Tandem Tom

For an up coming tour in Europe we are buying 2 Airtags for our bikes to keep tabs whi flying. But since we don't have iPhone it will be my sister in law who will track and then forward to our Android device.
And she will be able to track us as we travel!

Iride01 

Why not get Tile or one of the other android trackers? Then you won't have to depend on another to track your bikes.

Your location can always be shared through GoogleMaps to your sister to use to track you via her iPhone. Other android apps do this too. But I know Google maps can share location to iPhones as I do that between me and my Sister. Though maybe she installed google maps on her iPhone. I'm not certain what app she uses on her end.

But whatever is easier for you is okay. And if that's AirTags and your sister's help, then that works.

unterhausen

there is an android app to track airtags. You can't set them up with android though

Barry2 

I believe a random iPhone passing by an Airtag will report it's position without having to have any additional application open.
The same isn't true of a Tile. Having the Tile tracked requires that the random phone has to be running the Tile App.


Barry

Leisesturm

Maybe! Since you and yours do not have iPhones, the airtags will need to depend on nearby (33' or less) iPhones to upload their whereabouts to the cloud. This cannot happen in flight, and even once on the ground and outside the airport perimeter you lose any assurance that your Airtags can operate optimally, or at all. I personally would have used the money to insure the bikes against theft or loss and called it very good. FWIW your airline probably has a tracking app for all its flights and there are some unaffiliated apps that work globally and can provide SIL with all the tracking needed.

unterhausen

This is the advantage of an airtag. The disadvantage is an iphone wielding thief will be notified they are being tracked.

JohnJ80

Exactly right. GPLama did a test on the different types - AirTags were far and away the better choice. Some of the others didn't even ping once, to the point of where they were pretty much worthless.

We use AirTags in all our luggage and we have the Knog Scout alarms on our bikes that use AirTag technology. Very helpful to see if our bikes made the plane and then to find them when they're off the plane. The updates are all but instantaneous because someone on the ramp or in baggage is all but guaranteed to have an iPhone.

FWIW, the Knog Scout is a great piece of gear. It's got the AirTag ability to track your bike, you can mount it with theft averse screws and it has an alarm that can be set off by motion (you can adjust the sensitivity). That makes your bike harder to steal since the thief has less covert time to do so. We have ours mounted under the water bottle cage where they are all but invisible.

J.

picaf

Agreed

Troul 

https://cubetracker.com/products/cube-pro

old thread, but this may help zombie lurkers.

njkayaker

(It’s kind of odd to have this as any sort of “recommendation”.)

Not useful for the purpose of theft.

The is a “find your own keys/small-objects with your own phone” device.

The point of things (in addition to locating your keys) like the AirTags is being able to connect (be tracked) by a network. A network is required to be able to track things outside of places you can go to.

The cube tracker costs as much as an AirTag but is less useful.

Troul 

go for you that you deem it not worthy of your time.

njkayaker

??? The device you linked to might be fine for its purpose but that purpose isn't to track items out of range of your phone. That you suggested it for that purpose indicates you don't know what you are talking about.

=================

Edit: the company selling the (not useful for purpose) device you linked to does have other products that would work. These ($100+) devices use have a cellular transmitter that can report back the location (you need a $17/month subscription and it might only work in the US).