CyclistBest bike trackers: Find your bike fastA bike tracker will allow you to keep track of your bikes location and might just help you get it back if its stolen. There are two basic types of tracker GPS trackers and passive trackers. A GPS tracker has a built-in GPS chip and transmits its signal via a wireless network, while a passive tracker uses Bluetooth to advertise its location to a nearby smartphone.You can find out more on how they differ in our buyers guide below, but most options that lend themselves to use on a bike are passive trackers due to their small size and long battery life. Weve concentrated on passive trackers below, but read on for our pick of passive and GPS bike trackers and, further down, where to place them on your bike and our buying advice.Best bike trackers at a glanceAlterLock: From 59.99 plus monthly fee Apple AirTag: RRP 35Chipolo POP: RRP 30Knog Scout: RRP 49.99Tile Sticker: RRP 24.994iiii Precision 3+ power meter: Upgrades from 34.99Best bike trackersAlterLockFrom 59.99 | View offerThe AlterLock works in a similar way to the Knog Scout, with a combined movement alarm and tracker. As with the Scout, it uses Bluetooth to send an alert when your phones in reach. But unlike the Scout, it works with both Apple and Android phones and, once its out of range of your phone, uses its GPS chip and a mobile network to broadcast its location, rather than relying on Find My. This does require an active network subscription though, so theres a small on-going cost of ownership. AlterLock claims a 50g weight and up to 1.5 months usage between charges. The Alterlock is designed to mount under a bottle cage and is claimed not to affect your bikes aerodynamics. Its IP66 ingress rated and you can choose tamper-proof bolts.Read our full AlterLock reviewBuy now from AlterLock (from 59.99)Apple AirTag35 | View offerProbably the best-known passive bike tracker, although by no means the first, the AirTag transmits its location via Bluetooth to an Apple phone, which then passes it on securely via the phones mobile network to the Apple Find My app. You do have to have an Apple phone though.Apple claims a one year-plus battery life on the user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery, a commonly available size, with your iPhone alerting you when the battery is running low. The AirTag weighs just 11g, is 31.9mm in diameter and is IP67 water resistant, meaning its rated for up to 30 minutes at 1.5m water depth. AirTags have been used to surreptitiously spy on people and theres now a Tracker Detect app that you can download to see if theres one in proximity. This makes it pretty easy for a professional thief to find your AirTag and disable it. Related Posts Buyers guide: GPS bike trackers Everything you need to know about bike security Best cycling watch 2025: GPS watches and fitness trackers for bike use Chipolo POP30 | View offerChipolos tracker works with either Apple Find My or Google Find My Device and you can swap between networks. Chipolo says that the Bluetooth range is now longer. Its IP55 ingress resistant and has a 12-month claimed life time on the replaceable CR2032 battery. Theres a free app which allows you to alter the trackers settings and call the device, with a loud 120dB siren.Chipolo sells the POP in a range of colours, although thats probably not going to be useful if you plan to conceal the device in your bike.Knog Scout49.99 | View offerThe Knog Scout combines a bike tracker and an alarm in one device that screws into your bikes bottle cage mounts. The tracker currently works over Apple Find My, but theres an Android version in the works for use with Google Find My Device.Once youve set the alarm, if the Scout detects movement, it will sound an 85dB alarm and send an alert to your iPhone if its within Bluetooth range. The Apple Find My network can allow you to locate the bike if its further afield. The Scout comes with anti-tamper screws and can either be mounted under its own cover or you can bolt it under a bottle cage.The Scout is USB rechargeable, with battery life claimed to be between two and six months, depending on usage. Its IP66 water resistant and has a 25g claimed weight.Tile Sticker24.99 | View offerTile sells its passive tracker in a range of formats, of which the Sticker is probably the best for use on a bike, thanks to its small size and an adhesive back. Tile claims up the three years battery life, although you cant replace the battery, and it works with both Apple and Android phones. Theres an anti-theft mode that makes it harder for a thief to detect the Bluetooth signal.Tile offers a three-tier subscription plan that sits above the basic phone apps and provides additional features. 