Some Cycleblazers have been really happy with Apple Air Tags, for knowing if their bikes happen to have followed them to their destination, or if they are still hung up somewhere.

Reading about it in the blogs, but lacking any iPhones, we went with Tile, which is a similar idea but relying on its own installed base of the Tile Android app, rather than the Apple network. This alone is a big drawback, but then again the price is about half.

That half price, however, buys a device not only with a small user base, but also a non-replaceable battery. (To be fair, for a price exactly equal to the Air Tag they do have one battery replaceable model.)

I have a little experience replacing non-replaceable batteries, so when our Tiles' batteries died after about a year, I went in with some pry tools.  I was impressed, because in the world of anti-repair, the Tile people rank with Apple itself. Not only was their case glued shut (a standard ploy) but the battery was in a tight plastic sleeve which would only let go if mostly destroyed. And  "best of all", the battery was somehow welded (not even soldered) to its connecting tabs. No force I could apply and no amount of heat would free it. So Tile gets my designation of "manufactured e-waste". Now we have to hope our Bike Fridays follow us just out of habit!

And amazingly, AirTag batteries are easily replaceable with no tools, and use a common battery.  Someone at Apple didn’t read their own rule book.

I received a low battery alert a couple of weeks ago and replaced the battery while on tour. 

Thanks for the heads-up Steve.  I'd been casually mulling acquiring some Tile devices, now I won't.  Fortunately I don't have a strong need for them- I'm not sure I'll every fly another bike overseas, for example, and perhaps not even domestically- so they'd mostly be sitting idle anyhow.

Locally, eleven high dollar bikes stolen from Aspen were found because one of the owners had an Airtag hidden on his bicycle.  That makes me think I should do the same. They sound like handy little devices. I keep telling myself to buy some.

stolen bicycles recovered due to hidden airbag

At home all my bikes live in the house.  Anywhere else they're either in my hotel room, my car, or in my field of view.

Plus, apart from my road bike, none of the fleet has an obvious cachet that would attract most thieves, I think (or delude myself).

I’m a recent, but now ardent, fan of AirTags. I’ve only been using them for a few months and they’ve already proved a time saver in locating misplaced items such as wallet and keys. But so far, thankfully, I’ve not relied on them for any major theft or loss.

 I’m currently cycle touring in NZ, and recently flew here. I had AirTags on checked luggage, but the airlines didn’t need my help. Everything arrived as planned.

It makes a difference if one is an Apple or Android user. Since we use only Android we are limited to the Tile system and therefore to non replaceable batteries. 

Yes it does Steve.  Though probably not much difference on the e-waste. The AirTag C2032 battery is replaceable, but the flat battery itself is e-waste.  And they only last a year or so.