*There's a way to take the speaker out of the airtag so the theif can never hear it because if he gets a notification that an airtag is following him he can click play sound which will give its location away. Search TH-cam on how to do it.*
You’re correct J, I think it’s around 3 days before it pings. I like the feature, because it may urge a thief to ditch the bike, making it easier to recover. Thanks for watching & commenting mate 🙏
Great location for the tag! I wrapped mine in some foam pipe insulation - added advantage is you can’t really hear the ping unless you listen really closely to that part of the bike!
Thanks for watching Peter! Foam pipe insulation is a great idea also 👍 Minimising the likelihood of the tag rattling / getting damaged is an important aspect to fitting it in your frame 👍
Some frames are made from thicker metals cutting the signal of the device. This is not accurate on best place to place the device, I have it under my seat.
Thank you. How is the signal affected? Anyway you can do a video or comment and compare the signal with the airtag inside the frame vs outside the frame? Thanks!
Absolutely have. It works great in a carbon frame. It’s been picked up by other phones, while parked at the cafe, while I’ve been out of range. I’m pleased with how it works.
🤷🏻♂️ I haven’t tried it in a metal frame. Perhaps another solution is more suitable for aluminium or steel frames. I honestly haven’t researched it. Thanks for commenting 👍🏼
Was there a follow-up test video. I see Vault has brought out a waterproof cover for the airtag. That screws onto the water bottle mounts, then the water bottle cradle screws on top
Haven’t got to it yet. Day to day, it works great. The market has exploded with different mounting options. I stand by the way I’ve approached installing the tag. Any other way is at risk of being removed and discarded by an observant thief.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy cheers, I have not removed a crank in years. My new Bike runs a Sunday Saker 3 piece Crank set, only problem its a 100% Chromoly Bike. So not sure if the detection will work
How well is it working? Some people claimed that they wouldn’t get any connection with an airtag in their downtube. I’m also thinking of putting mine there in my carbon bike
It’s working very well. I’ve only extensively tested the tag in my carbon frame. It emits the beep when I set it off, it knows when it’s close & when I’m not near it. It alerts me when someone walks past it, even parked outside on the roof of the car at school dropoff. I’m a fan. I’m filming the follow up video today.
That would be a no. There's lots of moving parts / oil etc inside, not to mention it's thick alloy - so the signal may not have the best chance to do it's job. What's wrong with placing it where I have it?
Amazon has a bracket that allows the air tag to be installed either under the water cage or underneath the saddle. I ordered one, but it hasn’t shipped yet.
Here is a link to one using the bottle cage mounting holes. It looks like the mount for the cage. www.amazon.com/Bracket-Attachment-Included-Standard-Accessory/dp/B0954RVTBL
{scratching head} If my memory is correct, the youtube you referenced also found that locations where the device is surrounded by material also severely limits its capacity to transmit and signal to be picked up.
Seems to work just fine in my application. I haven’t watched Shane’s latest video, but a snippet I heard about suggested there were locations that were less friendly to the signal than others. Carbon works for me. I haven’t fully tested alloy, or extensively tested other locations on the bike as yet. Thanks for watching! 🙏
I think people are not considering just WHO is going to attempt to recover a bike when it's located I dont know about New Zealand , but in the USA and Europe it will most likely be up to the owner to confront the thieves . the police generally do not care . That being the case few people have thought about the actual physicality of such an ordeal . If you are a fighter , then you arm yourself and take some mates with you in case you meet with some resistance . because this is not the norm and can be extremely dangerous , i don't see how these devices will ensure a recovery .
It’s a very good point Sirios! I imagine it depends on who you are, as to how you would approach it. Perhaps leaving the speaker in the AirTag has its positive aspects, for both ID & alerting the thief that you’re onto them, in the hope they’ll ditch it somewhere… Anyone hacked the speaker, to turn it into a walkie talkie…?
Easy isn’t always the best solution. You “could” attach the tag under your saddle, bottle cage, or duct tape it to your top tube - but the intent of the exercise is to locate your bike, not locate a tag that’s been discarded by a clever bike thief.
Ah, gotcha. In the bottom bracket (in my estimation) is the best place. If you’re concerned about removing your bottom bracket, head to your local bike shop & have them do it for you. 👍👍
It’s transmitting just fine. It’s something that can only truly be checked once it’s back together. I can play the lost sound, check that it’s near & it knows when I’m outside of the signal radius. So far it’s a win, real world testing coming 👍 Thanks for watching!
I only just changed the battery in the AirTag about a month ago. Lasted super well! Gave the BB a service while I was at it & cleaned up the chainring at the same time - along with a new chain. Good as gold!
Gonna drop one in my sons bike and found this video looking for a hiding place for it on the bike, good old TH-cam 😂 Prior to doing this have you tried this out in the field “ie” what’s the signal like with it inside the frame ? does this restrict it from giving out the signal ?
Hey Icecube2T8 thanks for watching! I’ve tried this in a carbon frame & I don’t have any signal loss. Different frame materials may produce a different result.
I watched a different TH-cam who put one in their aluminum stem and had zero range, so if the bike is aluminum try and find a external spot for it. I’m going to try for under my seat in a 3D printed bracket
Are you sure the airtag still works? It is basically in a Faraday cage even if is carbon, I was expecting a test. Some other ideas would be to connect a bigger battery and remove the speaker. My bike just got stolen and on the next one i'm looking into mounting one into the handlebar drops, hope i can remove enough plastic from the airtag and get to diameter of the bar, make also a cut on the bar and after putting the tape you will not see it. I want also to add a second tag easier to spot and the thief think he found it.
