Is This The Ultimate In Bike Security? The Knog Scout Cycle Alarm & Tracker

[@MrAnon-2024]

I’ve had one on my bike for a little while now and it’s a useful additional security feature. I’ve found that once inside a cafe for example, the Bluetooth connection is easily lost, meaning no phone notification. Having said that, I heard the alarm going off from inside a cafe and ran outside quick sharp, only to find it was a cycling buddy of mine securing his bike to mine and setting the alarm off in the process 😂

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

I imagine that happens a lot!

[@MrAnon-2024]

@@ribblevalleycyclist it happened twice that day 😀

[@Mr_Aidxn]

I got one today, and I see that in the app there is a sensitivity option, so perhaps try to adjust that and play with it until you think it is balanced to start when a thief tries to steal it and not start when someone else secures their bike next to yours.

[@ralfhenning-venske6764]

Awesome - not just this video - your contribution to the community is great. I hope you can enjoy cycling this season as well. Time for riding outside - time for fun. Thank you! -> ordered 2 of the Knog's...! IMCR

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks for your kind words, Ralf. I've spent too much time on my KZbin and renovating my old home, and not enough time riding my bike. It shows on my waistline!! Lets hope I find more time to ride this summer! Let us know how you get on with the Knog's 👍 Jon

[@jd100-x1z]

Thanks for the video. Just wanted to share few thought for anyone else thinking to buy this device as well as me. Thanks again for your thoughts on this! It's really to the point and it's easy to listen to your videos! I've subscribed! I think it is only a deterrent. I researched it as well and found this regarding its deterrence: 1/ it has blinking lights on both sides, so it really looks like your bike has some kind of tracker or alarm, 2/ there is also a yellow cover which draws further attention, if you want it to draw attention but that's only for setup without a bottle cage on top of it; 3/ the gentle "small" alarm sound at the beginning, when you move the bike slightly and then finally 4/ the loud alarm, when you move it a lot. It is however not that useful for tracking the stolen bike (as it does not have real time data), nor is the position given accurate. Usually what happens, the thief waits about 50 m from the bike to see if anybody comes to the bike after the alarm went off - if no-one comes, they'll steal the bike and at a safe but temporary location, remove the device by force (now they know from the sound that the bike has an alarm). Also, where the thief lives, they probably won't use expensive Apple devices, so Apple's Find My network will give probably unreliable location. So if you really want to find your bike when it was stolen, you need to invest in another device, which is a GPS tracker where you have to pay a subscription (usually this is about 60 GBP -> 5 GBP/month), which is hidden somewhere on/in your bike. So ideal solution for me would be this Knog Scout as a deterrent + a GPS tracker with subscription as a way to give the location of the stolen bike to authorities (like police/gardai but go first to them to find out what they'd do if someone steals your bike, before investing in a GPS tracker. You might find out that they wouldn't go there either. And you don’t want to go in a dodgy location yourself). My conclusion is then, that some thieves will get deterred by this device, but others won't, unfortunately, especially in cities where they're more cheeky and clever. Also, most people wouldn’t do anything even if your bike is being stolen in front of their eyes, unfortunately. I'd prefer if Knog created their Scout with a stronger Bluetooth which for example Tile Pro has (about 150 m) or any other longer-range wireless connection, instead of spending money on Find My integration. This stronger bluetooth/other wireless connection would enable people having a real-time notification in many frequent situations like going to a nearby shop (the standard 10 m bluetooth is not really enough, but what’s worse it isn’t reliable, but longer or stronger range would benefit this device greatly). Currently, when the bike is moved you won't get any notification if you're further than 10 m, so it's working only when you're in a nearby cafe or somewhere really close. So good try, Knog, but needs to be significantly improved to be really effective. I'm still going to buy this device probably, because I haven't found so far a GPS tracker that has also an alarm. Scout is now cheaper, so why not. One thing that I don't remember was emphasised in the video is that the Scout is kind of "set and forget". It gets armed automatically and disarmed automatically when you're near. You basically don't need to think about it all the time if to switch it on or off. Battery lasts ages, so really set and forget :-)

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Hi Yan, First up welcome onboard. You've clearly done your homework on this one, and I agree with all of your points. To conclude, a great little deterrent, at a pretty good price. But if you're willing to throw a lot more money at the problem, there are better products out there.

