I’ve excellent news and unhealthy information. The unhealthy information is that bike theft in the USA (and virtually each different nation worldwide) is rising. Since 2019 there’s been a staggering 29% improve within the variety of bikes stolen within the USA with the entire quantity at present sitting at round 55,000 every year. These will certainly be unsettling statistics for any bike proprietor and an unignorable incentive to spend money on a safety gadget. Sadly, thieves have change into relatively expert at breaking by means of most locking mechanisms, and failing that they’ll merely load a bike right into a van (like this) and drive off.
The excellent news is there are methods to maintain your bike secure past simply throwing a lock on it. Again in 2022, I reviewed the Monimoto 7, a bike anti-theft GPS gadget that alerts you of a doable theft and updates you in your bike’s whereabouts. Since then the Monimoto workforce has continued to enhance its providing and I’ve acquired the most recent model, the Monimoto 9to see the way it’s modified.
Out of the field, essentially the most notable distinction between the Monimoto 7 and Monimoto 9 is its measurement. The monitoring unit of the 7 is across the measurement of the palm of my hand. As compared, the Monimoto 9 version is analogous in measurement to my index and center fingers aspect by aspect. The precise measurement of the unit is 93 x 39 x 15mm and it weighs a mere 95 grams. They’ve shrunk the unit to permit much more discrete mounting which in flip makes it tougher for thieves to find it. Infact the Monimoto 9 is so small that the variety of mounting choices out there has elevated tenfold, particularly when you personal a bike with fairings.
There’s a draw back to the diminished measurement although. The earlier mannequin, powered by 2 Lithium AA batteries, supplied an working time of as much as 24 months. As compared, the Monimoto 9 guarantees 12. That’s nonetheless nothing to be sneezed at although and the opposite advantages outweigh this.
Together with being conveniently smaller, the Monimoto 9 is rechargeable through a USB C port on the base of the unit. This makes protecting the unit powered a lot easier and in addition lets you hardwire it to a USB port on the bike must you need it to be charged every time you hearth up your bike. The brand new design additionally has an improved ingress safety (IP) ranking of 68. This interprets to a unit that’s each dust-tight and waterproof sufficient to be totally submerged in water for an prolonged interval. Being totally watertight means the Monimoto 9 can also be appropriate to be used on different autos equivalent to ATVs, trailers, and watercraft the place there’s elevated publicity to such parts.
What’s within the field?
Contained in the Monimoto 9 packaging, you’ll discover just some gadgets. First is a multilingual setup/person information and a pamphlet with a QR code for downloading the Monimoto app to your smartphone. Beneath these, you’ll discover the monitoring unit, a key fob, and a few reusable zip ties for mounting the monitoring unit to your bike.
Personally, I’d additionally wish to see one other mounting gadget, equivalent to a 3M bracket or 3M Velcro pads included with the Monimoto 9. These would prolong the gadget’s mounting prospects even additional since they wouldn’t depend on one thing like a body tube to affix the gadget to. In fact, there isn’t a purpose you may’t supply these your self, and I’ll doubtless do it with my unit.
Monimoto 9 set up and setup
After unpacking the Monimoto 9 you need to cost the monitoring unit. That is achieved by eradicating the waterproof rubber grommet from the bottom of the unit and attaching a USB-C cable (not included with the gadget). Whereas that’s taking place you should use the QR code to put in the Monimoto app to your telephone and full the person setup. The important thing fob should even be activated by opening it with a small flathead screwdriver and eradicating the plastic cowl from the inner battery.
As soon as the unit has completed charging you employ the app to register the Monimoto 9 to your telephone. Through the registration course of, you may be requested to offer a telephone quantity, that is the quantity that the tracker will contact ought to it’s triggered. While you check the unit it can save you the variety of the SIM to your contacts so you may identify it one thing you’ll acknowledge when it contacts you want “BIKE ALARM!” or one thing comparable. Out of the field, the SIM card contained in the tracker comes with 2 months of free use. After that, there’s an annual payment of $79 AUD to proceed utilizing your Monimoto 9.
As soon as it’s arrange the unit could be mounted to your bike. That is the place you may get inventive. Search for a spot that would simply be missed by a thief or can’t be accessed simply with out instruments. You need to use the included reusable zip ties to carry it in place or an alternate answer of your individual just like the 3M pads I discussed earlier. The one factor to be aware of in the course of the set up is that the brand aspect of the tracker shouldn’t be touching any steel surfaces and that the GPS will work finest if the brand is pointing sideways or up on the sky.
The final step is to connect the Monimoto fob to your bike key.
How does it work?
In a nutshell, the Monimoto 9 is a silent alarm with monitoring capabilities. The important thing fob capabilities because the distant, utilizing its proximity to show off or activate the alarm perform. Cleverly the Monimoto workforce has added a perform that lets you fine-tune how far the fob needs to be from the tracker to arm it. This implies when you retailer your keys solely a brief distance away from the place you park your bike it’s going to nonetheless arm.
The tracker unit, with its inner SIM, is the alarm itself. As soon as the tracker is armed the digital wizardry inside it’s going to detect in case your bike is being moved. Inside about 1 minute of registering motion with out the fob close by, it’s going to name your telephone. The telephone name is designed to warn you that one thing is up.
As soon as the unit is in alarm mode you may also initialize energetic monitoring. So in case your bike’s already being stolen and being moved to a brand new location you may see its whereabouts. Because the bike continues to maneuver, the tracker updates its location on a map which you’ll be able to view in your telephone. In case your bike stops shifting for half-hour you’ll obtain an correct report of its final recognized location. At that time, you may move that data on to the authorities.
Is the Monimoto 9 well worth the cash?
The Monimoto 9 prices $299 AUD and has an ongoing yearly payment of $72. Whereas you should buy a high quality bike lock for lower than that, a lock won’t ever present the identical peace of thoughts because the Monimoto. As soon as a lock has been damaged its perform ends. A lock could assist to forestall crimes of alternative, nevertheless it received’t deter skilled bike thieves who’ve loads of methods of coping with them. The one factor the Monimoto lacks compared to a lock is the visible deterrence. For that purpose, I’d advocate additionally becoming a lock to your bike to additional scale back the possibility of theft.
My bike is extra to me than merely a type of transport and something I can do to keep away from the ache and stress of dropping it to a thief is properly well worth the cash. So, after over a 12 months of firsthand expertise proudly owning a Monimoto, I emphatically say YES.
Obtainable from: Monimoto US & EU / Australia
Article essential picture through Freepik
