Hammerhead may not be the name that first comes to mind when you think of the best bike computers – with Wahoo and Garmin dominating the space.
But the Karoo 2 has a lot to offer, with Hammerhead taking a fresh approach that delivers a more smartphone-like experience.
It’s a compact head unit that outperforms the competition in size, resolution and display quality, with added functionality such as on-the-fly climb profiles and rapid on-device routing.
You can even pop a SIM card into the Karoo 2 if you want a fully wireless experience.
However, the fast processor and quality display reduce battery life.
Hammerhead Karoo 2 specifications vs the competition
The Karoo 2 bike computer is slightly larger and heavier than comparable Wahoo and Garmin models.
Russell Burton / Our Media
At 100.6×60.8×19.3mm, and weighing 132g, the Hammerhead Karoo 2 is taller and heavier than the slightly cheaper Wahoo Elemnt Roam (89x55x18mm, 96g) and the comparably priced Garmin Edge 830 (82x50x20mm, 79g claimed).
That extra size houses a larger, higher-resolution screen though: 3.2in with 480×800 pixels resolution compared to the Wahoo’s 2.7in and 240×400 pixels and the Garmin’s 2.6in and 246×332 pixels.
Unlike the Wahoo Elemnt Roam, the Karoo 2 has a touchscreen. It’s really good, with its matt finish reducing reflections and the resolution making it easy to read in sunlight. In fact, screen size isn’t a lot less than the 3.5in of Garmin’s recently launched Edge 1040.
Alongside the touchscreen, there are also four physical buttons, two on either side of the case, which can be used to control the device. They’re multi-functional, with short-press, long-press and dual-button commands.
It can be tricky to remember every combination of those commands, but you tend to find the functions that are important to you and stick with them. Besides, apart from switching the unit on and off, you can do everything you need via the screen.
Under the bonnet, the Karoo 2 runs a heavily configured version of Android 8 (Oreo) software, with a powerful quad-core chipset that makes for very fast responses and quick processing for functions such as calculating a route and rerouting on the fly.
There’s 32GB of internal storage for data and maps, while Hammerhead provides bi-weekly software updates and bug fixes.
There’s also a card slot for a 4G SIM, so you can connect the Karoo 2 up to a wireless network without needing to carry your phone or use its data.
The Karoo 2 uses Hammerhead’s clip-in system.
Russell Burton / Our Media
It’s supplied with a plastic out-front mount.
Russell Burton / Our Media
The Karoo 2 comes with a plastic out-front mount, which uses Hammerhead’s own clip-in system. The computer slides backwards onto the mount and clicks into place. It feels more secure than the typical half-turn mount and gives a low-profile connection to the bike, although it’s not quite as neat as Wahoo’s system.
Usefully, the Karoo 2 comes with a Garmin half-turn adaptor, so you can use it with third-party mounts as well. There’s no standard stem/bar-top mount in the box …….