker purchase listed, which you should avoid when buying a tracker:

For example;

The 5 biggest mistakes with the bike GPS tracker purchase

As you can see in the video above: If you buy a bicycle GPS tracker as an anti-theft device, you should definitely avoid the following 5 big mistakes, so that you are still happy after the purchase and the GPS tracker reliably protects your own bicycle:

Mistake 1 when buying a bike GPS Tracker: insufficient battery life

Most bike GPS trackers are purchased with a battery that allows for a much too short runtime. Sometimes only a few hours or a few days. Good battery life with high-quality bicycle GPS trackers is several months. In practice, insufficient battery life means that the battery is often left empty. In the event of theft, the GPS tracker with the empty battery will not send a signal and the bicycle cannot be found.

Mistake 2 when buying a bike GPS tracker: inaccurate GPS reception

Some buyers of a bicycle GPS tracking system only consider the price when deciding on a purchase and then purchase a cheap system, which however does not have any modern transmission and tracking technology installed. Modern high-tech GPS bicycle trackers enable a localization which is partly accurate to 50 cm. This enables an exact localization. Cheapest systems of Asian provinces are far less accurate: From the district to the street block or wrong street indication everything is possible, – but this does not lead to an easy finding of the bicycle. Bad cheap technology in the device becomes particularly obvious if the thief has hidden the bicycle in the cellar, garage or shed, – the signal of cheap devices is then often no longer receivable at all because even these environments then intercept the signal and no longer allow it to penetrate. A high-quality bicycle GPS tracker model reliably sends precise location data – often via GPS and GSM.

Mistake 3 with bicycle GPS tracker purchase: tracker too easy to find

Bicycle thieves are not stupid either: Frequently bicycle GPS trackers are integrated into bottle holders and rear lights. Bicycle thieves know this and are very familiar with the models available on the market. They recognize the only seemingly hidden GPS tracker when passing by and remove it before they remove the bike. This way the bicycle is simply no longer detectable. Models that disappear in the frame are usually not detected during the theft and allow the bicycle thief to be tracked.

Mistake 4 with the bicycle GPS Tracker Purchase: High additional costs for SIM card data tariff

Bicycle GPS trackers as an anti-theft device for the bike require a SIM card. Often buyers do not take this into account when buying a bike and are then shocked by the high monthly costs. This makes finding it abroad impossible or expensive. With good offers on the market, a SIM card can be ordered in a set, which has no monthly follow-up costs (in the first year) and also works smoothly abroad. You should pay attention to this. An apparently cheap GPS tracker for the bicycle will otherwise become very expensive afterward.

Mistake 5 with the bicycle GPS tracker Purchase: difficult start-up

Bought and ordered a bicycle GPS tracker is always fast: With a few mouse clicks, such a tracker is ordered. But the exciting moment comes when you try to install it. But there are also models where this is well solved.

bicycle theft protection GPS Tracker

Basically, a GPS tracker as an anti-theft device for the bicycle is an excellent idea. Modern systems enable an alarm to be sent to the bike owner’s smartphone as soon as the bike is moved and show where the stolen bike is going. However, this requires several things:

• bicycle GPS tracker must not be immediately detected and removed by the thief
• The tracker still has sufficient power from a charged battery and this is not empty at the time of the theft

• Ramsch tracker with bad transmission power: cheap technology allows bad or no tracking, -at the latest as soon as the surroundings become a little “unfriendly” (shed, garage etc.)

GPS Tracker for the bicycle perfect theft protection

If you choose the right GPS tracker for your bike with a sufficiently large battery, hidden installation and good transmission power, a bike GPS tracker is the perfect tool to catch bike thieves because:

• Alert on the Smartphone when the bike is removed
• Movement alarm possible: As soon as the thief even moves the bike, an alarm is set off on the owner’s mobile phone: this allows early intervention
• Tracing the route taken
• Geofencing function: If a certain radius is left, an alarm is triggered
• Placement possibility also abroad

Theft protection bicycle test winner

As bicycle locks – no matter how expensive they are – can be cracked and professionals do this with tools, an electronic anti-theft device for bicycles is definitely advisable and recommended. However, the systems available on the market differ considerably.

