Hidden GPS tracker for bicycles
June 21, 2016
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Sherlock is a hidden GPS tracker for bicycles that allows you to locate your bike at any time.
Tipping the scales at 50 grams, Sherlock is small enough to be installed easily and securely within the handlebars of your bicycle. Hidden behind plain handlebar plugs, the tracker is invisible to the thief who doesn’t know what he’s looking for.
The device matches itself to the user and their profile on the Sherlock app so it also serves as a unique identifier for the bicycle. Whenever your bicycle moves without your knowledge, Sherlock sends you an alert on your smartphone. And if the bike is stolen, you can track its whereabouts online. You can pre-order Sherlock via Indiegogo.
How much protection from a hidden GPS tracker for bicycles?
There’s little doubt that there’s a market for hidden tracking devices of this kind. However, when we’ve tested similar GPS trackers in the past, we’ve found them hard to set up and not accurate enough to be useful. Sherlock is app enabled, so the user experience should be smoother, and a GPS module that’s rated as being accurate to 5 meters. So what’s the rub?
An initial cost of around £150 plus a monthly data fee of £4 might not trouble the owners of bikes worth many thousands, but what happens when the bike is stolen? The police have a duty to investigate crime, but whether they have the will or resources to respond quickly to tracker evidence related to bicycle theft remains to be seen. Given its shortcomings, it’s unlikely many cyclists will feel ready to trade insurance for GPS tracking.
Cycle insurance - old school, but effective
On the face of it, one cycle insurance policy is much like another, but the devil is the detail. Many insurers refer to ‘new-for-old’ replacement, but if your bicycle is more than a few years old, devalue it severely. This means you are left out of pocket when you come to replace it.
For 26 years we have been providing straightforward, affordable bicycle insurance.
We're proud that we've been voted to be an ethical company like no other.
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Information correct at time of publication.