Every VanMoof since the first SmartBike generation has had theft tracking built directly into the frame. Here's what's under the hood.
Applies to: S3 & X3, older models, S5 & A5, S6-series
The core technology: GSM triangulation
Every VanMoof contains a GSM chip hardwired into the frame and powered by the bike's own battery. When you report your bike stolen, this chip activates and begins broadcasting to nearby mobile cell towers. VanMoof's servers use the signal data from those towers to triangulate the bike's approximate position — a technology called Location Based Services. This data is then made accessible to you and the Bike Hunter team (when subscribed to Theft Proof).
Enhanced triangulation with Ride Pro
GSM triangulation alone gives a rough position, accurate to a few hundred metres in urban areas. To sharpen this, VanMoof combines it with the GPS location services of any connected smartphone in the vicinity. When a rider's phone — running the VanMoof app — picks up the bike's Bluetooth signal, it can relay a much more precise GPS fix back to the server. The two technologies together produce a reliable, high-accuracy location even in dense city environments. These locations will show up in your VanMoof app.
Bluetooth proximity scanning
Once you (or a Bike Hunter) are in the general area indicated by GSM data, the VanMoof app's Bluetooth scanner can detect the bike's unique Bluetooth beacon from up to several metres away. As you move closer, the signal strength increases, guiding you right to the bike — even if it's hidden in a container or storage unit.
Privacy by design
Tracking is never active during normal use. The system only activates after the owner explicitly reports the bike stolen in the VanMoof app or on My VanMoof. This protects your privacy: VanMoof has no way of monitoring your location during your daily rides.
What happens to the bike's functions?
When you mark your bike stolen, VanMoof remotely disables all motor assistance and locks the bike so it becomes useless to a thief. Only the GSM tracking module continues to draw power — prioritised so the battery lasts as long as possible in recovery mode. This only works when the bike has an active connection and/or an active subscription to Ride Pro (for S3 & X3 and older riders).