Hi Cristian, thanks for commenting! Yes, the tag works inside the carbon frame. I was under the impression that a faraday cage had to be magnetic in nature.. 🤷♂️ Your ideas sound interesting. Perhaps a sticker on the top tube of the bike that says “protected by Apple AirTag” could do the same job as a visible tag - which a thief would likely discard…
Hi korgmangeek, thanks! Yes, that’s correct. Most bikes should be serviced each year, including the bottom bracket. Of course, you could get a bike mechanic to perform the work, and swap the battery if that’s more convenient.
To keep your bike running well, it requires regular inspection & maintenance. Higher performance bikes often require a shorter interval between visits to the mechanic. How often do you service your bike?
Depends entirely on the diameter of the seat post, the tag is bigger than you think. I’ve heard reports of tags not working so great in the steerer tube / fork crown, as there’s a great deal of material in that area of the bike. Totally worth a shot though!
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Yeah true. In a carbon bike it might be better to put it in a carbon part of the frame and not in the fork crown or stem because that's metal. I want to try this but my bikes are pressfit so removing the cups for the battery is not something I really want to do. Servicing the bearings can be done without removing the cups.
I hear you. Removing them isn’t the end of the world, and takes about the same amount of effort (albeit with a couple more tools). I went with the lowest point in the frame, so it doesn’t fall into a super awkward spot & it’s reasonably easy to get to.
I have fitted mine in the downtube of my carbon mtb it does shield the signal a little bit, but it does work and its worth every penny no brainer really.
I put my airtag in my steerer tube and the signal greatly diminished. It still found it occasionally but far less than out in the open. My bike is aluminium.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy No I did not protect it with anything, I just pushed it in upside down through the bottom of the tube and it got stuck pretty good as it wedged in there. After a few rides it has not fallen off but I may have trouble taking it out to change the battery. But like you said it’s allot of material in that area, specially an alloy bike so it’s not the best place to put it. Your idea is great.
Various parts of the bike have the torque settings marked on them - like the crank pinch bolts. Some bolts, like the seat clamp & cockpit bolts will be a different value if you’re using carbon components.
Nice work. Putting it in the BB is the perfect place. to much hard work for the bike thief to go looking for it. with your 6-12 monthly services from the LBS you get them to replace battery at the same time. Looking forward to the follow up with it in action.
Thanks Anthony - completely agree! Your local bike shop would be happy to install it initially as well, if you don’t have the tools available. Thanks for watching!
You forgot to remove the speaker which makes a noise for non iPhone users, it’s an easy process. Also just put it under the seat covered with black masking tape and it will receive a signal easier than enclosed in metal.
Thanks for chiming in Chester. I decided to leave the tag intact, in case it didn’t function as desired inside the frame (it works great, after testing properly). Placing the tag under the seat on a mountain bike that gets raced and jumped in all conditions, is a recipe for going on a tag Easter hunt - I was looking for a semi permanent solution. Thieves are perhaps not the smartest folk out there, but once they cotton onto tags under seats it’s game over. Kudos to any thief who rolls with a 5mm Allen key, a preload tool & a BB wrench. Please note, the frame in this instance is carbon. I’m currently testing an AirTag in an alloy ebike - right next to the battery. Seems to be working great as well. (Left the speaker in this one too…)
I can’t see why it wouldn’t work Lisa. It’ll be part of my testing this week. I’ll look into offering a service locally to install them, I’ve had a few people ask so far! 👍👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy I would suspect that a metal frame would attenuate the radio signals that the airtag generates, lessening the likelihood of nearby devices detecting it. Looking forward to your further tests in that regard.
Thanks for tuning in Stewart 👍 I’ll keep you posted. It would seem strange to me if it didn’t work on some level, inside a bike of any material. Leaving the tag in plain sight doesn’t make any sense to me - unless Apple are planning to release an iAerial to go with the AirTag… 🤷♂️😂
Hey Arvind, great question! From what I’ve read, the AirTag recognises that it’s at home (or a frequently visited place), and won’t report a location until a it’s away from the house. It’ll be part of my testing though. Stay tuned for the next video 👍
Thanks mate! It totally depends how many iPhones it comes close to along the way. It uses the community of iPhones to bounce a signal, so in theory it’s traceable worldwide.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy ah okay, what’s your experience like with it? Does it always get updated with iPhones near by? How close do they have to be? Thanks in advance :)
It works great. For my install, it works with iPhones within about 10m. The location pings back to the owners phone anonymously from people walking past the bike.
Have a Trek Domane w the downtube storage under its bottle cage. I’m going to put one up there above the slide out tire kit bag that comes with it. But following your video I’m putting one in the bottom bracket but with its speaker out of it.
Hey Charles, good plan mate! I’d personally leave the speaker in the AirTag, as from what I can tell, the owner of the tag is the only person who can activate it…
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy actually once you put it in the lost mode there are situations when it may beep. One is if the thief takes the bike home. I’ll leave one that’s findable able to beep but the one in the frame will be silent. But for a bike that costs more than four times what my brand new mustang cost back in 1969 I may at a third one in the bike bag!!!
