What Are Breadcrumb Tags and How Do They Protect My Bike?
A QR sticker on the frame is the visible deterrent. A breadcrumb tag is the hidden one — a small NFC tag tucked somewhere out of sight that quietly proves the bike is yours, even if the obvious markings are stripped off.
The idea
Thieves remove what they can see. A hidden tag is what they miss — a private link back to your ownership record that turns "prove it" into a single tap.
How they work
A breadcrumb tag is a tiny NFC sticker linked to your bike's record. Tapped with a phone, it confirms the bike is registered and to whom (through the system, without exposing your details). Hide it where a thief won't look and a checker will — inside the seat tube, under bar tape, behind a bottle cage.
Why hidden beats visible alone
Visible QR codes deter and help finders, but a determined thief peels them off. A hidden tag survives that — so when a recovered bike is checked, or a suspicious sale is examined, there's still a trail leading back to you.
Best practice: use both — a visible QR to deter and reunite, a hidden breadcrumb to prove.