Applies to: VanMoof S6 series
Your VanMoof S6 is built with tracking technology that activates the moment you report it stolen. This article explains how tracking works, what's available for free, and how Ride Pro gives you the full toolkit to hunt your bike down yourself.
How S6 tracking works
When you report your S6 stolen, it enters a Theft tracking state and begins sharing its location via the mobile network (IoT). The S6 is VanMoof's most precise tracking model yet:
- Urban areas: less than 5 meters (up to 50 meters accuracy)
- Rural areas: 10 meters (up to several hundred meters accuracy)
This is a significant improvement over older models (S5 and earlier), which offered accuracy of several dozen to a few hundred meters in cities, and up to a kilometer in rural areas.
What you'll see in the app when tracking is activated
Once your S6 is in theft-tracking mode, the home screen updates to show:
- Location history (Ride Pro) or your last known location (free version)
- Your bike's current battery level (Ride Pro) or your bike's last known battery level (free version)
- An entry point to Hunting Mode (see below for instructions)
With Ride Pro, the home screen allows you to access your bike's full location history: a timeline of where your S6 has been since it was stolen.
Free tracking vs. Ride Pro
All VanMoof owners get a level of theft tracking for free when they report a bike stolen. For S6 riders, this means in-app location access. However, free tracking comes with limitations: slower update intervals, no location history, no push notifications, and no access to remote commands or temperature data.
| Feature | Free | Ride Pro |
| Disable your bike remotely | ✓ | ✓ |
| In-app location updates | Last connection* | Unlimited |
| Bluetooth scanner | ✓ | ✓ |
| Location history | — | ✓ |
| Push notification (when entering BLE range) | — | ✓ |
| Flash lights & ping sound | ✓ (only in BLE range) | ✓ (remote and BLE) |
| Temperature monitoring | — | ✓ |
| Full Hunting Mode | — | ✓ |
* The app shows the last connection it had with the Rider app over Bluetooth (bike owner or guest).
💡 Ride Pro Tip:
Use the 14-day free trial to activate Ride Pro even if your bike has already been stolen. Buy it online, enter the activation code in the app, and start tracking immediately - no bike present required.
Hunting Mode (Ride Pro)
Hunting Mode is your dedicated mode for locating a stolen bike. Access it directly from the home screen, by tapping on the BLE Scanner, when your bike is reported stolen. It brings every anti-theft feature together in one place and is available exclusively to Ride Pro subscribers. For hunting without Ride Pro, read [this article].
What Hunting Mode shows you
When you open Hunting Mode, your S6 shares three live data points:
- Current location — plotted on a map in the app
- Battery level — so you know how long the bike will keep transmitting
- Internal temperature — a surprisingly useful clue (see tip below)
Temperature tip: is the bike indoors?
Compare your S6's internal temperature to the current outdoor temperature at its location. A significant difference - for example, the bike reads 20°C when it's 5°C outside - this is a strong indicator the bike is being stored indoors, such as in a garage, storage unit, or building. Same temperature as outside? Gotcha, it's outside!
Refreshing your bike's data
Tap the refresh button in Hunting Mode to fetch the latest location, temperature, and battery level. The refresh is available approximately every five minutes. Use it strategically as you move toward the bike's last known position.
Remote commands (Ride Pro)
When you're not yet within Bluetooth range, send commands to your S6 over the internet:
- Flash lights
- Ping sound
- Flash lights + ping sound simultaneously
When your bike successfully receives a remote command, it automatically sends back its latest location, temperature, and battery level - so triggering a remote command also counts as a location refresh.
Please note: this can take a while, depending on your bike's location etc. We will let you know whether the command was successfully delivered or we failed to reach your bike*.
*Your bike often disconnects from the internet to save battery consumption. If you send a remote command while your bike is disconnected, the message won't reach it.
Getting close: the Bluetooth scanner
Once you're within roughly 15 meters of your S6, the app detects its Bluetooth signal and automatically switches to a faster tracking mode. We've made this available to all VanMoof riders, with or without Ride Pro.
The scanner turns blue when a BLE connection is detected. Signal strength is shown in real time:
- Poor signal: ~20-meter range
- Very strong signal: less than a few meters - you're right next to it
Once connected via Bluetooth, you can:
- Flash the lights
- Trigger a ping sound
If your phone picks up the bike's BLE signal, we will send a push notification to alert you, even if you are not actively hunting the bike. Make sure to enable app notifications in your phone settings.
These Bluetooth-based actions respond faster than remote commands, making them ideal for the final stage of locating your bike.
💡 Ride Pro Tip:
Invite a guest Rider to increase your chances. For S6 bikes, however, go on a hunt with a maximum of 2 devices, no more, or it can impact the stability of your Bluetooth connection.
Get the most out of tracking with Ride Pro
Free riders can use the Bluetooth scanner but won't have access to remote commands, location history, or temperature data until they're already within 15 meters of the bike. Ride Pro gives you the tools to close that distance in the first place.
👉 Activate Ride Pro (includes 14-day free trial)
How to activate Ride Pro
- Open the VanMoof app
- Go to your bike's settings
- Tap Ride Pro and start the 14-day free trial, or enter a purchased activation code
- Ride Pro is active immediately - even if your bike is already stolen
💡 Ride Pro Tip:
Use the 14-day free trial to activate Ride Pro even if your bike has already been stolen. Buy it online, enter the activation code in the app, and start tracking immediately - no bike present required.
Important: Ride Pro and Apple Find My
Once you activate Ride Pro theft tracking, Apple Find My is temporarily disabled on your bike. The two systems cannot run simultaneously. Before switching to Ride Pro tracking, note your bike's last known Find My position.
Step-by-step: tracking your S6 with Ride Pro
- Report your bike stolen in the VanMoof app - this activates theft tracking
- Open Hunting Mode to see the latest location, battery level, and temperature
- Review location history to understand where the bike has been and spot patterns
- Check the temperature to determine if the bike might be indoors
- Send a remote command (flash + ping) as you approach to get a fresh location update
- Auto-switch to the Bluetooth scanner - the app transitions automatically once you're within ~15 meters
- Contact local authorities - never attempt to retrieve your bike from a potentially dangerous situation alone