GPS Tracking for Stolen Bikes

"The bike kit comes with an extra rechargable battery pack, thus there is no need to unscrew LoccaMini. Pics of bike kit will follow very soon!!"

10 euro/month, after first 6 months free, "You can easily pause the service with one click in the Locca app. You will not be charged when the service is on hold."

Why do I think the 'bike kit' just attaches externally to the seat post (or similar)?

Any updates on this?
I checked out the Spybike seatpost page (Here) and it still hasn't been released.
Seems like something should be on the horizon...

It’s been two months ago when I bought a GPS tracking bike lamp, which goes under various names: SpyLamp, SpyBike GPS tracking device, XY-B01, XY-B02, etc., with a range of similar models based on exactly the same technical device inside. I bought it directly from a producer in China (it cost me approx. 150 USD, although the initial price to pay, together with the shipping was promised to be 96 USD).
I installed it properly, put a separate SIM card inside etc. The device worked for 3 days in total. ONLY. Then it stopped.
It stopped responding to the so-called master number, i.e. my proper mobile phone which communicates with the SIM card in the GPS tracking lamp. It did not communicate at all for about 3 weeks. Afer I contacted the producer lots of times, the lamp suddenly responded (after everything was reactivated) and started sending SMSes to my master phone number permanently, and then I began to received allert phone calls continuously: 18 phone calls within three hours at night, when everybody was asleep and the bike was just standing there in the next room.
The lamp tracked the position of my bike only for the first three days. Then it stopped for ever.
The vibration sensor in the lamp activates itself at random with no correlation to the vibration in the real world. It begings to blink in the middle of the night or any time of day and night without a reason. However, when the bike is really shaken or in motion, the sensor NEVER reacts.
The producer also ceased to respond to my queries and does not care: there is no help from their side.
So, be aware: the lamp promises a lot (and as an idea it sounds great), but in practice is is USELESS. It’s a waste of money.

It’s been two months ago when I bought a GPS tracking bike lamp, which goes under various names: SpyLamp, SpyBike GPS tracking device, XY-B01, XY-B02, GT3061, etc., with a range of similar models based on exactly the same technical device inside. I bought it directly from a producer in China (it cost me approx. 150 USD, although the initial price to pay, together with the shipping was promised to be 96 USD).
I installed it properly, put a separate SIM card inside etc. The device worked for 3 days in total. ONLY. Then it stopped. I doublechecked the SIM card in the GPS lamp: it is OK, full credict, batteries fully charged. The GPS SIM card, once put to a mobile phone, sends SMSs, makes phonecalls etc.
The lamp stopped responding to the so-called master number (i.e. my proper mobile phone which communicates with the SIM card in the GPS tracking lamp) after 3 days. Aferwards, it did not communicate at all for about 3 weeks. Afer I contacted the producer lots of times, the lamp suddenly responded (after everything was reactivated) and started sending SMSes to my master phone number permanently, and then I began to received allert phone calls continuously: 18 phone calls within three hours at night, when everybody was asleep and the bike was just standing there in the next room. It was not possible to stop the lamp from calling me again and again, even though the bicycle was not in motion and no movement around it. Then it suddenly stopped again.
The lamp tracked the position of my bike only for the first three days. Then it stopped for ever.
The vibration sensor in the lamp activates itself at random with no correlation to the vibration in the real world. It begings to blink in the middle of the night or any time of day and night without a reason. However, when the bike is really shaken or in motion, the sensor NEVER reacts.
The way the GPS tracking lamp works is unpredictable und absolutely unreliable.
The producer also ceased to respond to my queries and does not care: there is no help from their side.
So, be aware: the lamp promises a lot (and as an idea it sounds great), but in practice is is USELESS. It’s a waste of money.

@user48628, are you talking about the Integrated Trackers 'Spybike Seatpost'?!

does sound like a reputable review is a prerequisite for parting with cash on a tracker device..

.

but forum-mongers.. this product is only at all useful if your bicycle actually gets stolen.. then you've got to go to the hassle of attempting recovery - possibly with the battery-life of the GPS-signal-broadcaster as a time limit..

... hence, surely it's more useful to know simply one thing: after locking-up my bicycle, is it moving??! - as if it is, then potentially attempted-theft is taking place, which can be prevented via an intervention, 'Stop Thief' or the like.. (e.g. a chase after the unsuspecting thief attempting to ride off on a fixie!),

ps.

was looking for a Bike Spike review, given the Kickstart happened a while ago now (Apr'13)..

found only this,

'Interbike News'

as it's not yet out there yet..