It depends - do you want the tag to be hidden, protected & still function? Or would you prefer the tag to be out in the open, under your seat where a thief can easily dispose of it - rendering the whole exercise a waste of time? Good things often aren't easy...
Great question. I think if they were smarter than the average bear, they might. Why take the chance for a small amount of effort (or money if you want a bike mechanic to do it for you)?
I had considered popping one into an Apple tag holder & attaching it to the hub, like an old fashioned hub cleaner. Add some spokey dokies to distract the thief from its existence 👌👌
Most thief do not have rare bb tool, and it is time consuming for thief to remove whole crank and bb just to access air tag… imo, if the thief hear the sound ? And he have no way of removing it in a timely matter? Most likely the thief will ditch the stolen bike…
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy you’ll bet. After Hurricane Maria that wrecked havoc in Puerto Rico we had people coming in to clear up debris etc. Cut wires on two bikes that were neatly stuck under the stairs in an walk-up. (Mine and my neighbour’s) Closed neighborhood with guards, assholes loaded it on the pick-up under the tarps. There went $1,000 per bike... and three months without electricity so bike on top of that 🤬
Great idea, definitely hiding the AirTag like this is the way to go as thieves will be looking under the seat of every bike they steal from now on and then just remove the battery. I’m about to hide an AirTag on my bike so I’m looking forward to seeing your next video on how well the signal still works and maybe even a test run where a trusted friend takes your bike to a secret location (without his/her iPhone) so you can try and locate it via passer-by iPhone users to simulate a real scenario. Of course in a real scenario it would be preferable for the thief to also own an iPhone so they can unwittingly share the location of your bike but it would also be great to see how well it works if the thief doesn’t have an iPhone and the tracking is reliant on other nearby iPhone users as that’s in theory where AirTag and the FindMy network is supposed to shine compared to Tile etc.
Thanks Richard 👍 I think hiding the tag is the only way to go in this situation. Other solutions are problematic, especially on a mountain bike that gets jumped, raced, transported on a vehicle etc. You’re right in your thinking about a thief looking for a tag & disabling it - it’s unlikely they’ll have a BB tool & 5mm Allen key next to their bolt cutters… So far, the tag is working - I can play the lost sound & it knows when I’m not near the bike. If I’m outside of range, it fails to connect. I call this a win so far & gives a better result than no tag at all. Initial testing will involve leaving the bike locked in public, outside a cafe & seeing if passers by trigger the tag. Next up, I’ll have a mate take the bike for a ride down the cycleways. Thanks for watching!
Yep hiding it is definitely the only sensible way to go and making it almost impossible to easily find and remove like you have in that bottom bracket is genius. Great to hear the signal is working well so far and I look forward to seeing how your further testing goes. In the meantime wishing you happy safe and thief-free cycling! :)
Thanks Richard 🙏 I’m taking bike security a lot more seriously than normal these days - the decrease in bike availability is driving a great deal more thefts of late. Happy riding & cheers to keeping your bikes in your possession 👍
So, lets get this straight. All that work, only to stick your Air tag in a shielded enclosure which will limited its ability to accurately detect other Iphones in the area.
From what I’ve gathered. It’s best for carbon bikes utilizing air tag to be as far away from metal as possible. I’m going to test the carbon top tube mid center with bubble wrap attached with a hook to snake it out if necessary.
I installed my Airtag into the carbon frame by taking out the fork. My mistake was not testing the Airtag before and after. Turns out, it does not play a sound on command, unless the phone is within one foot. Not good. Strongly suggest test yours before reassembling. As a result, even with the bike in the back of my car, the location is not registering.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Try using airtag in nyc. Once the bicycle is in a apartment. Airtag does not provide a sufficient signal. I watched a video utilizing airtag in old Europe. The bike was in a apartment. End result. Bike was not located.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Carbon fibers are electrical conductors (the oldest electric lamps used carbon fiber) and can therefore also shield electromagnetic waves. www.researchgate.net/publication/333705919_Review_on_the_Electrical_ResistanceConductivity_of_Carbon_Fiber_Reinforced_Polymer
🤷♂️ seems to work just fine Heros 👍 I’ve just placed a tag in an alloy ebike for testing. It’s right against the alloy & next to the battery. Initial testing shows the tag works as expected also.
Thanks for watching Bonpu, that video is coming. I’ll be showing how the carbon frame of this bike works with the AirTag. Spoiler alert - it works great!
Under normal conditions, I might agree - however it’s terribly difficult to get a replacement bike inside of a year… I’d prefer to keep the one I have & keep riding. Thanks for watching 👍👍
This bottom bracket install won’t effect its range or connection ability?
Nope. Works great.
*There's a way to take the speaker out of the airtag so the theif can never hear it because if he gets a notification that an airtag is following him he can click play sound which will give its location away. Search TH-cam on how to do it.*
👍
Apparently it will take a long time before the airtag gives itself away to the thief. Enough time for you to locate the bike again.
You’re correct J, I think it’s around 3 days before it pings. I like the feature, because it may urge a thief to ditch the bike, making it easier to recover. Thanks for watching & commenting mate 🙏
Here is what you mentioned about the speaker - th-cam.com/video/2uLyTe0XJ-M/w-d-xo.html
Why anyone would want to mutilate a perfectly good product is beyond me….
Great location for the tag! I wrapped mine in some foam pipe insulation - added advantage is you can’t really hear the ping unless you listen really closely to that part of the bike!