4iiii Precision 3+ power meter4iiiiFrom 334.99 | View offer4iiii incorporates Apple Find My tech into its Precision 3+ single sided and 3+ Pro dual sided power meters, with the tech incorporated into the left crank pod in both versions. Depending on how you look at it, its an expensive way to add tracking to your bike or a free bonus addition to your power meter.Regardless, 4iiii claims Find My only has a small effect on the power meters battery life, which is claimed at up to 550 hours from the user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell. If you already own a Precision 3 power meter, 4iiii offers an upgrade from its UK factory in 2 to 5 days.Types of bike trackerChipoloGPS trackersA GPS tracker will have a GPS chip on board, which is used to determine the devices location. This is then transmitted via a wireless network to provide frequently updated location information. Youll need a subscription to a wireless network, although network providers do usually offer a lower cost Internet Of Things tariff.The GPS chip and wireless broadcasting drain the devices battery quite quickly, so GPS trackers typically have rechargeable batteries, which need to be recharged every few weeks or so. Transmission of location data requires a mobile network too, and we know how patchy these can be. Passive trackersDevices such as Apple AirTags and their Android equivalents dont include a GPS chip. Instead they communicate their ID via Bluetooth when a compatible smartphone is in proximity. Location information comes from the phones GPS chip and is transmitted, along with the tag ID, to Apple Find My or Google Find My Device.This lowers their power requirements, increasing the lifespan of their coin cell batteries over a GPS-enabled tracker and providing a runtime of a year or more, but does mean that you may only get intermittent location information, which may not be up to date. Most devices, with the exception of the Tile Sticker, have a replaceable battery. Hybrid devicesThe Alterlock tracker is an example of a device that mixes both approaches. If its within range, it communicates with your own phone via Bluetooth, but once its out of range, it switches to using its GPS chip and the Sigfox low energy wireless protocol to communicate its location. Where should I place my tracker?If youve purchased an AirTag or other passive tracker, such as a Tile, youll need somewhere to place it on your bike. Somewhere inobtrusive in the frame, or a component is an option, although the frame may interfere with Bluetooth transmission, particularly if its metal. The seat tube or seatpost are popular placement options. If your bike has in-frame storage, you could place a tracker inside.Best AirTag holdersThe other option is an AirTag holder, which usually fixes to the bottle cage mounts, with a few bike component brands selling these.Hiplok Track14.99 | View offerThe Hiplok Track attaches to a bottle cage mount, with secure bolts to make removal harder. It includes an optional mounting plate for the Hiplok Z Lok minimalist zip tie-style cafe stop bike lock.Muc-Off Stealth Tubeless Tag Holder15 | View offerMuc-Off sells an alloy bottle cage AirTag holder with secure bolts. It has a more cunning option though, with its sealant-proof holder that mounts inside your tyre, attaching to the end of its Big Bore tubeless valves. It reckons you need a minimum 38mm tyre width, making it an option for most gravel bike tyres.Even if a would-be thief did notice the AirTag, the thought of being smothered in tubeless sealant might be enough of a deterrent to leave your bike alone.Lezyne Matrix Saddle Tagger18 | View offerLezynes AirTag holder is designed to clamp inobtrusively to the saddle rails using secure bolts. making it harder to remove. Its IPX7 ingress resistant, improving on the trackers weatherproofing and adds just 26g extra weight to your bike.Topeak Cage Mount10 | View offerThe Topeak Cage Mount can be used on its own or under a bottle cage. Its supplied with security bolts and a secure Allen key. Topeak also sells the Ninja+ bottle cage with an integrated AirTag mount and an add-on cage mount for its Ninja+ cages. Related Posts Buyers guide: GPS bike trackers Everything you need to know about bike security Best cycling watch 2025: GPS watches and fitness trackers for bike use The post Best bike trackers: Find your bike fast appeared first on Cyclist.