[@davidbee8178]

Jon your reviews are among the best out there :-) The Scout IS smart but "advertising" it on one's bike just prepares the bad bike guy all the better to outsmart it. Hiding it in the seat tube or down-tube would make it more stealth BUT obviously way less effective in both range and alarm decibel levels. Properly prepared, the bad bike guy WILL find a way to get the Scout OFF the bike and ditch it on a road somewhere, effectively ending your "Find My" IMHO, the Scout's most useful feature IS the alarm that is set off if someone moves your bike ... AS LONG AS ONE STAYS WELL WITHIN ITS ALARM SOUND RANGE. Having said that, THE best way to keep your bike safe is to never let it out of your or a mate's sight while Cafe hopping :-) Thanks for your bicycle insights ! Cheers from Montreal :-)

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Hi David, Glad you're enjoying the videos. Agree with all your points. An AirTag is stealth, but has no alarm. For me, a café stop results in my bike being within feet of me, but out of site. So in that instance, the Scout works well. Some proper testing over the summer, I think!! Thanks, from The Peak District, UK!!

[@davidbee8178]

@@ribblevalleycyclist Nice to hear from you Jon ! Hope your summer is full of great rides and that your Scout testing goes well (hoping that it acts more as a DETERRENT rather than having to prove itself in a "Find MY" event ! ) Your point about the AirTag being stealth is well said . . . .perhaps having both the Scout AND the AirTag might be QUITE the solution ! First, it might not occur to the bad bike guy to look for a SECOND line of theft defence (the AirTag) when he sees the Scout (assuming he knows what it is :-) and second, he is going to have to be MORE than clever to overcome the screaming Scout when he goes to move your bike in the first place. I don't know enough about AirTags so will one work from a good distance (say a few miles or more?) if he manages to get away in the first place? The other concern might be that when and if your bike IS located in the bad bike guy's location, it might be wise to get the police involved at that point - the criminal element is unpredictable and could be dangerous. (in the Scout instruction manual, a word to the wise might be in order if its not already there :-) All the best and safe cycling to one and all! Cheers !

[@malescan]

Note that it can be a bit hidden under a bottle cage.

[@fredflintstone3686]

Your recommendations are costing me a lot of money.LOL.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Sorry, Fred 🤣. I promise to knock out a few maintenance ones that'll help you claw back the cost 👍

[@colintbrown]

Great video Jon! And glad we got to connect at ICEBIKE!

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Was great meeting you too, Colin 👍

[@mbastos1000]

Your channel is wonderful! 😮😮😮

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thank you 👍

[@redauwg911]

thank you for the excellent review

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@LakeDistrictcyclist]

Nice video mate, hope you are liking the Dji sounds really good 😊

[@LakeDistrictcyclist]

Need to get one of these 😊

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks mate. Yeah, really pleased with it. Thanks for your help, gave you a shout in the vid 👍

[@LakeDistrictcyclist]

@@ribblevalleycyclistthank you that’s kind of you, just ordered one through your link, brilliant for the new bike 😊

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

@LakeDistrictcyclist Just returned the favour 👍. I think they’re a sensible idea.

[@naturerumba]

Thanks! Informative and fun :)

[@v1ncen715]

I have considered this for my ebike. I dont really need the alarm, only the tracking part. I ended up using a Pebblebee Airtag compatible tag. It is much smaller, hidden inside part of the battery mount, and connected via usb-c to a dc-dc converter connected to the main ebike battery. Although the tag has about 8 months battery life, it is automatically charged every time I turn main ebike battery on to use the bike. So almost infinite battery life! I installed it about 6 months ago, and has been working great.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks, v1nce n7. A lot of people have mentioned Android options, so your recommendation is very helpful for that 👍

[@nickhickton2395]

Love the review, but am I missing something ? The thing is made of plastic right, what's to stop the tea leaf levering it off the frame with a screwdriver, thereby removing it from the bike and damaging the frame in the process ?

[@r3volt97]

no one's gonna know where it 's ringing from unless they recognize what they selliing on the market for security purposes

[@chrisb5824]

Thanks Jon - great review, and very thought provoking... I'm not Apple so a big downside straight off - are there any comparable devices that don't rely on Apple - or is the Apple M (?) network the big enabler? Yeah - really good review, and so related to real life experience Thanks

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Glad you enjoyed it. There are rumours that Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’.

