In 2019, a report showed bicycle theft happens every 30 seconds. That is about over 2 million bicycles stolen every year in America alone.
With the given figures, keeping your bicycle safe from theft is a major concern among enthusiasts. One cannot say that their bike is secured from inside the garage. In reality, bikes are stolen even from inside the houses.
How Bike Thieves Operate
To keep the bicycle secure, owners often use a secure lock. Unfortunately, these thieves have devious ways of taking your precious property.
The common means is to use tools like a bolt cutter. Others use an angle grinder or a hacksaw. If the thief is more skilled, he may pick the lock, and voila! Your bike is gone.
Locks are not meant to perfectly secure your hard-earned bicycles. Because once it’s been taken away, you will have no idea where it was brought.
How GPS Trackers Help Recover Stolen Bikes
The glaring facts on bike thefts brought forth the use of the genius called GPS trackers. Is it a new method of security? The answer is no.
GPS trackers have been around for some time. However, it only gained popularity among bike enthusiasts quite recently. Users refer to it as a cost-effective way of recovering stolen bikes as it tracks the bike’s location.
When properly installed on a bike, the tracker can communicate with the owner’s smartphone and give its specific location in real time. This is possible as long as your GPS tracker is connected to a satellite that is why it also requires a SIM card.
The GPS tracker is meant to be installed hidden on your bicycle. Since it now comes in all shapes and sizes, you can choose which one fits the portion of your bike where you want it hidden.
Equipping your bike with this technology gives the owner peace of mind as the tracking system covers a large area. You can track the location of your bike no matter the distance. The battery should be working for three months or so.
Aside from real-time tracking, GPS trackers also have geofence alerts. This sends notifications when the bike leaves a designated area. And in case you want to get the history of its past movement, you can use the historical data tracking feature.
Choosing the Right GPS Tracker
You should be guided by the following features in choosing your GPS tracking device.
- Battery life
A long battery life is necessary to make sure that the tracker will work until the bike is recovered. Some trackers last up to three months and only consume battery when detecting motion.
- Size
A small compact tracking device is ideal to easily hide it on your bike. The thieves won’t be able to notice that the bike is being tracked.
- Motion alert
When you are away from your bike, any movement or change of its location will send you a notification. You should be able to check on your bike in no time.
- Durability
Value for money includes durability. Make sure to get a GPS tracker for bike from reliable brands like Monimoto to ensure quality.
- Connectivity
The GPS tracker must be equipped with strong satellite connectivity to connect to your smartphone.
- Price-worthy
Check the price of the GPS tracker and the subscription fee before diving into it. Make sure that you will get the features that you need before paying anything.
If your GPS tracker has these features, you are assured of being able to track your bike in case it gets stolen. According to reports, given the location sent by the GPS tracker, it is easier for them to recover stolen bikes.
Additional Strategies to Deter Bike Theft
Keeping your bike secured does not only mean installing a GPS tracker. One of the security measures that you can use aside from the tracker is using high quality U-locks.
U-locks are designed to be harder to move around but are better than woven steel cable locks. Others use two U-locks to secure their bike.
You can also have your bike registered with local authorities. This is to notify them that you are the owner of the bicycle.
Take and keep photos of your bike for quick reference and identification. Also, always park your bike in well-lit areas where it can be easily seen.
If you are worried that your bike might be stolen and that you will never see it again, then it is time to consider buying a GPS tracker for your bike. You can read reviews and check out prices online before making your purchase.
Key Takeaway
Bike thieves are becoming more resourceful. You have to beat them with technology so you will not have to worry about your bike being stolen. With GPS trackers, you arm your bike with security functions to keep you from worrying of theft.
