GPS tracker for electric bikes: a solution to secure your bike

Bicycle theft has become a scourge in France and around the world. The number of bicycles continues to increase, but what can be done to prevent theft and what accessories should I choose to secure my bike?

No solution is infallible, but on our scale, we will do everything to offer French solutions to protect your vehicle and reduce its claims.

What is a GPS tracker for bicycles and electric bicycles?

A GPS bike tracker is a device that installs directly onto the bike. There are different types of trackers, for muscle bikes (a battery-powered tracker placed somewhere on the bike) and for electric bikes (the tracker is connected to the bike's power supply and recharges automatically).

The tracker should ideally be placed discreetly so that it cannot be detected and destroyed in the event of theft. Trackap products are systematically hidden inside the bike so that they are difficult to detect.

The tracker allows you to have the GPS position of your bike in real time, to be alerted in the event of suspicious movement and many other functionalities depending on the product (for example to visualize your journeys, to have data and statistics on use, etc.) 

However, we should not confuse tracker with anti-theft. The GPS tracker is not an anti-theft device, it helps to find the bike in case of theft by locating it but to prevent it from being stolen regardless of the technology that will be inside.

Adding an audible alarm to some bikes can deter some thieves and alert passersby, but thieves are often harder to deter.

Why equip your bike with a GPS tracker?

Every year, around 400,000 bicycles are stolen in France and only 1 to 2% are returned to their owners.

Equipping your bike with a tracker increases the chances of recovering it in the event of theft. Indeed, the installation of trackers on bicycles is becoming increasingly common. 

As we can see, equipping your electric bike with a GPS tracker can have many advantages: 

• Locate your bike at any time 
• Be alerted in case of suspicious movement or theft
• Have information on daily usage (usage stats)
• Fight against the concealment or resale of bicycles
• Feel reassured when you leave your bike unattended, for example tied up in a street. 

Where to get equipped and buy your tracker? 

Purchasing a bike tracker can be done both online and in-store. Indeed, many trackers are available on specialized websites and e-commerce platforms (Amazon, eBay, etc.). Recently, more and more stores specializing in the sale of bicycles and accessories have started selling this type of product. You will therefore probably be able to find trackers in some stores in your city.

Regarding the price, it may vary depending on the products and the quality of service provided with them. 

In fact, some trackers are sold with subscriptions and others, where you have to add a monthly or weekly subscription to the purchase price of the tracker. It is important to find out about this beforehand in order to choose the most suitable tracker for your vehicle.

You can find anything online, but beware of fake deals! Ask your bike shop for advice, and in the case of Trackap GPS trackers, we always recommend going through a partner bike shop to install the modules and thus protect your vehicle from any mishandling that could otherwise damage it.