[@colinbailey6236]

You're in Leek! I was watching this at lunch and thought "this fellow is local to me!"

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Yep. I’m based that way nowadays.

[@colinbailey6236]

@@ribblevalleycyclist ahh, well maybe you will spot us all out on a Sunday ride one day 😁😁

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Do you ride with the Leek club?

[@colinbailey6236]

@@ribblevalleycyclist yes I do :)

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

@colinbailey6236 So you’ll know Andy Bain then.

[@seanyates2073]

Great video as always! You should consider organising a local ride by the way, as a fellow Ribble cyclist I'd be up for it.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Nice idea that Sean. I'm not in the valley any more, but I'm not far away, and still ride there. Would be good to sort a ride out.

[@brianridley1102]

Any chance they do an android version? I refuse to buy apple 😁

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

There are rumours that Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’. If they do, let’s hope Knog is on it.

[@brianridley1102]

@@ribblevalleycyclist great thanks, I know one of the issues with current android tags is they are tied to the phone manufacturer which is useless really. It's okay for apple with their market share

[@NewbGamingNetworks]

Like an AirTag I wonder if it has the anti-stalker features, allowing the thief to be notified of the tracker’s presence.

[@kernzyp]

Great video. SUBBED !!!

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks for the sub!

[@johnnylong2049]

It alerts your phone when the alarm is on, then it’s also a 2 way pager! Nice

[@mtbboy1993]

The problem with this is if the bike does not have bottle cage mounts. Like some enduro bikes.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

You could stick it in a saddlebag. Also, they offer a Travel Tag version, that has all the same features.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@ribblevalleycyclist a saddle bag would hit the rear tyre with saddle dropped on a 170mm travel bike. I'm looking into a solution. But I use my old hardtail for urban parking. But I still would like to have tracking on my main bike. And want to build a mountain bike commuter, not sure wha yet so want tracking on that too. But will likely be an hardtail maybe rigid don't know, so might have bottle cage mounts on that.

[@LivandTrekGoCycling]

Good review Jon, thanks. I take it that the tracking function is Apple specific...doesn't work with Android?

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Glad you liked it. The official answer is No. I suppose Knog could technically get the alarm side of the device to work with Android....... But then they'd need to pay and develop that, and I suppose it may not pay off.

[@andybutler3868]

Great review

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks, Andy 👍

[@Crosbos]

Excellent review and video!

[@Bassmunchkin1]

You always say :Thanks for watching", I say "Thanks millions for everything that you do" and just paying £5,400 for my new Revolt Advanced Pro 0, I've just also ordered the Knog Scout Cycle Alarm and Tracker using your link. I do have 4 Apple Tags on my bike, but totally agree with all of the pointers that you have made, so once again, thanks millions. Just one question, what insurance company do you use and do you have an affiliate link please

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Just looked the Revolt up......that is a nice looking bike, congrats, Terry! The insurance company is a good question, I have all my stuff insured through the insurance company that covers the workshop and van...... Not something the average home user would want! This is something I'm hoping to get a video done on at some point, but can't advise yet.

[@gaila.8830]

Thank you for the video 😊 Do you need an apple phone to connect? Thanks

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Glad you liked it. Yes, you need an iPhone to use the Knog Scout. But I'd keep your eye out, because I imagine an Android one will follow from someone pretty soon.

[@nowyouareoneofus9684]

Does this also work for motorbike?

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Will work on anything. They also do a luggage tag version, if that works better for your situation (attaching)👍

[@marka.e.steffensen5427]

Question - even youre very far from the bike, do you still get notification on your phone?? Or you should be atleast near the bike??

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

It sends the alarm notification via Bluetooth. The tracking is done through Find My, so you don't need to be in range for that.

[@ranxxerox6407]

"It cost 1% of the bike cost" - A WOW moment, right there! Question, do you know if the "Thief" can turn off the alarm with a button press that's on the unit? Oh and a KitKat always weighs 22grams when when it has melted into your jersey pocket 🤣

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Yeah, I went through a spending patch on that one!! No, they can't. Your phone needs to be within 1.5 metres of the Scout for that button to work. We all made the chocolate mistake when we first started riding 🤣

[@kevindean9613]

For apple phones only then ? I'm a locksmith by trade & people tend to ignore alarms even when entering promises under a warrant ,they're more likely to complain about the noise .

