Knog has introduced a new Scout device that attaches to your bike to provide an 85-decibel alarm to discourage theft and Apple AirTag tracking to help you locate it if it’s taken.
Scout, which has apparently been in development for three years, can be attached to your bike frame via the water bottle cage mounts using tamper-proof security screws. In this way, it’s similar to the AlterLock Anti-Theft Alarm & GPS Tracking Device that we reviewed on road.cc last year. It comes in subtle black or more vivid yellow.
Check out our review of the AlterLock Anti-Theft Alarm & GPS Tracking Device
Knog says, “A sophisticated alarm and finder system that works in tandem with a secure Bluetooth signal, Scout communicates with any Apple device using the ‘Find My Network’ feature.”
It says that Scout weighs about the same as an AA battery – which is 24g, according to the road.cc scales – and has a life of up to 6 months between charges. It has an IP67 rating which means it can withstand rain even a bike wash.
When leaving your bike, you can arm Scout using the Knog app on an Apple device or on Scout itself.
“The device has multi-functional LEDs that allow the user to clearly see if their Scout is armed, paired, and view the status of the battery. Once armed, any movement of the bike triggers an impossible-to-ignore alarm (a blaring 85 decibels) and then sends a text alert to the user. Once notified, users can trace the bike’s location using Apple’s ‘Find My’ app and take action to recover the bike faster.”
85 decibels is about as loud as city traffic or something like a food blender so, depending on where your bike is locked, it’s likely to draw the attention of passers-by.
The Knog Scout is priced at £49.99 and shipping for UK delivery is in September. You can pre-order it from the UK distributor Silverfish here.
Get more info at www.knog.com.
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4 comments
Only works with Apple Devices and uses find my.... feature. Is it just an apple tag packaged in with an alarm bundle? Will it have the same potential failures of the Apple (ie alerting nearby Apple Phones etc)?
A GPS device which is also an alarm is a bad idea - the alarm just attracts attention to the device and is likely to result in it being smashed or removed.
Keep the tracker and the alarm as separate devices.
I have the Vodafone Curve tracker and light (they were recently reduced to £10 which is a bargain for a decent rear light with a GPS tracker) which has the same design issue. It needs to be more customisable - I have to constantly switch the alarm feature off so that I don't get constant false alarms but also so that it can operate as a discreet tracking device without shouting at thieves "Here I am! Make sure you remove/break me!".
I'd like to thank whoever posted on here about them being on special offer (can't remember who it was) because I bought two of the Curve trackers when they were £10 too and really like them.
I don't mind the alarm as I also use an alarmed D-lock and a remote alarm so any thief has three to find and destroy. It does get a bit embarrassing when I set them all off while locking up the bike though!
I once set off my bike alarm (built into the light I replaced with the Curve) outside a fish and chip shop. It took me ages of fumbling about trying to get the device's app to connect before I finally switched it off. Meanwhile a police van pulled up and a dozen officers walked past me and my wailing bike alarm to get their dinner. Alarms are useless.