Do Electric Bikes Have GPS? Anti-Theft and Navigation Options

Electric bikes are significant improvements over standard bikes; they are faster, heavier, and more efficient but they cost relatively more than average bikes. While electric bikes have been increasingly popular, they have also been high-value targets for thieves.

Electric bikes are equipped with additional equipment like batteries and motors that are very expensive and can be quickly sold off by a thief. And although using a bike lock may be a good thing, some of them are relatively easy to break. This begs the question, do electric bikes have GPS?

While newer electric bikes at high-end prices have a GPS tracker already installed, most electric bikes sold on the market don’t have this feature. However, you can always purchase a wide array of GPS trackers to always know the location of your electric bike.

In this article, we will tackle if electric bikes have GPS, how an electric bike GPS tracker works, the most helpful GPS trackers for your electric bike, and many more.

Let’s get right into it.

What is an electric bike GPS tracker?

GPS trackers are basically a device that allows you to know the location of your electric bike or your rented ebike at any instance. A GPS tracking device is one of the anti theft protection devices that are either already installed or you can install on your vehicle so that in the worst-case scenario that your e bike is stolen, you can track it down and report it to the local police authorities.

How does an electric bike GPS tracker work?

A GPS tracker uses the advanced technology of the commonly known global positioning system and is equipped with a module named a GPS receiver, allowing them to determine their current location. The GPS tracker can transmit its location even when moving using the mobile GPS satellite network.

To transmit data quickly, a GPS tracker uses microwave signals that allow real time tracking of your electric bike’s location, speed, time, and direction that are either sent to you via google maps, a text message, email, or a notification through a dedicated app.

A GPS tracker is a safety feature that can prevent theft by accurate time tracking of your vehicle’s location. Some manufacturers have already installed these features on their high-end bikes; here are some additional security features on high-end bikes.

Cool Features of High-End Electric Bike Trackers

Besides the GPS tracker installed on high-end bikes, they are also equipped with additional features that scare off any bike thieves.

Geo-fencing is one of the many cool features installed on high-end bikes. A geo-fence is a predetermined boundary that sends out a message once the bike leaves this boundary; this feature will immediately alert you once your bike is moved.

A high-speed alarm is another cool feature installed by companies producing high-end bikes. Referring traffic rules and regulations, an electric bike must not be powerful enough to travel over 20 mph, so it will alert you if ever your stolen bike is traveling unnaturally fast.

To deter even the most experienced bike thieves, manufacturers have installed a loud and annoying alarm that blasts a deafening sound if your electric bike moves from its location via the GPS on your bike.

Lastly, high-end bikes are also installed with a Bluetooth lock that locks your rear wheel, making them harder for any bike thief to ride them around. You can enable and disable this Bluetooth lock using your smartphone.

Best electric bike GPS Tracker

Finding the best GPS tracker for your electric bike can be pretty challenging. Although a GPS tracker is tasked with giving you the bike’s location whenever they get stolen, some trackers are better at doing this and are more accurate than others.

Here are some factors you have to consider when looking for the best GPS tracker for your electric bike.

Price

Setting up a price range where you are comfortable purchasing an e bike GPS tracking device will quickly filter out all the GPS tracking devices flooding the market. Additionally, some e bike GPS trackers require a monthly subscription, so always check your budget before buying one.

Compatibility

Since most GPS trackers are connected to your phone or computer, you must make sure that the tracking device you purchase will connect easily with your device. Adding to this, you also must ensure that both devices will not encounter glitches, as this might give you the wrong location of your stolen e bike.

Connectivity

Your phone and GPS trackers will most likely be connected via Bluetooth, so make sure that both devices are up to date with the latest version of Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth 5.0.

Power

Perhaps one of the biggest deal breakers in most GPS trackers is their power. Some electric bike trackers can last up to a year, while some only last for just a month, so make sure your electric bike tracker won’t require constant replacements as this can be quite hassling.

Material

If you love going on off-road terrain or go on riding while it’s raining, you should purchase e bike GPS devices that are made with waterproof material and ones that will be durable to take on any rough terrain.

Installation

Installing e bike trackers is relatively easy; you can even install one yourself in under just a minute, but some, like GPS trackers that go inside your bike’s frame, can be pretty complex to install, so be sure to look for GPS trackers that feature easy installation, and ones that have a compact design.

Tell me the best way to hide electric bike GPS tracker

After purchasing an e bike tracker, the first thing you might ask might be where to put it so that any bike thief won’t notice them. E bike experts recommend putting your tracker inside the seat post.

Electric Bike GPS Trackers for Purchase

Here are some of the best e bike trackers you can use.

Apple airtag

The Apple airtag was something released by Apple back in 2021; they were first used as a tracker for small Apple devices like AirPods so that you can locate them whenever you lose them. However, recently, Apple airtags are also used to track e bikes.