Thanks for watching Peter! Foam pipe insulation is a great idea also 👍 Minimising the likelihood of the tag rattling / getting damaged is an important aspect to fitting it in your frame 👍
great idea, just would of liked to see if due to the fact its in the frame, does it affect the tracking capability. Thanks David
Hey Geoff, all functions great! Look out for the next video - in the works 👍👍
Some frames are made from thicker metals cutting the signal of the device. This is not accurate on best place to place the device, I have it under my seat.
Good plan Jock! Stoked you’ve found something that works for you.
Thank you. How is the signal affected? Anyway you can do a video or comment and compare the signal with the airtag inside the frame vs outside the frame? Thanks!
Hey Myles, that video is in the works 👍👍 Thanks for watching 🙏
The biggest problem that I see with this setup is that you would have to take it oout approx once a year to change the battery.
Hey Mark, I don’t see this as a huge problem. The BB should be serviced / inspected once a year anyway.
Weigh up the pro’s and con’s on doing this mark... some bikes are worth more then motor cars 🚗 so I would say this is worth while doing!
I feel that if a bike is worth riding, it’s worth servicing each year 👍
Big deal. This is the best GPS tracker we've ever had on the market. No data plan required.
👍👍
Did you get a signal from the air tag being in that bike frame?
Absolutely have. It works great in a carbon frame. It’s been picked up by other phones, while parked at the cafe, while I’ve been out of range. I’m pleased with how it works.
Are you able to remove the airbag if requires as the battery only last 1 year
Yup, you sure can. Just follow the process in the video & replace the battery.
I have heard other people say it doesn’t work inside the metal frame, the signals get blocked
🤷🏻♂️ I haven’t tried it in a metal frame. Perhaps another solution is more suitable for aluminium or steel frames. I honestly haven’t researched it. Thanks for commenting 👍🏼
So how is it working out. Didn’t see a followup video?
Hey Paul! It’s been going awesome! The video is coming! The weather here in NZ has been horrible, hampering the filming. Hang tight, it’s coming 👍
a bit complicated to change the battery, but thanks for the input
The good stuff is never easy. A bottom bracket should be serviced or replaced yearly anyway, so it’s a two for one deal.
How about an aluminum bike? Will it block the signal beyond usability?
I haven’t tried an alloy bike sorry. Other commenters have, with mixed results.
Did you test if it works after? Normally, being surrounded by metal will drastically affect any electromagnetic communication.
Hi Carlos, I’ve tested the AirTag to make sure it works. In this bike it’s surrounded by a carbon frame 👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy WIll it work with a aluminum bike?
I’ve tested an AirTag briefly on a friends alloy ebike & the results were positive. I’m spending a little more time working on a full answer to this.
Does the bluetooth even work in there?
The wide band signal works great 👍
Was there a follow-up test video. I see Vault has brought out a waterproof cover for the airtag. That screws onto the water bottle mounts, then the water bottle cradle screws on top
Haven’t got to it yet. Day to day, it works great. The market has exploded with different mounting options. I stand by the way I’ve approached installing the tag. Any other way is at risk of being removed and discarded by an observant thief.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy cheers, I have not removed a crank in years. My new Bike runs a Sunday Saker 3 piece Crank set, only problem its a 100% Chromoly Bike. So not sure if the detection will work
Ah, gotcha. Probably won’t work, you’re right.
Kia ora from Tauranga, can you please make a video on airtag in a car and how effective the signal transmission when it’s in the dashboard or trunk
Thanks for watching Vijay! 🙏 Videos about cars are a little outside of what I do on this channel sorry mate.
Traied this but BT working very bad inside the tube... Phone connect to Airtag only from 2-3 m then. Is 10x worse that if it is in bike bag.
Thanks for the info Zygi! Did you place the tag in an alloy, or carbon frame?
How well is it working? Some people claimed that they wouldn’t get any connection with an airtag in their downtube. I’m also thinking of putting mine there in my carbon bike
It’s working very well. I’ve only extensively tested the tag in my carbon frame. It emits the beep when I set it off, it knows when it’s close & when I’m not near it. It alerts me when someone walks past it, even parked outside on the roof of the car at school dropoff. I’m a fan.
I’m filming the follow up video today.
Is there any room in a front suspension arm...?
That would be a no. There's lots of moving parts / oil etc inside, not to mention it's thick alloy - so the signal may not have the best chance to do it's job. What's wrong with placing it where I have it?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy not everybody has a crank puller....and if you’ve got several bikes you might need a variety of pullers...
Or a local bike shop, that has all of the tools.
This is the type of review that I have been looking for. Thank you.
You’re welcome Stefánne 👍👍 Thanks for watching!
Hmm wonder if it will work because it’s now in closed in medal
It works just fine, because in this instance it’s in a carbon frame 👍👍
Amazon has a bracket that allows the air tag to be installed either under the water cage or underneath the saddle. I ordered one, but it hasn’t shipped yet.
Cool! I’m sure we’ll see a pile of solutions like this in the future. My only concern is that they’re easy to identify & remove.
Here is a link to one using the bottle cage mounting holes. It looks like the mount for the cage. www.amazon.com/Bracket-Attachment-Included-Standard-Accessory/dp/B0954RVTBL
Been looking for a video like this, thanks!
Thanks for watching M B 🙏 Pleased you found it useful!
