Eye On My Bike GPS bike tracker

There are many different anti-theft solutions on the market, but if somebody really wants to, they'll get through almost anything. That means it's always useful to have something that can help you find your bike if it is stolen. The Eye On My Bike tracker/alarm offers GPS tracking for your bike if the worst happens, and apart from a shortish battery life it does a good job.

The tracker works through GPS and receives basic functions that are sent through SMS, allowing you to track the bike, change the frequency of the GPS scans, or just check on its status.

> Buy this online here

The operation is simple, although it's worth noting that to use it properly it needs instructions sent to it, which can be found on the website. You set up an admin number and a passcode, then add the passcode before each command to make it work. The tracker has a phone number and so even if you don't have your phone with you, you can simply use somebody else's and send commands with the passcode.

It has an alarm that alerts you if the bike is moved; when tested it sent a text telling me that it had been moved within around 30 seconds. The commands sent to the phone return answers in different times depending on the strength of signal it has, so sometimes it can take around two minutes if it has little signal, and won't receive them at all if it has no signal (although does respond once back in a signal area).

If the bike is stolen you can request its location, which is sent back in the form of a google maps link. This works really well and allows you to even see the location of the last place it received a GPS signal if it is currently inside and unable to get one.

The device fits in like a bar end plug, but with around 2cm sticking out, making it relatively subtle and in the heat of the moment it is unlikely that a thief would know what it was. I also found that it was difficult to get out, so even if they did know that it was a tracker, chances are they would be unable to remove it before stealing the bike. The company suggests you cover the tracker with bar tape, which is possible but relatively fiddly, given that it protrudes from the end of the bar. It comes in at 52g, so doesn't add any kind of significant weight either.

The tracker's battery lasts for about five days on infrequent scans and regular running mode, which was okay. Charging it requires you to plug it into a wall socket, which, as it sits in the handlebar means you need to take the entire bike to a power outlet. This could be tricky, especially if your bike is kept outside, but I didn't find it too much of hassle. The tracker has a dust cover that protects the power point in the event of rain.

When the amount of use increases, though – if you are GPS scanning every five minutes, for instance – battery life significantly decreases, and I found it would only last for about a day. You can change GPS scanning rates relatively simply, though, so it isn't too much of an issue, and you are unlikely to need to scan that frequently. You can check the battery level by asking for the tracker's status, with it operating between 4.2v (fully charged) and 3.5v (where it shuts down), and when it is under 10 per cent it sends you a text to let you know it needs to be charged.

> Read our guide to bike security, and beating the thieves 

It's hard to compare value with other trackers as, after some research, others appear to be either very easy to remove (disguised as a light) or bulky (hidden in head tube or seat tube), but it's around the same price and is, in my opinion, a more secure and accessible product. And in the grand scheme of things it may be a small price to pay if you can get your pride and joy back.

Overall, I think it's a useful product that has certainly given me more peace of mind when locking my bike up. It's not the most intuitive system, but still works simply and easily, and although the battery could perhaps be better, for the first iteration, and with careful management of its use, it's a forgivable weakness.

Verdict

A decent way to track your bike if stolen – just make sure it's fully charged