- 1. Ergon GP1 Mountain Bike Grips
- 2. Schwinn Tri-Layer Gel Comfort Mountain Bike Grips
- 3. ESI Chunky Mountain Bike Grips
- 4. Ergon GE1 Mountain Bike Grips
- 5. ODI Ruffian Bonus Pack Mountain Bike Grips
- 6. RaceFace Half Nelson Locking Handlebar Grips
- 7. Lizard Skins Lock-On Peaty Handlebar Grips
- 8. Ergon GA2 Handlebar Grips
- 9. ODI Bike Handlebar Grips Rouge Bonus Pack
- 10. Lizard Skins Moab Lock-On Handlebar Grips
Mountain biking is an exhilarating experience for many. It involves skill, intuition and the feeling of expecting the unexpected. Such a sport not only requires a lot of talent but also a good amount of safety measures to prevent the occurrence of injuries; this where mountain bike grips come in. They are units engineered specially to offer extreme comfort for bike riders during their adventures on the trail. They are meant to cushion your hands and keep them away from the hard, unwelcoming metal of your handlebars. The list below contains some of the best mountain bike grips and why we love them. We also discuss what factors to look out for, before selecting the best bike grips from among the lot.
The Best Mountain Bike Grips
We introduce the Ergon GP1 Grip, our first product review and the best German produced pair of handlebar grips. Made for your daily commute, a ride into the mountains or your annual city tour, these bike grips speak the language of quality fluently. And are well suited for hybrids, tourers and the urban warriors. The target group of these grips doesn’t include dedicated road rats, and as such, this category of explorers finds it difficult adjusting to its design. That notwithstanding, the Ergon GP1 Grips are designed for your hand and nothing else. Their overall design ensures that your hands rest appropriately at the optimum angle for minimal nerve pressure and ultimate comfort.
The Ergon GP1 grips are made from a German-produced rubber compound for maximum durability and reliability. They look vastly different from regular bike grips and are a significant improvement from their design. These mountain bike grips are made from several types of environmentally friendly materials found in different parts of the world. For instance, the clamp of these grips is designed and manufactured from recyclable aluminum, with its cork made from materials found in Portugal’s sustainable forests. Its looks evoke mixed feelings from users mainly because of its retro and Avant-garde look. Unlike other models made to fit specific brands of bicycles, the Ergon Grips blends effortlessly with your flat bar, pared down or urban bike.
- German made rubber compound
- Forged Aluminum Clamp
- For mountain bike, touring, and commuting
- straightforward to fit
- Brand Ergon
- Model GR9546-P
- Weight 2 pounds
We love the Schwinn company, just as many other customers around the world. Schwinn has been in the industry for decades, creating new engaging designs that always leave customers and competitors in awe. They love offering comfort in a variety of ways through their plan and as such, have developed many patented designs for all their outdoor gear and equipment. In today’s article, we’re looking at the Schwinn Tri-layer Comfort grip, one of their most purchased units around the world. These grips are used many several mountain biking experts and enthusiasts because of its durability and affordability.
The Schwinn Comfort Grip is a durable unit manufactured from Kraton, a sturdy and robust material that doesn’t wear quickly. It features an extra layer of gel responsible for the provision of extra comfort. The extra layer of the gel makes this grip feel very soft to touch, and this experience is one that cannot be experienced with any other model. Besides its three-layered gel, the Schwinn grip improves traction through its textured pattern design. For vibration dampening protection, the design of these grips features a large pad area which also helps with comfort.
- Extra gel layer
- Made of Kraton compound
- Large palm pad area
- Textured pattern
- Brand Schwinn
- Model SW75823-6
- Weight 5.6 ounces
From the camp of Schwinn, we move to the ESI Chunky MTB Grip, another spectacular model in today’s market. Are you tired of having pains in your hand and wrist after a ride? Or do your bicycle grips need a drastic transformation? No matter your response, the ESI Chunky is your only solution. This product is ideal for both dry and wet grip, is aesthetically appealing, doesn’t need any form of adhesion and of course, offers a level of comfort you can never refuse. These mtb grips are designed for regular bikes of different kinds of bikes.
The ESI Chunky grip is a silicone grip, although it may not feel like it after your first encounter. It is a solid unit with a smooth finish which offers users with a right-hand hold. As compared to other brands in the market now, these grips by ESI are heavy and sturdy to touch. Installing these grips becomes easy once you follow the directions given by the manufacturer. All parts of this unit have been created as durable individual parts that come together to make the grip indestructible. Longevity is assured by manufacturers of the ESI Chunky MTB and has been attested to by some users of the unit.
- Chunky grips are extra thick
- 5-1/8" in length
- 32mm grip diameter
- Includes bar end caps
- Brand ESI Grips
- Model GBK02
- Weight 3.2 ounces
Our list has been graced with the Ergon GE1 Grips, another creation from the camp of Ergon. As mentioned earlier, this company seeks to change the world one cycle ride at a time by developing innovative grip designs that offer users with immeasurable comfort. The Ergon GE1 mountain bike handlebar grips is made from aluminum and CNCed clamp for durability. It is a one size fits all product that is meant for dirt biking freeride biking and endurance biking. Over its entire length, this grip has a round profile. They take a detour away from ergonomics to make themselves universally used by both left-handed and right-handed bikers.
