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by svantana 4324 days ago
Well surely the entire bicycle frame could be used as an antenna? Then the electronics could fit deep inside the frame, which would make it quite difficult to disable. A problem would be how to power the device though.
1 comments

Maybe the tracker could be powered by usage of the bike.
You want the wheels on a bike to spin as freely as possible, any added resistance is unwelcome because it makes cycling harder - and you would need to add resistance to generate electricity. Personally I even hate the dynamos that power the lights, because their effect can definitely be felt when you ride.
Modern electronics don't really need that much, and/or the dynamos have improved. I had a bike with 90s-style dynamo and it was indeed a slight pain. Today I ride Bixi/Alta bikeshare bicycles - they have something to power the lights, but any impedance it creates is too small to notice.
Hub dynamos are very efficient. I do not feel a difference riding with or without one. For street speeds of around 20km/h in an urban environment they create mechanical drag of around 6 watts [1] with the lights switched on.

http://www.bikequarterly.com/VBQgenerator.pdf

I wonder if vibration would suffice? Depends on the state of the roads I guess. ;)