Here is a short video about the TOP 3 GPS Tracker in test:

1st place: Test winner GPS Bike Tracker©

2nd place: TKSTAR bicycle GPS tracker (installed in the rear light)

3rd place: Tracker ID GPS Tracker (built into the cup holder)

Test winner Bike GPS Tracker© convinces with several points:

• up to several months without recharging of the battery. This results in long functional times of the bicycle GPS tracker. The alarm system does what it should: it works
• Comfortable Smartphone-App: On a mobile phone, you can easily see where your bike is, which route it takes and if it has left a geofence area.
• Installation also possible in the car: The device can also be inconspicuously placed in the car and thus protects the car
• Easy to use: No complicated programming – extremely easy to use app

The second-placed TKSTAR bike GPS tracker also has an extensive tracking app and is also easy to install. The installation of the GPS Tracker in a tail light is not new to bicycle thieves, which means that thieves often remove it and leave it behind at the place of theft. It is easy to uncover and has a short battery life. This leads to the need for frequent recharging. Moreover, since the battery it contains powers both the lamp and the tracker at the same time, the battery will run down even faster if the light is also used as a light.

The third-placed Tracker ID Bicycle Finder is a small GPS tracker installed in a cup holder for the bicycle. An extensive tracking app is available, the idea of camouflage is basically good, – but if there is no bottle in the holder, thieves can quickly detect the tracker and also remove the GPS module. Unreliable battery life may require frequent recharging. For proper mounting, holes may have to be drilled in the bicycle frame. The manufacturer states 24 hours operating time in theft mode.

The GPS Bicycle Tracker© had the longest operating time in the test, which is due to the sufficiently dimensioned battery. A running time of several months makes it comfortable to use and you can be sure that the GPS Bike Tracker© sends data reliably – even without daily or weekly recharging.

Theft protection bicycle test

Because in Germany about 290,000 bicycles are stolen every year and the detection rate of the police is below 10%, adequate theft protection for the bike is important. This is especially true if the bicycle is of high quality. Otherwise, the trouble is practically pre-programmed.

Some bicycle owners still try to secure their bicycle against theft with a conventional lock. However, practical experience shows that practically any bicycle lock can be removed within seconds to a maximum of one minute. Even “simple” bicycle thieves today appear on the scene with bolt cutters under their jacket and have removed most locks in seconds. Professional bicycle thieves, who specialize inexpensive bicycles, have battery-operated cutters with them and hardly need more than 1 minute to remove a lock.

Compare different lock models:

• cable lock: Usually longer and stretchable. Very long models offer the possibility to connect several bikes at the same time. Quickly cut through with a bolt cutter.

Curb chain: Has a strong effect, also has a high weight, – partly not easy and noiseless to transport. For professional thieves also no obstacle.
One of the most popular variants of a bicycle lock. It can be folded for transport and mounted on the frame. So you always have it with you. However, not so flexible if you want to connect the bike somewhere. It can also be removed by thieves. Is cracked e.g. with a jack or by twisting

• shackle lock: Promises high security, sometimes titanium or other seemingly indestructible materials are advertised as a security element. Unflexible when connecting the bike. It can be cracked by thieves by drilling the lock, with jacks or even by lever technology.

State of the Art: Bike GPS Tracker

Electronic bicycle alarm systems, on the other hand, have proven to be contemporary – if the thief does not discover them immediately. As soon as the bicycle thief even moves the bicycle, an alarm is triggered immediately, which is also immediately displayed on the owner’s smartphone. This way you can react immediately and even stop the theft if necessary. Since the route and the location of the bicycle can be tracked via an app or on the PC, the police can usually catch the bicycle thief immediately and also lead the bicycle back. A solution that is as clever as it is functional.

, – the GPS module could usually be removed quickly with a hand movement – even the battery life, which then requires frequent recharging, will not satisfy many people in practice. The test winner, the bicycle GPS tracker© could convince by several months (up to 6 months) in the test. The hidden installation in the bicycle frame lulls the thief to safety and enables the tracking of the escape movement and thus the quick location of the bicycle thief.

No damage to the bicycle frame with GPS Bicycle Tracker©

While some GPS bicycle alarm systems required first drilling out the bicycle frame and inserting threads into the frame (rather something for bicycle repair shops), the GPS bicycle tracker© simply slides into the bicycle frame and does not cause any damage to the bicycle. Owners of high-quality bicycles often find it difficult to drill holes in the bicycle and don’t want to give the enemy any starting points.

Test Bike GPS Tracker

Not for nothing did the bicycle GPS tracker© land in first place among the trackers in the comparison:

• TKSTAR bicycle GPS tracker (built into the rear light)
• Tracker ID GPS Tracker (built into the cup holder)

Bicycle theft protection screws

The after-sales market now has special screws to prevent bicycle thieves from stealing the front wheels, rear wheels or even the saddle, which are often only fastened with quick-releases. Many a bicycle owner has secured his bicycle by attaching the front or rear wheel to a stand. Thieves then simply leave a tire at the scene and take the rest of the bike off. By means of often existing quick release levers on the bicycle scars this is done in seconds.

