[jdblair]

I've thought a lot about this. The problem with hiding the tracker in the frame is the GPS and GSM antenna will be blocked by the metal tube. There would have to be a way to get the antenna out (maybe a special bottle cage, with the antenna leads going through the lugs?). It would work for carbon fiber, though, and those are the most expensive bikes.

[Audiophilip]

>The problem with hiding the tracker in the frame is the GPS and GSM antenna will be blocked by the metal tube.

Not true, there are multiple battle-tested solutions out there, like these: www.spybike.com

[victorhooi]

I have one of their products.

It's not a bad product - but the company seems to have gone bust. They've stopped answering any emails, and the last news was that their Seat Post Tracker was meant to launch in 2012/2013:

http://www.bike-eu.com/sales-trends/nieuws/2012/8/spybike-se...

Their current trackers are 3G only - and most countries are shutting down (or have already shut down) their 3G GSM networks.

I'm definitely on the lookout for any replacements.

[ptaipale]

Their current trackers are 3G only - and most countries are shutting down (or have already shut down) their 3G GSM networks.

What? Some operators are closing 3G networks, but not, I think, "most countries". Frequency allocation is moved to LTE, yes.

But 3G modems fall back to 2G (GSM) which is'nt going away any time soon in most places (yes, there are exceptions), and 2G is quite enough to send location info.

[victorhooi]

Sorry, I meant 2G - e.g. in Australia, Telstra/Optus have already announced shut-down dates, the third network Vodafone hasn't, but they're expected to soon - which renders the device useless.

[walrus01]

Most good GPS receivers will get a signal through an ordinary low cost generic Chinese carbon fiber seatpost. Careful not to get the very cheap ones which are Alu wrapped in a CF laminate.

[7952]

You could also embed it in the steerer tub and have the antenna in a lockable headset cap.