Hammerhead announced today that it is working on software integration with the SRAM eTap AXS Groupset and other SRAM-owned brands.

In January of this year, Hammerhead, maker of the popular Karoo 2 GPS cycling computer, was acquired by SRAM LLC, an American company that produces SRAM group sets, Quarq power meters, Zipp wheels, and Time pedals.

At the time of the acquisition, Clint Weber, SRAM's vice president of growth, was eager to point out the lack of exclusivity between Hammerhead and SRAM products, stating, "We are not going to change anything about the way [Hammerhead] innovates."

In May, however, Shimano asked Hammerhead to remove key integrations with its range of Di2 electronic control group sets. This means that users can no longer enjoy certain features, such as battery status, shifter mode data, and the ability to control the display using the shifter's buttons.

Now, during a presentation at the Eurobike cycling trade show, Hammerhead and SRAM announced various integrations between brands under the SRAM umbrella.

While the focus of today's announcement was on their own brand, Hammerhead representatives confirmed that this was not a proprietary integration, but open to other drivetrains that use the ANT+ connection protocol.

"As a company under the SRAM umbrella, SRAM innovation is a priority, but not an exclusive one," a Hammerhead spokesperson told Cyclingnews.

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New integrations announced include in-ride groupset data such as current shift position, ride .fit file of the ride, the ability to record all AXS data to a file, the ability for the rider (or coach) to analyze location-based shift behavior after the ride, total system awareness and battery level awareness for individual components with battery warning notifications, and an end-of-ride warning if a component needs to be charged. Included is a warning at the end of the ride as to whether or not the component needs to be recharged.

There is also integration with the Quarq TyreWiz tire pressure sensor, allowing riders to see real-time tire pressure and pressure change alerts.

What is the motivation behind each brand behind the integration? Rather than retaliation for being shunned by Shimano, it appears to be customer-focused; a review of the Hammerhead Karoo 2 praised the clarity and responsiveness of the computer's touch screen as most similar to a smartphone; Hammerhead has been working with brands such as Apple seems to be aiming to double down on this similarity by replicating the seamless connectivity found in high-tech lifestyle products.

"Today's digital consumer expects a certain level of communication from their connected devices," explains Jess Brown, VP of Products. For example, Apple AirPods are auto-connected and provide clear battery status." We are working to meet this modern consumer expectation for connected cycling components."

Meanwhile, Shimano has been looking elsewhere, recently releasing its own integration, three new Di2 group sets, two new e-bike motors, and an automatic shifting system that completely reduces the need for manual input.