Special screws that are available on the market are supposed to protect against this. These can only be removed with special tools.

Only apparent security by theft protection screws for the bicycle

Bicycle owners overlook two problem areas:

1. The required “special keys” for opening the locking screws are freely available in the trade. Also bicycle thieves are not stupid and buy also such a special screw page and have from now on also the special key to open such screws. This is usually a key with one edge less than usual.

Conclusion: Screws on the wheel can prevent the theft of the wheel not, at best they can make the removal of a tire more difficult. At best, you limit the circle of thieves.

Meanwhile, there are also quick-release screws that require individual keys. This increases security and thieves cannot remove individual tires so quickly. But: The complete bike is still easy to remove for thieves.

screwing on bicycle GPS trackers

On the market, there are various bicycle GPS trackers that need to be bolted to the bicycle. There are two different model types:

• Mounting by means of a holder: The tracker is attached to the frame or the seat post with a holder. These models are often simply twisted off or knocked away with force by thieves, alternatively simply unscrewed. (What you can screw on, you can also unscrew).

Some trackers even require you to drill holes in the bicycle frame and insert threads into these self-drilled holes. The tracker is then screwed into the thread that is inserted into the hole drilled in the frame. This is only recommended for skilled users. However, many bicycle owners do not want to damage the bicycle frame through holes, which often forms starting points for later rust. Drilling a hole in a round frame is not so easy for laymen either. Moreover, the tracker is then also visibly attached to the outside of the bicycle frame and can be broken away or unscrewed, which is what thieves then do. Some of these models even have an inscription like “Tracker”, “Tracking” or similar, which makes it easy for thieves to find them.

Alternative to screwing: bicycle GPS tracker©

As an alternative to cumbersome to install, but easy to remove bicycle trackers, the GPS bicycle tracker© appears, which is simply hidden in the frame bar. This leads to a comfortable installation and above all to the fact that the thief first of all wants to disappear with his proud prey, which immediately triggers an alarm and makes his location appear on the owner’s smartphone. This has already made many bicycle thieves desperate.

Bicycle Theft Protection Alarm

In times of almost 300,000 bicycle thefts per year in Germany, electronic alarm systems for bicycles are probably the most modern and up-to-date way to protect your bicycle from thieves. With a bicycle GPS tracker© (such as the test winner) an ALARM appears immediately on the bicycle owner’s mobile phone if the bicycle is even moving. This makes immediate intervention possible. Furthermore, the location as well as a possible escape route of a bicycle thief can be tracked on PC or smartphone at any time.

Professional bicycle thieves often steal several bicycles during the day or night and collect them in a vehicle/truck before they disappear across borders, possibly abroad or to the thief’s home. By using GPS bicycle trackers as an alarm system, the police have already been able to clear up numerous bicycle thefts at an early stage and catch thieves red-handed. Mostly even in their van or on their van. This leads not only to the capture of bicycle thieves but also to the return of the bicycle.

Even those who have bicycle insurance can save themselves the deductible in the event of damage or the cancellation by the insurer if they have repeatedly reported bicycle thefts.

However, it is important with the bicycle anti-theft alarm that the alarm device, i.e. the bicycle GPS tracker, is installed in a hidden position, e.g. in the bicycle frame. This way the tracker escapes the immediate attention of the thief and transmits the alarm and its location to the user’s mobile phone.

Optical and acoustic bicycle alarm

The alarm triggered by bicycle GPS tracker© can be triggered optically and acoustically on the smartphone so that it is noticed immediately. This enables immediate reaction. The good thing about it is: The thief does not notice the alarm and is safe – until the police or the owner have given the order.

Geofence alarm for the bicycle

The GPS bicycle tracker© also has a geofence function, in English: Geofence function. The owner of the bike can easily determine in advance in a menu in which area his bike is allowed to be. As soon as the bicycle exceeds this range, an alarm is triggered. This can be useful, for example, if you leave the bicycle to the children so that they can ride it to school or similar: the authorized user can use it to move the bicycle without the alarm being triggered. Unless the user leaves a predefined area: this will trigger the alarm. This convenient function then allows, for example, immediate consultation with the child.

bike alarm system operating instructions

Whoever orders the test winner, the GPS Bicycle Tracker©, will not only receive a bicycle alarm system of the latest standard, which is easy to operate via an app, but of course also a user manual written in English, whereby the app can be operated intuitively.

