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Hidden pod on bike Broadcasts GPS position (thwarts thieves)

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“The BikeSpike is a beacon that uses GPS and cellular technology to broadcast your position.” That’s a selling point Clay Neigher touts in a Kickstarter video about his yet-to-be-funded bicycle tracking system.

If it comes to market Neigher says the system will empower victims of bike theft to locate their stolen rides.

BikeSpike module mounts on bottle cage bolts

And while that’s a win in our books, there’s even more. Masquerading as a water bottle cage, the BikeSpike broadcasts a signal that opens a world of online applications, including race tracking, training stats, route mapping, and anything else a real-time location track can provide.

Applications have been developed to alert the bike owner through their mobile device if the bike ever leaves a predetermined area. An onboard accelerometer can detect a crash and alert your friends and family.

Hidden in a carbon bottle cage

Open API access means programmers have a whole new toy in the box to experiment with.

The device will need to be charged by a wall outlet on a monthly basis, and consumers will have to pay for a monthly plan as part of the product.

Tamper-resistant screw heads on module

The BikeSpike is attempting to raise $150,000 to fund the product by April 9. There’s no word yet on the estimated retail price of the BikeSpike, however a $149 Kickstarter donation now will get you a device, a 12-month plan, and the carbon-fiber water bottle cage to mount with the BikeSpike.

—Sean McCoy

Live tracking via an iPhone or Android app

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