The greatest bike computer systems in the marketplace at the moment provide an unbelievable array of choices and options. You will discover lengthy battery life, glorious navigation, a plethora of coaching assist, and most choices in the marketplace will handle an indoor coach additionally. A number of the choices are contact screens and a few of them use buttons however it doesn’t matter what you select, they let you maintain your smartphone safely tucked away whereas nonetheless seeing the data you want.Â
As you proceed to analysis the class, what you would possibly discover is that there are three foremost gamers today. The large within the class is Garmin and the model dominated for years till Wahoo got here to market. On the time, Wahoo provided a person expertise not like anything accessible by integrating with smartphones in a means that Garmin nonetheless hasn’t absolutely carried out. Extra lately although, a brand new identify has began to make waves as a viable choice. That identify is Hammerhead and at the moment the model stands in entrance of the complete backing of SRAM.Â
Hammerhead nonetheless does not have the person numbers of Wahoo or Garmin however the Hammerhead Karoo 2 is a product value contemplating. Our workforce has lined the Hammerhead Karoo 2 with a full evaluation previously however as we come up on two years later do you have to nonetheless be contemplating this bike laptop? What if I instructed you that you can get the identical {hardware} for 35% much less?
Design and aesthetics
Not like the opposite market leaders, Hammerhead makes use of a modified model of Android because the working system for the Karoo 2. As an alternative of being a customized constructed system, it is a smartphone with a really particular use case and matching {hardware} design.Â
On the {hardware} aspect, meaning issues begin with a glass-filled polycarbonate chassis that’s roughly 100.6mm x 60.8mm x 19.3mm. There’s a customized mounting system with a singular outfront mount nevertheless there’s additionally an adapter that enables use with any Garmin suitable outfront mount. The water resistance score is IP67 and the display screen makes use of Dragontrail glass with a matte coating harking back to older Apple laptop screens. Additionally like these screens, the glass pushes out to the sting encompassing sizable bezels.Â
Beneath the glass, you may discover a 3.2-inch (roughly 81mm) show panel. If there’s something that units the Karoo 2 other than the competitors, it is this panel. You could or could not discover 292 PPI and 480×800 pixels groundbreaking nevertheless it’s vivid and there are 16.7 million colors onboard. When you ever trip with a pal who has one, you’ll discover it.Â
Apart from the precise look of the show although, be mindful that is actually a smartphone. The quad core 1.1Ghz CPU and 2GB of RAM assures that the show is responsive and it is acquired true multi-touch help. Not like most different bike computer systems although, the just-released Garmin 840 sequence is notable for this as effectively, it is attainable to make use of buttons to navigate the Hammerhead Karoo 2 if that is extra handy.Â
All this efficiency does include a price to battery life. Though it is grown because the preliminary launch, Hammerhead nonetheless lists a max 12-hour runtime with regular use. That is regardless of a 2500mAh battery that’s truly bigger than the competitors. The USB-C charging with quick cost functionality does assist mitigate this although. Quick charging will get Karoo 2 from 0% – 30% in half-hour, and absolutely charged in beneath 3 hours though you may have to get artistic within the rain. The USB-C port is waterproof by itself, regardless of gaining a canopy through the years, however it would quick out if there’s energy flowing by means of it within the rain.Â
Rounding out the {hardware} options are the sensors and connectivity. GPS comes courtesy of a single band GNSS antenna and it sits alongside BT 4.0, Wifi (b/g/n) and ANT+ that connect with suitable sensors. Onboard sensors embrace a barometer, ambient temperature sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope. Considerably unusually, and as soon as once more nodding to the smartphone similarities, there may be additionally a mobile antenna. Simply add a sim card to reap the benefits of the performance.Â
 EfficiencyÂ
A dialogue of the display screen dominates each single dialogue of utilizing the Hammerhead Karoo 2. After I’m out using with it, folks see the display screen and instantly begin asking questions. I’ve even had discussions the place folks have seen a pal using with it and wish to know what bike laptop they noticed that had such a vivid display screen.
In my very own expertise, it is not a lot the brightness of the display screen I recognize. It is also the standard of the display screen. The graphics are smoother, the fonts extra readable, and the colors are brighter. It is spectacular however much more than that it is the potential to leap backwards and forwards between contact display screen and buttons that I really like.
After I’m using in the summertime, it is no massive deal to simply use the display screen to shortly work together with what I would like. When it is winter and I am sporting gloves within the pouring rain, then I can simply use the buttons. If I’m navigating and wish to determine the place I’m, I can use the contact display screen to pinch and twist the map for higher context. I can shortly transfer round in a means no different bike laptop can match. Or I can use buttons when that’s simpler.
A part of what makes that twin performance nice is the spectacular interface. Garmin and Wahoo even have non-touchscreen interfaces however regardless of Hammerhead being usable each methods, it feels utterly pure irrespective of which means you employ it. It wasn’t at all times fairly so easy both.
Working extra like a telephone firm than a motorcycle laptop firm, Hammerhead updates the system continuously. At this time it’s far completely different than it was at launch and it’s continuously getting higher. Not solely has there been software program updates to the customized Android implementation however there’s additionally been working {hardware} modifications. Final yr noticed a substitute, with backwards compatibility, for the decrease portion of the shell so as to add an built-in port cowl. Hammerhead has even managed to squeeze a few hours of additional battery life out of the unit since launch.
Nothing is ideal although and the Hammerhead Karoo 2 has at all times had a few small downsides. A giant one is the battery energy deficit though even that is seen some software program aspect enchancment through the years. Â What hasn’t seen an replace is the non-existent, companion app. Solely essentially the most primary features can be found off the unit and so they occur by way of an internet interface. You may see your rides in addition to a map and abstract however there isn’t any try and maintain observe of something. If you’d like evaluation of a trip, or to maintain observe of something over time, you may wish to add an account like Strava to sync to. You can too add a TrainingPeaks account to sync exercises and you may create routes within the succesful map creator, however principally the net interface is a conduit. Including a route requires importing a file or offering a URL and different exercises will want a file to add.Â
Verdict
This is not a full evaluation. I’ve tried, and considerably failed, to maintain issues extremely transient. Nonetheless, there are a ton extra particulars I might dive into. The broad strokes are that the Hammerhead Karoo 2 is an extremely full featured and distinctive tackle a motorcycle laptop. It updates continuously, it is acquired a display screen like nothing else in the marketplace, and measurement places it into the corporate of different midrange bike computer systems such because the Wahoo Roam v2 and the Garmin 840. The downsides are that it is acquired much less battery life than these computer systems and there isn’t any companion app.Â
At this time’s low cost modifications every thing although. At 35% off of ordinary retail value, the downsides turn into little greater than noise. As an alternative of  evaluating the worth to different midrange computer systems, now you get the capabilities of these computer systems at a value nearer to both small display screen choices just like the Wahoo Bolt v2 or third tier choices with much less market help. The value for efficiency is not possible to in any other case match. When you’ve been on the fence, now could be the time to leap.
