- Jun 12, 2020
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If we were talking government surveillance, I would agree, to a point, like for instance I think the US worries too much when they insist on spying on our allies. This is clearly not the same thing though. Motor vehicles have used GPS tracking for decades, it works. Now that it has evolved quite a bit since the use of cell phones, you can do it personally via your own mobile devices. I fail to see the harm in that.
That said, I DO prefer Ford's way of security via their PATS devices, which is merely a device mounted near your ignition switch that will only allow the car to be started via a Ford made key fob that is programmed via a chip in it to start that vehicle. Tracking chips also work very well as harmless implants in pets so you always know where they are. The PATS system is simpler than GPS tracking, cheaper for the customer, and more likely to prevent theft and damage in the first place.
A system similar to PATS could be used on ebikes, but it would by no means guarantee the bike won't be stolen. If implemented properly, it would at least make the bike's motor inoperable, which is the main draw of such bikes. Ari thinks about ALL their customers though, not just the ebike owners. I'm sure that's why they see a tracking chip inside the bike as a better overall solution, and it would also help task forces like Cargo CATs in LA catch cargo thieves and those whom receive stolen cargo.
I really don't understand your own nothing comment, in fact it's BECAUSE this kind of theft happens that said ownership of one's dream bikes are significantly delayed or even canceled by way of refund. Sounds like a tin foil hat reaction where the big picture is missed. I DO get why some think we are over immersed in technology these days, much of which when clung to causes laziness and complacency in trusting devices too much, but with the world the way it is now, not the least of which is instant access of information on the net, the need to step up security measures is ever present.
As far as no one being out much, it sounds like you've never made a significant purchase from a DTC business before. DTC companies HAVE to make sure their customer service is trustworthy, especially in the MTB business these days. It is now in post COVID boom where customers no longer have excess time to go mt biking, and sales have dropped considerably. That means DTCs are now competing with local bike shops offering as much as 45% off pricing. There's an Instagram post Tyler of Ari made, a normally happy, smiling type of guy, looks very stressed over this.
While Ari are well established enough to recover from this kind of thing inventory and financially wise, there's no telling with tariffs and customer worries about shipping and availability whether it will affect them long term. I'm quite frankly shocked anyone who owns a bike, regardless of how it was acquired (excluding theft of course), would be so casual about such a heist happening, and act as if it has no long term effect on Ari or their customers, there's just no way of knowing that. Have you never had a vehicle stolen?
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