{scratching head} If my memory is correct, the youtube you referenced also found that locations where the device is surrounded by material also severely limits its capacity to transmit and signal to be picked up.
Seems to work just fine in my application. I haven’t watched Shane’s latest video, but a snippet I heard about suggested there were locations that were less friendly to the signal than others. Carbon works for me. I haven’t fully tested alloy, or extensively tested other locations on the bike as yet.
Thanks for watching! 🙏
I think people are not considering just WHO is going to attempt to recover a bike when it's located I dont know about New Zealand , but in the USA and Europe it will most likely be up to the owner to confront the thieves . the police generally do not care . That being the case few people have thought about the actual physicality of such an ordeal .
If you are a fighter , then you arm yourself and take some mates with you in case you meet with some resistance . because this is not the norm and can be extremely dangerous , i don't see how these devices will ensure a recovery .
It’s a very good point Sirios! I imagine it depends on who you are, as to how you would approach it. Perhaps leaving the speaker in the AirTag has its positive aspects, for both ID & alerting the thief that you’re onto them, in the hope they’ll ditch it somewhere… Anyone hacked the speaker, to turn it into a walkie talkie…?
Is there an easier place for airtag in case of replacing battery?
Easy isn’t always the best solution. You “could” attach the tag under your saddle, bottle cage, or duct tape it to your top tube - but the intent of the exercise is to locate your bike, not locate a tag that’s been discarded by a clever bike thief.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy sorry, i mean an optimal spot. Not the easiest for replacing a battery. I’m afraid to disassemble a Bottom bracket myself)
Ah, gotcha. In the bottom bracket (in my estimation) is the best place. If you’re concerned about removing your bottom bracket, head to your local bike shop & have them do it for you. 👍👍
Why didn’t you check to se if the air tag signal was transmitting before reassembling the bike?????
It’s transmitting just fine. It’s something that can only truly be checked once it’s back together. I can play the lost sound, check that it’s near & it knows when I’m outside of the signal radius. So far it’s a win, real world testing coming 👍 Thanks for watching!
Nice to do every year to change the batterie 😊
I only just changed the battery in the AirTag about a month ago. Lasted super well! Gave the BB a service while I was at it & cleaned up the chainring at the same time - along with a new chain. Good as gold!
Do they have these airtags for android?
No idea I’m afraid. Try looking for Tile, they may be compatible.
Gonna drop one in my sons bike and found this video looking for a hiding place for it on the bike, good old TH-cam 😂
Prior to doing this have you tried this out in the field “ie” what’s the signal like with it inside the frame ? does this restrict it from giving out the signal ?
Hey Icecube2T8 thanks for watching! I’ve tried this in a carbon frame & I don’t have any signal loss. Different frame materials may produce a different result.
I watched a different TH-cam who put one in their aluminum stem and had zero range, so if the bike is aluminum try and find a external spot for it. I’m going to try for under my seat in a 3D printed bracket
I saw the same video. No issues with the placement I’ve demonstrated here though 👍👍
What about the signal ehen the AirTags are surrounded with alloy ? Regards from Germany
I’m not sure yet, I’ve only installed the tag into a carbon frame so far. Seems to work alright in a carbon frame, during initial testing 👍👍
Are you sure the airtag still works? It is basically in a Faraday cage even if is carbon, I was expecting a test. Some other ideas would be to connect a bigger battery and remove the speaker. My bike just got stolen and on the next one i'm looking into mounting one into the handlebar drops, hope i can remove enough plastic from the airtag and get to diameter of the bar, make also a cut on the bar and after putting the tape you will not see it. I want also to add a second tag easier to spot and the thief think he found it.
Hi Cristian, thanks for commenting! Yes, the tag works inside the carbon frame. I was under the impression that a faraday cage had to be magnetic in nature.. 🤷♂️ Your ideas sound interesting. Perhaps a sticker on the top tube of the bike that says “protected by Apple AirTag” could do the same job as a visible tag - which a thief would likely discard…
Get the 2 pack and stick one in each ear lobe! 😄😆🤣 That would look so cool!
I’ve considered it! I don’t get lost or stolen often enough though… 😂😂
Nice work. But every year you have to disassemble to replace the battery.
Hi korgmangeek, thanks! Yes, that’s correct. Most bikes should be serviced each year, including the bottom bracket. Of course, you could get a bike mechanic to perform the work, and swap the battery if that’s more convenient.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy every year? Why? Didn’t knew that!
To keep your bike running well, it requires regular inspection & maintenance. Higher performance bikes often require a shorter interval between visits to the mechanic. How often do you service your bike?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy never. I service (oil) only the chain. Only inspection of everything else. I have a commuter bike (cheapest).
Still worth a yearly service, to keep the bike running sweet 👍
Does it work through the metal of the bike
I’m not sure at the moment. This bike is carbon, but I’ll be testing it inside an alloy bike soon. Thanks for watching!
I would put it in the fork crown from underneath. It’s a good idea to close that of anyway. In a roadbike the seatpost would be a logical choice.
Depends entirely on the diameter of the seat post, the tag is bigger than you think. I’ve heard reports of tags not working so great in the steerer tube / fork crown, as there’s a great deal of material in that area of the bike. Totally worth a shot though!
