An age-old battle rages on our city streets between those who ride bikes and those who rob bikes. It’s actually more complex than that when we consider there are drivers alongside us behaving like cyclists don’t exist!
Bicycle thefts fell from over 100,000 in 2017-18 to 77,300 in 2020-21. While answering the question ‘how common is bike theft’ this also highlights something more important. In whichever direction the statistics are trending, no-one wants to step out of a coffee shop, coffee in hand, to an empty space where your bike used to be.
Cometh Apple to the rescue (yet again). 2021 saw the release of the Apple AirTag, a device manufactured to be used with Apple’s ‘Find My’ network to locate misplaced items. Of course as a devoted bicycle user, your first question is, ‘can Apple Airtags be used to track a bicycle?’.
Now we have the tech and a reason to use it, let’s clarify the optimal approaches to placement and functionality for the top 3 Apple Airtag bike mounts currently available on the market, for the discerning cyclist.
How to Attach Airtag to a Bike
Once you’ve purchased your Airtag you’ll need to attach it to your bike. Depending on your bike and your personal preference, there are a variety of positions where you can place it.
Though you could theoretically apply a lot of superglue to secure the tag to your bike, once the 12 month lifetime of the Airtag battery wears out, you’ll be prying off the glue and your bike’s finish to repeat the process.
The majority of the mounts are fixed by hex/allen keys, with the Airtag placed within two pieces of material and then screwed to your bike frame.
Where to Put an Airtag on a Bike
Placing an Airtag on your bike is not a preventative measure to avoid theft. The placement of the Airtag should be where the device is least conspicuous. We’re thinking of areas of the bike that aren’t immediately visible or accessible. Beneath the seat post, under bottle cage races, within headsets, even underneath mudguards if they have enough clearance.
There are a number of Airtag mounts that are disguised as easily detachable reflectors. Although these are camouflaged, their ease of access makes them less desirable.
The 3 best positions to place an Apple Airtag mount to a bike are:
- Underneath the saddle (between the rails)
- Underneath the bottle cage (with the cage on top to obstruct access and viewing)
- Within the headset (more accessible than the above two but less extraneous).
Best Apple Airtag Bike Mounts
1. Muc-Off Secure Tag Holder
A familiar brand name is always comforting. Muc-Off, whilst better known for their cleaning products, have manufactured a tag holder from machined aircraft grade 6061 aluminium for the body, with T25 security bolts. The close range detection is lessened. However, it serves its function to impede would-be thieves, and remains detectable on the ‘Find my’ network. It’s available in 12 colours.
2. Ninja Mount bikeTag saddle
With this option we’re particularly fond of the nondescript matt casing, the flush mounting beneath the saddle, and the theft protection from the supplied through-screws. I’d also suggest the anyTag, available at Ninja Mount, which encourages more creative placement (the previously mentioned mudguard for example). However more data on this mount’s water resistance would need to be collected.
3. SUPMEGA AirTag Bicycle Mount
A more obscurely branded and titled Amazon find, this Supmega mount has a water resistant rubber ring seal implemented in its construction. This would benefit those cycling in wet weather, or riding frequently through muddy terrain, whilst still retaining the discretion of the above Ninja Mount.
The Apple Airtag is far from the perfect tool to recover a lost bike. Where possible attention should be placed on avoiding the theft of your bike initially.
As technology continues to improve, and the culture of cycling becomes more widespread the above 3 Apple AirTag bike mounts will be a reliable tool, ensuring that in the unfortunate event of your bike being stolen you’ll still have a chance of recovering your trusty steed.
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