Apple airtags are relatively cheap, costing only $29; adding to this, Apple airtags don’t require monthly subscriptions. They are also small and compact, allowing them to attach to your bike seat easily.

They have a replaceable battery, IP67 dust and water resistance, and an incredibly long battery life of 12 months.

However, a big downside to them is that they are only compatible with Apple devices, they are not as discreet as other trackers, and they can only sync their location if the bike theft and your e bike are nearby, once they are out of range, you’ll have to rely on Apple’s “find my network” feature.

Tile GPS tracker

The tile GPS tracking device has been used a lot in the past. Tile GPS trackers are connected to your mobile phone via a real-time app that lets you know your e-bike’s whereabouts.

The tile GPS tracking device is user-friendly, water resistant, has a long lifespan of one year, and has a slim and compact design. Although, they are priced higher than other trackers on this list.

The see sense AIR tracker.

The see sense AIR tracker is a brand new bike tracker set to launch this year. This next-generation tracker sends you a text message if your e bike gets bumped, moved, or stolen; it can even send a message to your loved one if you get into an accident.

It is waterproof, rechargeable, and has a battery span of 3 months.

Although this tracker is not the most discreet as they are evident, and its dedicated app requires a monthly subscription.

Invoxia GPS tracker

The Invoxia GPS tracking device is also a fantastic tracker you can put on your truck, motorcycle, snowmobile, e bike, and many more. This next-level GPS tracking device is equipped with movement alerting technology, has geofencing, a history tracker, a proximity radar, and has an included sim card with one free year subscription to their services.

It is relatively affordable and has a battery life of 4 months. However, they are much more extensive than other trackers and are quite visible.

TKSTAR GPS tracker

This GPS tracker is installed on the taillight of your e bikes and allows users real time tracking of the bike, features geo-fencing, and even doubles as a functioning light.

In addition, the TKSTAR GPS tracker is also easy to install and will alert you once the battery is nearing low levels. However, they are pretty visible and might ruin the aesthetic of your taillight.

How good is an electric bike GPS tracking system?

An electric bike GPS tracking system performs well even in rough terrain. This also depends on your e bike manufacturer and how well their GPS tracking systems are, but an experiment was done by e bike enthusiasts and put to the test a tracking system on a Haibike AllMtn 3.0 mountain bike.

The tracker performed well and sent out exact locations even in off-road riding conditions. The tracker was also durable as it could take large bumps, mud, and water from biking.

Electric bicycle theft prevention

Although GPS trackers are good for locating your electric bike when they get stolen, the best way to keep your e bikes safe from getting stolen is to prevent them from happening early on.

You can do this by avoiding parking your e bike outside. And if this is not possible, always park your electric bike in a well-lit area. Also, you can purchase high-quality bike locks and secure them to something immovable like posts or railings. When using bike locks, be sure to wrap the locks around the frame and the back wheel of your e bike; if your bike lock is long enough, try to loop your front wheel as well.

If you have a super expensive e bike, the best way to make them not a great target for bike thieves is to cover expensive logos or leave dirty debris on your e bike if they are relatively new and shiny.

The battery on your e bike is the most expensive component, so bring your battery with you as much as possible as an e bike without a battery is harder to steal and is less of an attractive target for thieves.

Are electric bike GPS trackers worth it?

Yes, GPS trackers are worthy investments if you want to keep your e bike safe from thieves. Not only will they give you updates about your e bike, but they will also be a great help once police authorities are contacted, making the searching process for your bike more straightforward and faster. GPS trackers will also give you a sense of reassurance that your e bike will be soon recovered if they are stolen.

Although, GPS trackers do have their downside with possible monthly subscriptions, limited tracking ability, and the chances of the batteries running out.

Should I purchase an e bike with a tracker or buy an installable tracker?

This choice is entirely up to you and how much your budget is. E bikes with an already installed GPS tracker tend to be in the high-end price range, from $2000 to $4000. However, they work better than installable trackers and have some additional features.

But this does not mean you can’t just purchase an installable tracker for your cheaper e bikes because they still perform relatively well and are readily available and affordable.

What should I do if my e bike gets stolen?

The first thing you should do is to contact local authorities. Once you have contacted them, try to open up your tracking device application and locate your bike’s whereabouts. It might be tempting to find your bike yourself, but this can be pretty dangerous, especially if the thief is working with other people or possess firearms.

Once the police arrive, show them a picture of your bike, or describe outstanding features that might allow them to locate your bike faster.

Conclusion

While electric bikes are significantly better than regular bikes, they are also more likely to get stolen (especially if you’re renting them out) because of their expensive additional electronic components. So always keep your electric bikes safe by installing GPS trackers on them.

We hope this informative article has helped you become more knowledgeable if electric bikes have GPS and the different anti-theft and navigation options available.