Tracking your cargo bike in NYC

A GPS tracker won't prevent theft — but it dramatically increases your chances of recovery. Hide one inside the frame or under the cargo box, use it alongside good locks, and make sure your insurance knows you have it.

Why trackers matter for cargo bikes specifically

A $2,000–$10,000 cargo bike is a high-value target. A tracker gives you (and the police) a real-time location to work with. For most riders, the combination of good locks plus a hidden tracker is the most practical theft deterrent available.

What to look for in a tracker

Cellular vs. Bluetooth: Cellular trackers (LTE-based) work anywhere with a signal and report location in real time. Bluetooth trackers like AirTags rely on other people's devices to relay location — reliable in dense NYC neighborhoods, less so elsewhere.
Battery life: Some trackers need charging every few days; others last months on a coin cell. For a bike, longer battery life means less risk of forgetting to charge it.
Size: The smaller the tracker, the better hiding spot you have. The best placement is somewhere a thief wouldn't think to look and can't easily access.

Trackers worth considering

Knog Scout — A bike-specific alarm and tracker in one. Uses Apple's Find My network (no subscription) and adds a loud motion-triggered alarm that goes off if someone moves your bike. Designed to mount under the saddle or inside the frame. One of the best all-in-one options for cargo bikes.
Apple AirTag — Affordable, no subscription, and the Find My network in NYC is dense enough to make them genuinely useful. Small enough to hide almost anywhere. Best for iPhone users.
Tile — Similar Bluetooth approach to AirTag, works across both iOS and Android. Network is smaller than Apple's but still meaningful in Brooklyn.
Sherlock — Designed specifically for bikes. Hides inside the handlebars. Cellular, with its own SIM. Harder for a thief to find and remove.
Boomerang — Bike-specific GPS tracker with cellular, built-in motion alerts, and a slim profile. Designed to mount discreetly under the frame.

Hide it well — A tracker a thief finds and removes is useless. The best spots are inside the frame tube, under the cargo box floor panel, or zip-tied inside a cable housing. Don't put it anywhere visible.

Trackers and insurance

If you carry cargo bike insurance through Velosurance or BikeInsure, let them know you have a GPS tracker. Some policies factor this in favorably, and in a theft claim, tracker data showing the bike's location history can support your case.

What a tracker won't do

A GPS tracker is not a substitute for good locks. If your bike is stolen and the tracker shows it in a building somewhere in Brooklyn, the NYPD won't execute a search warrant based on AirTag data alone — recovery is never guaranteed. The tracker is your best shot at recovery after the fact. Locks are your best shot at prevention.

See our full guide: How to lock a cargo bike in NYC →

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