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Yes only Apple, unfortunately. Oh, completely agree. But the argument there is that’s a failing of society, not the device.

[@BrenGunning]

I think Apple and Google are working on a shared find my system together. Whether this means they can update old devices, it remains to be seen.

[@johnboxxy3432]

Here in Oz I have a low tech solution. I have an 18 speed machine, actually it's 6 speed, the front cable broke so I leave it on the middle sprocket. On the rear rack I have a zip tied red milk crate which I throw my towel in, destination the beach. It is a step through, I am to old to throw my leg over the crate. Upon reaching the Pacific Ocean I dump my bike along a convenient fence. I have found over the years people don't steal bomb bikes with a crate on the back. Oh and I have an Android phone. I hope this is useful.😉

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Very useful 😉. Something simplicity is the best solution to a complicated problem 👍

[@stevebarnes9345]

Fascinating content. But I'm lost--- please help- It seems If the thief has no I phone we can't connect with the new location. Am I getting that correct?

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

The device just needs a momentary Bluetooth connection with any Apple device in order to report its location. But yes, if it never gets that, it’ll never be able to report its location.

[@stevebarnes9345]

@@ribblevalleycyclistthank you for the answer..why wouldn't the thief just get the proper power screwdriver for the tamper proof screws. Wearing ear plugs... Disconnect it-,give it a baseball toss and blast off with the bike?.... dunno -- that said/ love your presentations- the best !!!!!

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

@stevebarnes9345 Agreed, you’ll never stop it, just deter. Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@stevebarnes9345]

And I was not trying to trash the product - it just seems easy to beat even though the premise is new. Where I live my chain lock ( although heavy) seem to be enough. Yet I have heard bike theft in England is rampant.......sad! Hey/ love your work!!!!! So thorough...... and entertaining.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

The scary one in the UK is mugging someone for their bike. Apparently, it happens a lot in the big cities.

[@Duaner244]

I already have an AirTag hidden on my bike. I’m wondering if this knog scout would not be more effective if firmly glued and taped on a U lock ?

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Range wise (Bluetooth), both the Scout & AirTag perform similarly. The same can be said for the Find My performance. The obvious difference is the alarm, which the AirTag cannot do.

[@justinpritchardkonk]

Heisenberg recommending bike products now

[@so3867]

Seems to me you’re better off with a separate system. The alarm alerts the thief to the location of the “AirTag” on the bike so they can easily remove it and head to a separate location.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

The Knog alarm has a silent option, so only the owner gets notified of the activation.

[@sssssneaker]

@@ribblevalleycyclist Assuming the owner is withing bluetooth range...

[@SambabaL]

A combo doesn't sound great, because if someone does steal the bike and the alarm goes off the first thing the thief will do is locate the alarm and smash it, disabling the tracker as well. To me it seems more logical to have these things separated.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Just set it to silent activation

[@philiplewis9825]

Will there be an android version.

[@andy32morgan]

Surely..... You could build this tech into the bloody frame???? Come on man !!!

[@andy32morgan]

Your a bloody good speaker ..... You have just talked me through servicing my headset bearings, much appreciated 👍 but come on?? This should be standard in a new frame!

[@neilsundberg]

@@andy32morgan It truly should be a common thing in as many bike frames as we can get them in. As you said, IN THE FRAME

[@nathanmciver6496]

Oh, no! That's only saved dedunje agelo! Yeah! He's a serious invester in the farse pool! He served his community in the land legue and even came up with salad topping deliveries to rise above and beyond! If you follow his rise you will get the parts built in your by-cycle with a 20% disscount and or buy a new by-cycld for the set amount! ❤

[@7v17Ezekiel]

Jeez man. You are fantastic. I’m buying one right now 🎉💦

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Thanks, made me smile. Enjoy the gadget....... Love mine 👍

[@friendbubble8415]

Funny we sell this Item since a year ago or so :D But glad it was making you curious Some consideration. What if someone lost his Phone? Bleibt gesund

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

agreed, it’s been out for a few years now, but not many people know about it, me included. And that was one of the points I made to Knog when they showed it to me.