The installation is also easy and is clearly explained in the following video about the Bicycle GPS Tracker.

How to install the GPS Bike Tracker©:

The GPS Bicycle Tracker© can be attached to the bicycle in just a few easy steps:

• First, open the  GPS Bicycle Tracker© by removing the cover upwards.
• Connect the battery with the supplied charger (cable plug) and charge for approx. 6-8h
• Connect the  cable harness to the battery (plug)
• attach the saddle again. Assembly complete.
• Install the app on your mobile phone (IOS or Android)
• enter the tracker’s IMEI number in the app (first user password: 123456)
• You can access the numerous functions of the tracker

With the same login data you can also access the tracking software from your PC.

GPS Bicycle Tracker© Features

• Tracker not visible from the outside
• battery life: 6 months
• Battery 12V 4600 mA (optional)
• can also be installed in a car
• conspicuously hiding in the bicycle frame
• Tracking app included: Access the position from both smartphone and tablet
• Enables route display, logbook, set alarm
• Use of Geo-fence technology: Alarm when leaving a defined area
• Vibration sensor: Alarm in case of movement or vibration (adjustable in steps)
• GSM Tracking (radio cell tracking), if no GPS signal is available
• Extremely easy tracking via Android as well as via iOS App, Tracking Portal and SMS
• alarm at low battery via SMS
• All-inclusive package (see scope of delivery)
• Noise alarm for ambient noise above 45 dB
• operating temperature from -20 to + 70 degrees Celsius
• Operation with Micro SIM card (optionally available)

Scope of delivery GPS Bike Tracker©:

• Android and iOS app
• tracking portal
• connecting cable battery
• Instruction manual

The tracking portal for the bicycle GPS tracker© has a English user interface, which makes the device pleasantly different from devices with only foreign language software.

Real-time tracking in intervals

Tracking with the GPS Bicycle Tracker© is possible in real-time, e.g. every 10 seconds, which makes it easy to follow a route. Historical data can also be retrieved.

Bike lock with alarm test winner

There are numerous conventional bicycle locks with alarm function on the market. The alarm is triggered either by movement of the bicycle or if the lock is opened by force. And this is already the weak point of manual locks with an alarm system:

1. These days thieves are brazen and steal the bike despite the alarm being triggered. If the environment then looks (if it does at all), the thief pretends to be the owner and the lock has a malfunction. Thieves also know exactly how to destroy the signaling device.
2. With each cushion, the sound of an alarm device in the bicycle lock can be dampened.
3. Thieves pick the lock with a bolt cutter and throw it far away. If it then beeps or hums somewhere far away, nobody can do anything with it for the time being

For the above reasons, a bicycle GPS tracker is recommended as a virtual bicycle lock. In the test of these virtual bike locks (see above) the placements were as follows:

Test Bicycle Lock with Alarm System

PLACE 1: Bike GPS Tracker (TEST WINNER)

PLACE 2: TKSTAR bicycle GPS tracker (rear light)

PLACE 3: Tracker ID GPS Tracker (bottle holder)

With such a (virtual) alarm system, the bicycle owner is immediately informed via his smartphone if the bicycle is moving or a vibration occurs. A sound alarm can also be activated. The owner can then immediately see whether his bike is moving away or whether someone has just moved the bike. And all this from the comfort of your own home.

GPS bicycle trackers are therefore considered the most modern form of bicycle lock with alarm system.

Conventional bicycle locks have failed Stiftung Warentest

Conventional bicycle locks have failed Stiftung Warentest, all locks are crackable – they only differ in the time it takes a thief to pick them. Simpler designs in a few seconds. There is practically no tamper-proof bicycle lock. In this respect, a bicycle GPS tracker as a bicycle alarm system is the recommendation of choice when it comes to protecting the bicycle against theft. The Bicycle GPS Tracker should be used in addition to the conventional bicycle lock but is actually the more important component.

Security levels for bicycle locks

The security levels for bicycle locks are not standardized, – here every lock manufacturer has its own counting methods, e.g:

• Abus: 15 steps
• Axa: 15 steps
• Fisher: 9 steps
• Knog: 10 steps
• Kryptonite: 10 levels
• Masterlock: 10 steps
• Onguard: 100 steps
• Zefal: 5 levels

But even the test winner among the conventional bike locks with the highest security level is crackable for bike thieves. A bicycle thief only needs longer for this. Professionals rarely need more than 1 minute even for high security locks. An expensive conventional bicycle lock is considered extremely secure if a thief takes 3 minutes to pick it.