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Yeah true. In a carbon bike it might be better to put it in a carbon part of the frame and not in the fork crown or stem because that's metal. I want to try this but my bikes are pressfit so removing the cups for the battery is not something I really want to do. Servicing the bearings can be done without removing the cups.
I hear you. Removing them isn’t the end of the world, and takes about the same amount of effort (albeit with a couple more tools). I went with the lowest point in the frame, so it doesn’t fall into a super awkward spot & it’s reasonably easy to get to.
I have fitted mine in the downtube of my carbon mtb it does shield the signal a little bit, but it does work and its worth every penny no brainer really.
Awesome Terry 👍🏼👍🏼
I’m about to drop one in my boys bike even thow it’s only worth £600 but still we can check where it’s gone as the bike theft is mental in London.
I think with worldwide bike shortages, bike theft has gone nuts everywhere. I’m taking bike security more seriously than ever!
Does the frame effect how well it transmits signal?
So far, so good. I’ll be testing it more extensively over the next few days.
I put my airtag in my steerer tube and the signal greatly diminished. It still found it occasionally but far less than out in the open. My bike is aluminium.
Thanks for sharing what you did José 🙏 Quite a lot of material around that area. Did you protect it with anything?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy No I did not protect it with anything, I just pushed it in upside down through the bottom of the tube and it got stuck pretty good as it wedged in there. After a few rides it has not fallen off but I may have trouble taking it out to change the battery. But like you said it’s allot of material in that area, specially an alloy bike so it’s not the best place to put it. Your idea is great.
Thanks José 🙏 I’d be a little worried about the condition of the tag in that location.. Hope it still alright once you get it back out!
Where do you get info on torque settings for bikes?
Various parts of the bike have the torque settings marked on them - like the crank pinch bolts. Some bolts, like the seat clamp & cockpit bolts will be a different value if you’re using carbon components.
I am not shure it will transmit and receive a signal insulateted in the frame.
I can assure you it works just fine.
Nice idea!
🙏 Thanks for watching Markus.
Nice work. Putting it in the BB is the perfect place. to much hard work for the bike thief to go looking for it.
with your 6-12 monthly services from the LBS you get them to replace battery at the same time.
Looking forward to the follow up with it in action.
Thanks Anthony - completely agree! Your local bike shop would be happy to install it initially as well, if you don’t have the tools available. Thanks for watching!
You forgot to remove the speaker which makes a noise for non iPhone users, it’s an easy process. Also just put it under the seat covered with black masking tape and it will receive a signal easier than enclosed in metal.
Thanks for chiming in Chester. I decided to leave the tag intact, in case it didn’t function as desired inside the frame (it works great, after testing properly). Placing the tag under the seat on a mountain bike that gets raced and jumped in all conditions, is a recipe for going on a tag Easter hunt - I was looking for a semi permanent solution. Thieves are perhaps not the smartest folk out there, but once they cotton onto tags under seats it’s game over. Kudos to any thief who rolls with a 5mm Allen key, a preload tool & a BB wrench. Please note, the frame in this instance is carbon.
I’m currently testing an AirTag in an alloy ebike - right next to the battery. Seems to be working great as well. (Left the speaker in this one too…)
Great idea. I’m putting mine down in below the seat post.
I put mine where I did for relative ease of access for replacing the battery. The BB needs to come out of the bike each year for servicing anyway 👍
Do you think it would work as well on non-carbon framed bikes? You should offer a service to install them
I can’t see why it wouldn’t work Lisa. It’ll be part of my testing this week. I’ll look into offering a service locally to install them, I’ve had a few people ask so far! 👍👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy I would suspect that a metal frame would attenuate the radio signals that the airtag generates, lessening the likelihood of nearby devices detecting it. Looking forward to your further tests in that regard.
Thanks for tuning in Stewart 👍 I’ll keep you posted. It would seem strange to me if it didn’t work on some level, inside a bike of any material. Leaving the tag in plain sight doesn’t make any sense to me - unless Apple are planning to release an iAerial to go with the AirTag… 🤷♂️😂
Just what I needed. Thanks for the upload
Thanks for watching & commenting 👍👍
what happens when I am not home but some other guy come close to my bike, will it ping me the location?
Hey Arvind, great question! From what I’ve read, the AirTag recognises that it’s at home (or a frequently visited place), and won’t report a location until a it’s away from the house. It’ll be part of my testing though. Stay tuned for the next video 👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy awesome thanks for the update David. much appreciated and thanks for this video and more
You’re welcome 👍👍
Great video!
🙏 Thanks for watching Michael.
Great video! I have a question… how far can you track it?
Thanks mate! It totally depends how many iPhones it comes close to along the way. It uses the community of iPhones to bounce a signal, so in theory it’s traceable worldwide.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy ah okay, what’s your experience like with it? Does it always get updated with iPhones near by? How close do they have to be? Thanks in advance :)
It works great. For my install, it works with iPhones within about 10m. The location pings back to the owners phone anonymously from people walking past the bike.
Is your frame in carbon? I don’t see that working well on a steel/alloy/titanium. That will block the signal.
Yup, as discussed in the video, this is a carbon frame. Works well!
Have a Trek Domane w the downtube storage under its bottle cage. I’m going to put one up there above the slide out tire kit bag that comes with it. But following your video I’m putting one in the bottom bracket but with its speaker out of it.
