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TECH NEWS

SRAM acquires GPS computer brand Hammerhead

Component giant jumps into cycle computer market with latest addition to portfolio

SRAM has acquired US cycling tech company Hammerhead, maker of the Karoo 2 cycling computer. Hammerhead will join SRAM’s portfolio of brands that includes RockShox suspensionZipp wheels and handlebars, TIME Sport pedals, TRUVATIV bars and cranks, and Quarq power technology.

SRAM also offers a huge range of groupset components under its own brand name, of course, covering road, gravel and mountain biking.  

2021 Hammerhead Karoo 2  data fields.JPG

SRAM says, "Together, SRAM and Hammerhead will continue to develop an innovative cycling technology platform ensuring riders can seamlessly integrate with a wide variety of existing hardware and software products and services including both Shimano and SRAM electronic shifting."

Check out the road.cc Recommends Tech Innovation of the Year 2021/22

SRAM is keen to point out that Hammerhead – which is one of the companies that Chris Froome recently bought into – will carry on operating as a standalone brand and developing its Karoo product line. 

“We are... excited that their team will continue to design, manufacture, and sell technology and quality leading head units that work with every brand of drivetrain,” said Clint Weber, SRAM’s VP of Growth.

2021 Hammerhead Karoo 2 creating route on the fly.JPG

That said, you'd expect a company the size of SRAM to have ambitions to expand Hammerhead's range considerably and maybe even hope to take on the likes of Garmin and Wahoo in the cycle computer market. 

You can already pair a SRAM eTap/AXS shift system with a Hammerhead Karoo 2 head unit to see your current gear on the screen but there's perhaps potential for greater integration in the future.

It's pure speculation but maybe SRAM would like to get into developing training software and wants to have a device for sending sessions to, similar to Wahoo's plan with its SYSTM training platform. Who knows? Any other ideas, stick 'em in the comments below.

SRAM says that it saw tremendous potential in Hammerhead with the launch of the Karoo 2 in late 2020 and that Hammerhead's revenue grew by 700% over the past year. 

2021 Hammerhead Karoo 2 power graph .JPG

The Karoo 2 has made a huge impact since hitting the market, and earlier this week we gave it the Editor's Choice award in Tech Innovation of the Year 2021/22

Read our review of the Hammerhead Karoo 2 here

Although most of SRAM's acquisitions have had positive outcomes, the company bought the PowerTap line of power meters from Saris in 2019 and discontinued the systems within two years. That said, many observers wondered why SRAM acquired PowerTap in the first place when it already owned Quarq power technology. 

What features would you like to see next from your GPS cycle computer?

www.sram.com
www.hammerhead io

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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4 comments

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Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
2 likes

Great news if you were a Hammerhead investor.   As for new products since the Karoo 2 is probably reasonably described as a Garmin 1030 competitor at 830 prices, I'd like to see a "baby Karoo" at around the £200-250/ Garmin 530 pricepoint.

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zero_trooper replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

Nice comparison /suggestion laugh

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mdavidford replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
1 like

Secret_squirrel wrote:

I'd like to see a "baby Karoo"

Isn't that called a joey?

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RoubaixCube | 2 years ago
0 likes

SRAM is going to get hammered!

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