Combo Mount Whiff

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Geoff Pomerantz

• April 20, 2021 23:23

The Karoo 2 unit is a solid product and I am broadly happy with it. 

 

However, the decision to develop a proprietary mount while not engaging third-party players, e.g. K-Edge, Bar Fly, and having a product available at launch was a mistake.  To not have a viable after market mount, specifically a combo mount, six months after the Karoo 2 launch boarders on mismanagement.  

 

It doesn't take an MBA to know that third-party mounts are an important product within cycling. The very existence of the aforementioned and the proliferation of other companies, e.g. F3 Cycling, proves the point.  Individuals spending $400 for a top-of-the-line cycle computer won't blink at having to spend circa $50+ for an additional mount.

 

Any excuse, e.g. "wanted to nail the Karoo 2 design, software," etc., falls flat generally - it should have been in the development plan, and again, especially six months from launch.

 

Providing a 3/4 turn adapter only undercut's the argument for Hammerhead's own proprietary mount. Anyone with a working knowledge of the industry knows such adapters are often frowned upon not least due due their unreliability.

 

Replying, "we're working on it" is again lame, not least when third-party players have said HH is withholding licensing. HH is not in the mount business.  It should be doing everything it can to increase mount options, not limit them to protect an over engineered mount system.  A system that if not for its reliance on M3 vs M4 hardware would be out of the box ready for existing mounts. 

 

Bottom line, failure to properly address this issue could be a great case study on how to ruin or destroy an otherwise solid product.

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  Akhil

  • April 25, 2021 11:04

  Hey Geoff,

  Thank you for weighing in here & proving us with your point of view. Our goal is to build the best cycling computer in the industry and that applies for the acceosries as well. I will share your voice with my team to make a note of this :)

   

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  John Woo

  • April 26, 2021 19:26

  Gents, I am using the Garmin foot adapter to mount my K2.  Is there a problem with this new adapter mount?  The quarter turn locking tabs appear identical those of the prior mount used on the K1.  I crashed my K1 during a ride because the mount failed.  Thanks.

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  Scott Crawford

  • April 26, 2021 19:47

  Geoff,

  Not trying to minimize your valid concerns.    I've been frustrated with the lack of Trek Blendr support.   I've found a lot of movement on other mounting systems in the 3d printing world.   I've hacked together a Blendr base.  Maybe you could find something there (thingiverse) until Hammerhead and/or the rest of the industry catch up.

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  Geoff Pomerantz

  • April 26, 2021 22:46

  Thanks, Scott.

  I'm not really up on the 3D printing world.  You're probably correct, Re 3D could provide a solution, but in these matters I've become old(er).  I just want to buy a part / have the manufacturer do it right from the get-go, and not have to fix something that should never have been a problem / should have been addressed by now.  

  But again, I appreciate the suggestion.  Good luck with your issue! 

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  John Talbert

  • April 28, 2021 16:06

  At least a modification to the existing K2 mount from Hammerhead to make it easier to screw on an undermount GoPro or Quarter Turn on the bottom.  The K1 mount had this hole configuration underneath and it was fantastic.

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