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aphex™

Hi there, wondering if anybody here could help me?

I'm thinking about commuting in Dublin via bicycle. However, I'd need to buy a light-weight one for almost a grand to make it viable. Unfortunately there are bands of skangers going around stealing bikes in the city.

Would it be legally possible to get one of those beacons you see attached to animals on wildlife tv shows, put it on the bike and triangulate the signal in the event of theft? Or would this pollute the airwaves in the city too much? Is there any provision for these sort of things akin to license free data frequencies? Anybody know any manufacturers?

Thanks!

PauloMN

You'd probably be best investing in a couple of good locks instead to stop any scummers taking the bike in the first place. Car trackers use a combination of GPS and GSM phone technology rather than radio. They are expensive and require a power source obviously (car battery) so probably wouldn't be practical for a bike. Not sure if bike-specific ones are available, I doubt they'd be practical to be honest.

Anyway they are hidden in a car - you couldn't exactly hide one on a bike.

aphex™

PauloMN wrote:

Anyway they are hidden in a car - you couldn't exactly hide one on a bike.

Yeah but you know those things they attach to wild animals on nature shows and triangulate the signal to find it again... where can I get one of them? I'd put it under the seat.

watty

Buy a rusty bike and rip the saddle and chain through both wheels. There isn't enough place to hide a tracker on a bike unless you use "spy" type stuff. An it has short range, about 300m so the spyers don't let the target out of site.

The animal ones also hard to re-aquire signal if you lose it. Only the GSM ones are legal. Battery would only last a few hours, they depend on being "hidden" and the large car battery.

You'd get an adequately light bike for under 150 Euro new. 1000 bikes are for road racing etc and not durable for commuting. Mountain bike types with big wheels are harder to pedal on ordinary roads. A "touring" style bike lasts best and less attractive to steal as it is boring. But they'll steal anything. On really expensive ones the chain is no use as they will come in a van with BIG bolt cutters.

stylers

only one thing for it - a high nellie

mac80

http://www.trackandtrace.ie/tracktracev1beta/jsp/content/index.jsp

watty

Easy removed from a push bike.

mac80

Sorry, I didnt read the post fully.

mac80

Try this then http://www.pegtech.com/sbts.htm