[@simonnguyen237]

this wouldn't work in the city where bike thiefs live in buildings with thoudands of units, how will you find your stolen bike then and in time before the bike gets taken apart and sold on marketplace?

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

At that point, I'd call the police.

[@BrenGunning]

Do wish it did have UWB.

[@MH_Bikes]

Wish Knog made a device for people who understand technology.

[@djrlloyd]

Just looked online and you can get this for about £35. At that price it’s a steal (see what I did there😂)

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

😂😂😂😂 I researched beforehand, and the price was close to the RRP, but I too noticed a reduction when linking to the product afterwards. Agreed, it’s a bargain 👍👍

[@scanmanuk]

I was looking at this and then found out it was only apple compatible unfortunately

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

There are a lot of companies now doing this. I’m off the the national Cycling Show this morning where a lot of them will be exhibiting

[@johnsimpson1507]

Hi an air tag is not rechargeable but it uses a cheap rechargeable battery which is just as good. I think it lasts maybe a year

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Agreed, not rechargeable. But a high quality CR2032 should give you 18 months use. The annoying thing is though, replacement usually involves removing it from a mount and then prising it out.

[@Robutube1]

Thanks for sharing. Are Android users disenfranchised here? Also, you showed but didn't fit the silicone boot - what was your logic there? Cheers.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Disenfranchised..... If they are, it's by Apple, not Knog. There are rumours that Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’. Additionally, check this organisation out, they offer an AirTag type device, that is Android compatible: pebblebee.com/ The boot only goes over a Scout that is mounted on its own, and doesn't fit between the frame and cage (It doesn't have holes), so I didn't fit it.

[@Robutube1]

@@ribblevalleycyclist Thanks for the info and further explanation.

[@PeterKooimanNL]

This thing is a combination of two: an alarm and an Airtag. You could buy two separate items: an alarm and a Smarttag. Smarttag is the Samsung version of the Airtag, and works way better. I will wait for a tag that works with ALL phones.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

There are rumours that Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’.

[@lynneftw]

Shame it's only on the Apple ecosystem. Moving along.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’. Additionally, check this organisation out, they offer an AirTag type device, that is Android compatible. pebblebee.com/

[@lynneftw]

@@ribblevalleycyclist I use Samsung smart tags, but the dual alarm/tag thing here is the draw.

[@paulhadfield8006]

Not a good tracker relying on someone else iphone to be near your bike I have the powunity tracker on my bike now you are talking take a look

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

But that only works on e-bikes. If you don't have an e-bike (which is the majority of people), you can't use it. Additionally, it has an annual subscription model from year two onwards. Agreed, the Scout needs an iPhone nearby to provide its location, but the vast majority of the population has a mobile, and the most popular phone in the world is Apple. You would need to stash the bike in an unpopulated location for this tech not to work. Both systems are flawed, but out of the two, for the vast majority of bicycle owners, the Knog is the better choice.

[@paulhadfield8006]

Yes I no Ebike are the future was in Europe last month 90%of the bike shops are Ebike it works fantastic on my bike it’s the future. Nice watching your videos.

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

@@paulhadfield8006 Glad you're enjoying the content. Agreed, there is a massive upsurge in e-bike sales in the LBS, and it's great news for their sales. Many have been saved on the back of it, including the one closest to me. The majority are sales to people that are taking cycling back up, because of what the e-bike can give them. Fewer are converting from standard to e-bike (Excluding MTB). They're not the future for everyone though. I get offered free e-bikes on an almost weekly basis, the last time was this morning. I polity decline, as it's not for me.

[@Yan-ql6wo]

Man behøver ikke engang at tænde for enheden. Man vil kunne tracke den uanset ❤

[@DavidBridgeTechnology]

Why would you not want one? Because it is Apple only. Sigh.😢

[@arcoulant87]

It may be only £40 but I would have to for out hundreds for a I phone ,that's not going to happen more Apple Tax!

[@ribblevalleycyclist]

There are rumours that Google is about to launch their version of AirTag, search for ‘Google Grogu’.

[@lowe-quay-shush]

I hate anything where you HAVE to use Apple or Facebook with NO OTHER Options. My Option? Give my attention elsewhere.

[@phoffen3829]

Yeah but I can eat the KitKat and then I am no longer carrying 22 g. Right?????. Jeez, I don't know why people don't think of those things...