Bicycle theft protection APP

The Bike GPS Tracker© is delivered with a GPS Tracker APP

After you have registered your GPS bicycle tracker© in the software with the help of the IMEI number (you can find it on the tracker), you can view the position of the tracker live on a Google Maps map. The bike theft protection app automatically updates the position of the GPS tracker every 10 seconds.

Under the item GEOFENCE you can set up an area in the app where the bike is allowed to move. If the bike leaves the area, an alarm is automatically triggered. A push message notifies the bike owner immediately on the smartphone.

Historical data for GPS Tracker

The historical data for the tracker can also be viewed. You can check exactly where the Bicycle GPS Tracker© has been in the past. The police can also use such a function, for example, to secure pictures of the perpetrators when they stay at places where video surveillance is available. For example at petrol stations. The desired viewing period can be freely selected under Historical Data. The app is therefore very flexible.

Alarm settings for Bike GPS Tracker©

In the app for the bicycle theft protection you can also freely set how you want to be alerted, e.g. by SMS. Attention: Some of the cheapest models on the market are much less flexible and only allow e.g. alerting by email.

Additional monitoring functions such as vibration alarm or noise alarm are also freely adjustable in the app, which gives you maximum flexibility. Activating and deactivating the alarm function is child’s play by simply clicking with your finger.

The app for GPS Bicycle Tracker© can be downloaded and used by users free of charge .

Upgrade GPS Tracker as a bike alarm

Retrofitting a GPS tracker to a bicycle is very easy and even laymen can do it. The GPS Bicycle Tracker© simply disappears into the bicycle tube in which the saddle is also located. Beforehand 2 plugs have to be connected and two wires have to be connected. If you can plug the plug of an iron into the socket, you should also be able to plug the GPS Bicycle Tracker© together.

There is also a YouTube video tutorial that you can use as a guide. It explains step by step how to get the tracker into your bike and which steps you have to follow. This is also easy for laymen who neither studied computer science nor learned bicycle mechanics. The easy installation also distinguishes the device from other devices for which you have to drill holes in the bicycle frame or do other fixing work.

It is hard to imagine a simpler retrofit than the bicycle GPS tracker©. Especially since after inserting the device into the bicycle frame you can use the tracker for one season with your bicycle due to the long battery life – without having to recharge. In any case recharging is much less necessary than with smaller sized batteries due to the large battery capacity.

The retrofitting can be done at any time. Even if the insight for such a bicycle alarm system has come only after the first stolen bicycle or is clearly after the bicycle purchase. A retrofitting with the bicycle GPS tracker© is possible at any time without any problems. With just a few simple steps, retrofitting this bicycle alarm system achieves a significantly higher security level.

It is a comforting feeling to know that you will be informed as soon as someone moves your bike. This makes immediate access possible.

Conclusion: Bicycle GPS Tracker – the intelligent bicycle alarm solution

Considering all the above-mentioned points and the almost 300.000 (!) bicycles stolen in Germany every year, the Bicycle GPS Tracker© is the best solution to protect your bicycle. Nowadays you can neither leave a bike unlocked for a short time anywhere, nor can you be sure that a locked bike will not be stolen. Every year tens of thousands of locked (!) bicycles are stolen from garages, sheds, bicycle sheds or bicycle racks. Most of the approx. 300,000 stolen bicycles were “locked” – with a lock that was sold as “relatively safe” if necessary.

You should not rely on your own bicycle not being stolen. One should also not rely on the bicycle lock impressing a thief. Several hundred thousand locked bicycles are stolen every year.

Many bicycle owners have already been able to prevent their bikes from being stolen and ensure that the thieves are arrested. A bicycle alarm system in the form of the GPS bicycle tracker© is a one-time purchase and can accompany the bicycle owner for a lifetime. Even if you change your bike and buy a new one: The GPS Bicycle Tracker© is also happy to move into the new bike and provide loyal service.

Advantages of the GPS Bicycle Tracker©

The unbeatable advantages of the GPS bicycle tracker©:

• No cumbersome mounting on the bicycle
• No need to damage the bike by drilling holes
• Battery power for several months – no more constant recharging
• Safe and accurate location determination – also abroad
• No high follow-up costs with SIM card – data use included
• Comfortable operation via App
• Immediate alarm via push message to mobile phone possible
• noise alarm
• vibration alarm
• geofence function
• Anytime safety and certainty where the bicycle is located

If you protect your bike with the GPS Bicycle Tracker©, you not only feel safe but also have security over your bike and can determine its whereabouts at any time.

That’s how bicycle alarm works today.