Hey Charles, good plan mate! I’d personally leave the speaker in the AirTag, as from what I can tell, the owner of the tag is the only person who can activate it…
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy actually once you put it in the lost mode there are situations when it may beep. One is if the thief takes the bike home. I’ll leave one that’s findable able to beep but the one in the frame will be silent. But for a bike that costs more than four times what my brand new mustang cost back in 1969 I may at a third one in the bike bag!!!
Gotta protect the investment!! Nice work 👍
Under the karter with the unrestricted kit
Thanks for watching Greg 🙏
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy my pleasure. I have order just one airtag to test it. And if it's good will buy more
I went with one to start also, I’m sure I’ll get more!
Is there an easier way to do this?
It depends - do you want the tag to be hidden, protected & still function? Or would you prefer the tag to be out in the open, under your seat where a thief can easily dispose of it - rendering the whole exercise a waste of time? Good things often aren't easy...
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy would a thief look for an air tag hidden beneath the seat? Or beneath a bottle cage?
Great question. I think if they were smarter than the average bear, they might. Why take the chance for a small amount of effort (or money if you want a bike mechanic to do it for you)?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy bike shops are extremely busy these days but maybe I can find one that will do it while waiting - we’ll see.
I’m sure a shop would accept a booking & not have you off the road or trail too long 👍👍
Could you tape it inside the tire also?
He JB, you could - but I’m not sure how long it would last. I’m running tubeless & pretty low pressures - might get smashed!
I also considered attaching one to the rim, but I suspect that will throw the wheel balance out and create vibrations at speed.
I had considered popping one into an Apple tag holder & attaching it to the hub, like an old fashioned hub cleaner. Add some spokey dokies to distract the thief from its existence 👌👌
A follow up vid would be interesting ^^
It’s on its way 🙌🙌
So far so good?
Sure is. It picks up when it’s near me & when it’s away. Haven’t had a chance to try a more extensive test yet. Stay tuned.
Maybe duck tape it underneath the saddle..?
An option, but thieving folk will get wise to that pretty quick.
Yo! Sick idea 🤙 might have to get one myself
Thanks Haydn, get into it bro 👍👍
I took the speaker out so it doesn’t ping quite easy
Cool 👌🏼
Most thief do not have rare bb tool, and it is time consuming for thief to remove whole crank and bb just to access air tag… imo, if the thief hear the sound ? And he have no way of removing it in a timely matter? Most likely the thief will ditch the stolen bike…
Exactly. It gives someone a good chance of finding their bike 👍🏼 Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏼
Wish I had this one installed when the snitched my MTB.... will get one
Oh man, did some sneaky bastard steal your bike? That sucks!!
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy you’ll bet. After Hurricane Maria that wrecked havoc in Puerto Rico we had people coming in to clear up debris etc. Cut wires on two bikes that were neatly stuck under the stairs in an walk-up. (Mine and my neighbour’s) Closed neighborhood with guards, assholes loaded it on the pick-up under the tarps. There went $1,000 per bike... and three months without electricity so bike on top of that 🤬
That doesn’t sound ideal at all! Sorry to hear that you’ve had a rough time! Hope it all starts to improve soon!
Nice video.
Thanks for watching 🙏
Can’t you just put it on the underside of the seat with Velcro?
I could, however, if I were a bike thief this would be the first place I would look. I’m looking for a permanent & trouble free solution 👍
Great idea, definitely hiding the AirTag like this is the way to go as thieves will be looking under the seat of every bike they steal from now on and then just remove the battery.
I’m about to hide an AirTag on my bike so I’m looking forward to seeing your next video on how well the signal still works and maybe even a test run where a trusted friend takes your bike to a secret location (without his/her iPhone) so you can try and locate it via passer-by iPhone users to simulate a real scenario. Of course in a real scenario it would be preferable for the thief to also own an iPhone so they can unwittingly share the location of your bike but it would also be great to see how well it works if the thief doesn’t have an iPhone and the tracking is reliant on other nearby iPhone users as that’s in theory where AirTag and the FindMy network is supposed to shine compared to Tile etc.
Thanks Richard 👍 I think hiding the tag is the only way to go in this situation. Other solutions are problematic, especially on a mountain bike that gets jumped, raced, transported on a vehicle etc.
You’re right in your thinking about a thief looking for a tag & disabling it - it’s unlikely they’ll have a BB tool & 5mm Allen key next to their bolt cutters…
So far, the tag is working - I can play the lost sound & it knows when I’m not near the bike. If I’m outside of range, it fails to connect. I call this a win so far & gives a better result than no tag at all.
Initial testing will involve leaving the bike locked in public, outside a cafe & seeing if passers by trigger the tag. Next up, I’ll have a mate take the bike for a ride down the cycleways. Thanks for watching!
Yep hiding it is definitely the only sensible way to go and making it almost impossible to easily find and remove like you have in that bottom bracket is genius. Great to hear the signal is working well so far and I look forward to seeing how your further testing goes. In the meantime wishing you happy safe and thief-free cycling! :)
Thanks Richard 🙏 I’m taking bike security a lot more seriously than normal these days - the decrease in bike availability is driving a great deal more thefts of late.
Happy riding & cheers to keeping your bikes in your possession 👍
What’s an epple airtag?
An Apple AirTag is a wee tracking device, that could help you find your bike. It uses crowd sourced location data to help you track a missing item. 👍👍
So, lets get this straight. All that work, only to stick your Air tag in a shielded enclosure which will limited its ability to accurately detect other Iphones in the area.
