Mountain Bike Rider — March 2018

GET STARTED

FATISTHE NEW

SKINNY

What to look for

in a lock-on grip

28 mbrMARCH 2018

Just like the general population,
gripshavebeenbulkingup
recently. Gone are the super-skinny
lock-ons of the early Noughties
thatpoundedyourpalmtoraw
meat. They’ve been replaced by a

new breed of fat, ergonomically

designed grips made from soft

rubber and featuring clever

moulded patterns. This steady

progression has been great for

riders, reducing the force you

need to exert through your hand

and making the whole business

of holding onto the bars that

much more pleasurable.

Here’showtopickthe

right grip for your paw.

GO SOFT
To get started, go for the
softestgripsyoucanfind—they’ll
wear out quicker but they’re easier on
yourhandsthatway.DMRdoesaRaceDay
compound and ODI makes a supertacky version
too.Avoidold-schoolgripswithcollarsonthe
outsideofthebarthatcouldcausediscomfort;new
designsarefixedonperfectlywithaninsidecollarand
taperedbores.Grippatternsareincrediblyvaried,
with knurled patterns for your fingertips, waffle
patternsforyourpalmand,inthecaseoftheDMR
Deathgrip,araisedmushroomprofileforthumb
cushioning.Whateveryouoptfor,makesure
there’s a decent amount of rubber under
yourpalm,andnotathinveneerover
the hard nylon core.

SIZE

MATTERS

Choose a width and length for

your hands. As a rule, we’d argue that

fatter is better, but of course, if you’ve

got small hands it might be easier to grasp

athinnergrip—goandfingersomeatyour

local bike shop to get an idea. Grips don’t need

to be round anymore either, Ergon makes the

superlative GE1 that’s formed to mimic the

shapeofyourhandonthegripandprovide

morerubberforsupport.Itevenextends

the width of your bars by projecting

out5mmeachside—handyif

youwantabitof

extra control.

FIT IT RIGHT

Fitting grips correctly is

essential; plenty are left-right

specific and most need to be rotated

roundonthehandlebar,sothesoftest

rubber is under your palm and the tougher

or knurled surface is under your fingertips.

Gripswithflangesontheinsideedgeare

great for protecting your hand from the

metalcollar,buttheycanobstruct

your thumb on the shifter in some

cases — don’t be afraid to snip

abitoffwithscissorsto

improve access.

PICK OF THE GRIPS

ERGON GE1
Ergonomically shaped for the
insideyour hand, the GE1
also uses two different
rubber compounds, fixed
barplugs and an
inner 3mm clamp
system to comfort
your hand.

The Elite Pro gives

youmanyofthe

benefits of fatter

grips without the

bulk, thanks to an

eccentric core that puts

more rubber in the palm of your hand and

less on the underside of the grip.

DMR DEATHGRIP

Not one, but three, surfaces adorn

theDeathgrip:aknurledsection

for your fingertips, a soft

waffleunderthepalmanda

mushroom section for your

thumb, combining to make

one of the comfiest grips

on the market.

ODI ELITE PRO LOCK-ON