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Eye On My Bike GPS bike tracker

7
£69.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A decent way to track your bike if stolen – just make sure it's fully charged
Weight: 
52g

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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.

Eye On My Bike GPS bike tracker - in bar end.jpg

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.

Eye On My Bike GPS bike tracker - cap.jpg

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

road.cc test report

Make and model: Eye On My Bike GPS bike tracker

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

It aims to track your bike if it is stolen. Being placed as a bar end makes it simple to fit and access, while still being accessible.

I think that it achieves its primary objective as it certainly allowed me to find the bike wherever it was and also doesn't look too out of place.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

- USB Charging

- Comes with a prepaid Sim Card with £10 of credit

- 5 day battery life

- Simple to fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Seems well made, although it could be easier to fit the dust cap and would be nice if it was actively integrated into the product.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Works well when in signal with quick response to queries. Battery life could perhaps be better during heavy use.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Seems well made, although the dust cap could be easier to fit, which would make it more durable.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

52g is hardly anything and others on the market are often bulky and cumbersome.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Very difficult to score – less expensive than some trackers, more than others, but unique in its design and size.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It would be nice to have a longer lasting battery, but given the size constraints, it would be better to have less operating time in exchange for secrecy. However, commands worked well once you checked on the site and then it was simple to use and charge. The alarm is also a good feature that operates well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The subtle design, meaning that only a trained eye would really notice it – important for tracking stolen goods.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It would be good to have better battery life when using it heavily.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Works well for tracking the bike and, despite the slightly analogue controls still does everything you need it to. It loses a couple of marks for battery life, but with some improvements this could be fixed in the next model.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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4 comments

Avatar
.si | 8 years ago
0 likes

It looks as though there is an additional cost of £60 (paid yearly)-£120(paid monthly) a year for the SMS service based on http://anywheresim.com/buy/#top-ups-payment

Avatar
Richard D | 8 years ago
1 like

Battery life, signal reception and especially the faff involved in charging the device meant that I stopped using the Spylamp (another GPS tracker) and the Spybike (same tracker as the lamp, only it lived in the head tube).

I could live with a product that required charging every few weeks, but the Spylamp required it to be removed from the bike AND taken apart with a special tool for charging.  The Spybike wasn't much better.  And if the product isn't easy to use, it ultimately doesn't get used - and ends up providing the same amount of security as a u-lock made of tinfoil.

i might be tempted to try this one - as the bike lives close to a power socket - but a battery life of 2-4 weeks would make it much more attractive.

Does it use only the GSM/GPRS network (another weakness of the Spybike), or is it 3G/4G compatible?

UODATE - just checked.  2G only (which in my experience means patchy reception - especially where I live).  But a bigger problem for me is how the device is secured in the handlebars - basically by friction and good luck!  I can pretty much guarantee that I'd lose it within a fortnight; bar end caps, that weigh very little, are one thing.  But I'm unconvinced that £70-worth of weighted electronic device should be trusted to a simple push-fit.

Avatar
s_lim | 8 years ago
1 like

Never mind the tracker, is the Cinelli Gazetta in for review? 

Avatar
George Hill replied to s_lim | 8 years ago
2 likes

s_lim wrote:

Never mind the tracker, is the Cinelli Gazetta in for review? 

It isn't , but it is my bike. A 3 word review - beautiful, responsive, fast.

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