.. but is still heftily priced product at $129! + the cage etc. + $5/m for the app..

(!)

What about this? https://www.thetileapp.com/how-it-works

^For those times when the thief lives next door to you.

^ For those times when the thief (well, bike really) lives next door to, or goes near[1], anyone with the Tile App active on their phone.

1. Within 100 ft.
   

more bicycle suited alternatives mentioned in this thread,

http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/254757/

e.g.

1. the Pebble Bee Hornet
   
2. the TrackR (we've even got a bulk-purchase list going..!)
   

getting back on-thread, it does seem a matter of time before somebody brings out a GPS-tracking-capable ickle-sized device, for my money - probably something more multi-use than just a bicycle product... unless Blaze (or the like) have something in the works..

(unsure as yet if TrackR's 'Crowd GPS' feature exactly fits the spec.)

Crowd GPS

Lost something? TrackrR's Crowd GPS network will help you find it. When another TrackR user is within range of your lost item, you will receive a GPS update.

^ That's exactly how Tile works for locating things out of range of your own phone.

Tile and TrackR are essentially the same product independently developed by different companies.

been notified of another entrant into this sphere (GPS Tracking),

'Bike Hawk'

so far the products look a little vague on specifics/details (!),

it's also a little unclear on exactly who are the people behind it all, and where the expertise is coming from, but maybe their fundraising campaign will tell us more, :-)

BikeHawk Indiegogo Campaign Launches Monday 1st Dec

further musing, surely there are enough skills within the forum (electronics, app, bicycle form-factor) for an LFGSS version to be put out there??!

(similar to the Fixed Gear London chain-whip thang)

If someone did I'm more than happy to plug something into my router at home to sense stuff passing. I figure these trackers won't be any use until they have a web of users/points to trace objects.

surely there are enough skills within the forum (electronics, app, bicycle form-factor) for an LFGSS version to be put out there

A relatively simple model could work. I reckon it could be hacked from readily available components (i.e. not purpose built) for a homebrew version.

All you really need are:

• GPS receiver
  
• 3g transmitter
  
• Data plan
  
• Battery
  
• Controller
  
• Software
  
  

This gives you a device that can be tracked on an independent basis.

You could even go old-school and use VHF / UHF.

I figure these trackers won't be any use until they have a web of users/points to trace objects.

They'll be useless and fail to gain critical mass if their tracking apps don't locate and track the widgets from their rivals.

I use these already, to track animals.

Battery vs signal strength is an issue, since you'll have to hide it inside the seat tube and that usually disrupts the signal. Maybe theres a way to pin the antenna to steel frames? Not sure how this would work universally.

You'll also have to have a way of charging it without removing it from the frame. A cable coiled in there with it? Perhaps some kind of clamp on proximity charger for carbon bikes, like a toothbrush charger!?

Then you have to consider that you will have to keep it topped up and charged every time you use it, which could be every day. You wouldn't want it stolen on half a charge. Remote on/off switching via the app would save some battery and prove useful (on or armed once locked up, off otherwise).

Then there's data, which can actually be quite cheap. Most consumer UK systems use gifgaff or the like.

You can't use traditional VHF for tracking in an urban area with any real success, trust me.

I've been thinking further -mainly on the problem that you point out, vis. battery & signal.

The primary objective of the unit is to transmit its location when it is stolen, or missing.

Ignoring all other nice-to-have functions, that means you don't need the GPS to be recording except on demand, and you don't need the unit to be transmitting, except on demand.

Our hypothetical unit can be set up to receive instructions over SMS, and transmit over SMS (that's all you need to send the current GPS position) or mobile data for short periods, if you want to track detailed movement.

The GPS need only be active for a minute or two before transmission, in order to get a satellite fix and record a position.

I'm guessing standby time for a mobile device is magnitudes longer than transmission time, particularly if it is single function.

All of these other devices seem to have ridiculous amounts of features, all to the detriment of the core requirement.

Yeah you're right.

What happens once thieves start looking for these devices?

I don't know.

What I do know is that the devices have a significant design flaw - They contain very large capacitors that can discharge when the unit is removed incorrectly. This in turn may cause death by electrocution.

But yeah - you have to assume that a career thief knows about them, and knows where to look.

Stuck down the seat tube in a semi-permanent manner may provide enough time between theft, discovery, finding the location, and the tea leaf removing the tracker.

My ideal one would hide itself inside the frame. Maybe remove seatpost, slide something small into top tube, replace seatpost. Trouble is getting signals through the frame.