Works fine for me in carbon. I’m not sure how it performs in other materials. Carbon doesn’t appear to shield the signal, as I get range exceeding 5m.
this actually doesn’t work on carbon frames since carbon plays with airtag signal and makes it super weak…
I’m afraid you don’t know what you’re talking about mate. Works great for me.
Great video Dave!
Thanks Corey!
It’s easier to hide it in the stem... just 4 hex bolts
Certainly an option 👍👍
Put it into a capsule then drop it into the seat post?or it might pop upwards into the steering pivot?
Too big to fit in most seat posts I think. Hard to get to as well, especially if you have a dropper.
From what I’ve gathered. It’s best for carbon bikes utilizing air tag to be as far away from metal as possible. I’m going to test the carbon top tube mid center with bubble wrap attached with a hook to snake it out if necessary.
Good plan, love to hear how it goes.
*Can i put an airtag on my glock 19 gun so i can never lose it?*
I can’t see why not.. It’s a little outside of my wheelhouse though, you might have to test this one for yourself. 👍
No, the Glock 19 is too big. It will fit on a Glock 18, though. That’s the gun Donald Trump has: It’s designed for men with small… hands.
😂😂😂
Well done Dave keep up the good work
Thanks Pete 👍👍
A lot of work when you could simply use an AirBell, a solution that works on all bikes
Thanks for watching mate. A bell on a mountain bike….
I installed my Airtag into the carbon frame by taking out the fork. My mistake was not testing the Airtag before and after. Turns out, it does not play a sound on command, unless the phone is within one foot. Not good. Strongly suggest test yours before reassembling. As a result, even with the bike in the back of my car, the location is not registering.
Thanks for sharing your experience! My AirTag continues to function well, in the bottom bracket 👍👍
Nice one! 🇳🇿
Thanks Shane 👍👍
Kia ora🤙
Hi Vijay! 👋
I cannot fathom how a airtag placed anywhere within the bike would work in major metropolitan cities. Think Crook York ( New York)
Seems to work great for me & many others around the web.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Try using airtag in nyc. Once the bicycle is in a apartment. Airtag does not provide a sufficient signal. I watched a video utilizing airtag in old Europe. The bike was in a apartment. End result. Bike was not located.
Lucky I’m in NZ then.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy most definitely 😊
👍
Subscribed to see how well this works
Thanks Courtney 🙏 Can’t wait to share further testing!
I’m surprised it works through a carbon frame?
Why's that?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy are signals able to penetrate a carbon material?
Need a demo there because the metal may act as a faraday cage and prevent any detection...
This particular bike is carbon & not an issue in this department. I’ll be testing the tag inside an alloy frame, to see how it performs. 👍👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy Carbon fibers are electrical conductors (the oldest electric lamps used carbon fiber) and can therefore also shield electromagnetic waves.
www.researchgate.net/publication/333705919_Review_on_the_Electrical_ResistanceConductivity_of_Carbon_Fiber_Reinforced_Polymer
🤷♂️ seems to work just fine Heros 👍 I’ve just placed a tag in an alloy ebike for testing. It’s right against the alloy & next to the battery. Initial testing shows the tag works as expected also.
Apple Air Tags are just Cool. Tags you're IT.
I agree! I’ve got to say, I was initially sceptical as to how useful the AirTag would be, but now I’m stoked on them. 👍👍
I’m thinking about buying one of these for my bike the one good thing about my bike is i can hide it without taking parts off my bike
Intrigued! Where will you put it?
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy in my down tube i have a hidden compartment that is in my down tube i just open it up and can hide it inside there
A SWAT box type of thing on a Specialized? Nice.
Let’s get apple to make them a little bit smaller next time,so we can drop them into the seat tube..there’s a big demand and market if they did it...
I'm sure they'll get more compact over time.
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy what we need are speakerless air tags,and the battery could go where the speaker went..hey cheaper air tags...
👍
@@DavidLashlieThatBikeGuy if apple designed them for bike tubes...every other customer would accept that...
Your going to do this every time you change the battery? Really!
Absolutely @Daryl The BB requires yearly servicing anyway. Thanks for watching 👍
People in the Netherlands be like: 👀
👍👍
Yeah, smart; put it in the most pain in the arse to get to bit of the bike.
🙏 @devtank gotta do, what you gotta do to thwart the bike thieves out there. Thanks for watching!
Nice, but I would have expected a demonstration on how the metal encasing affects the range.
Thanks for watching Bonpu, that video is coming. I’ll be showing how the carbon frame of this bike works with the AirTag. Spoiler alert - it works great!
Mate kindly update us with your real world results. Cheers
I sure will 👍 Working on further testing this week 🙌
As big as a dollar but 29 times more ixpensive..
The dollar probably won’t get your bike back…
That’s a lot of work at least once a year just to replace the battery 😅
It’s a job that can be coupled with the regular servicing and inspection of your BB. No biggie in my opinion.
Rather involved. Just get insurance!
Under normal conditions, I might agree - however it’s terribly difficult to get a replacement bike inside of a year… I’d prefer to keep the one I have & keep riding. Thanks for watching 👍👍
Nothing about this video makes sense.
Watch it backwards to find the Illuminati’s hidden message… 🤷♂️😂 Thanks for watching!
It's useless if theef apple user. He/she just got notification and shut the tag off.
Use a samsung tag better
👍👍