The Ergon GE1 forms itself to the natural contours of your hands and moves just as you do while you ride. It is made from durable silicone and doesn’t require the use of a clamp. Installation tends to take more time when compared to other brands, but one thing remains certain after the process Is completed; your grips will never slip. With Ergon, you can express yourself through your bike. They have developed up to ten different colors of the Ergon Ge1 Grips for your selection pleasure. The colors include green, aqua, blue, pink, black, orange, white, black, yellow and red. This means you can mix or match your grip color with your bicycle to exhibit your personality.
- Material: Aluminum forged and CNCed Clamp
- Use: Endure, Freeride
- One Size
- Gripped handlebars
- Brand Ergon
- Model 42410040
- Weight 3.52 ounces
Biking is an activity that is extremely versatile. With the different kinds of terrain around, bikers get to create several experiences for themselves at every point in time. The process of biking is energy consuming, and as such, the entire duration of your trip must be extremely comfortable for the biker. Some features help make your trip more comfortable, but the most vital and critical of them all is the kind of grip a biker employs. Low standard grips tend to wear down with regular use, leaving your hands to suffer the pain associated with biking without a grip.
Now is the time for you to bike with a grip that feels like a grip and not like your handlebar. Selecting such a model might prove to be tricky with the many kinds of holds on the market today. Our team, however, has found out the only mountain bike grip your bike will need. It is the one and the single model from one of the leading manufacturers in the industry, the ODI Ruffian Bonus Pack. These grips are designed for use even in extremely wet conditions. They feature silver lock-jaw clamps and new snap cap end plugs, included to enhance its longevity and durability. The surface of this bicycle grips is narrow with a diamondized design for excellent grip. It offers all biker a completely slip-free performance thanks to its Lock-On Design.
- Designed for wet conditions
- A narrow diamondized surface pattern
- Available with 3/4 flange
- Include silver lock-jaw clamps
- Brand Odi
- Weight 0.8 ounces
Get ready to be mesmerized by the performance of the RaceFace Half Nelson Locking Grips. Featuring a low profile, tacky and comfortable design, these bike grips are the best kind for all mountain bike users around the world. It is a lightweight product, designed with a super slim profile and a single lock on the grip to keep your hands comfortable during your biking adventures. Typically, the older and more worn out your grips are, the better they get at fitting the contours of your hands. With the RaceFace Grips, your hands are given a massive welcome from your first use. They are tacky straight out of their box and offer bikers with everything they’ve ever dreamt of in a grip.
Featuring elements such as a topographic moisture channel that takes away sweat from hands, the RaceFace grip delivers added grip through its half waffle design. They are the best go-to bike handle grips for mountain bikers and the best you’ll ever own even after twenty years of biking. They have been designed to stand the test of time via their durable materials and them sturdy construction process. The RaceFace Locking Grip is also a member of the budget-friendly mountain bike grip club. It features a rate that leaves many customers in awe since its performance far surpasses such an amount.
- A single lock on grip
- Super slim low profile design
- soft and durable super tacky VEXY
- Topographic moisture channels
- Brand RaceFace
- Model AC990057
- Weight 1.6 ounces
Meet the Lizard Skin Peaty Grip, an all American mountain bike grip made for bikers by biking enthusiasts and professionals. This grip has made a name for itself amongst countless professional athletes around the world. It is made with only the best materials and processes to deliver on the brands promise of being durable, comfortable and long lasting. The grip offered by this product is secure and intense, thanks to its non-slip dampening physique. It features radial rubber fins and a basic mushroom model that bends and flexes under your weight to accommodate it.
The Lizard Skins Peaty Grip has often compared to the ODI Tomac Attack grip, a spectacular product that creates a new standard for bicycle handlebar grips. The difference between both models, however, is the Lizard Skin’s ability to lock onto your bars and its longitudinal groves that prevent your sweaty gloves and hands from slipping. These biking gloves are a complete treat for your hands, no matter the terrain on which they’re used. They conform to the natural contours of your hands and provide you with a soft layer of protection and comfort during extended rides. With this grip on your mountain bike, you get to feel like one of the many professional athletes that recommend the Lizard Skins Peaty Grip.
- Made in the USA
- Used by professional athletes
- Quality materials and processes
- Non-slip, dampening, and secure grip
- Brand Lizard Skins
- Model 145031
- Weight 3.2 ounces
The mastermind of innovation for all outdoor equipment and gear, Ergon, has come back with yet another fabulous product from their collection. It is the Ergon GA2 Grip, and it is a superb creation. Featuring an inner construction of varying thickness, this mountain bike grip allows for greater damping than many of its competitors. It is estimated to weight up to 107g a pair and boasts of carbon bar friendly parts that don’t harm both the user and their environment. For more grip at the ends of your handlebars, the Ergon GA2 grip has been built with an inboard clamp, and this clamp performs double duties by also ensuring security during your biking sessions.
Every pair of Ergon Grips feature superb tactile surfaces made from UV stable rubber compound which is known to be incredibly soft. Besides their comfortable surface design, these grips do not make use of a secondary outboard clamp, a feature some bikers find incredibly uncomfortable. They have been designed to allow riders to feel free with their hands by permitting them to place their hands to the end of each bar. With such a design, your hands can rest on soft rubber instead of resting on metal.
- UV stable rubber compound
- The inner construction varies in thickness
- The inboard clamp
- Weight: 107g per pair
- Brand Ergon
- Model 42411090
- Weight 3.68 ounces
It’s time to change the look and feel of your bicycle grips; they’re tired, and they look terrible. If you’re wondering what the next step is after tossing your old grips, we’re here to help you. Go shopping for the ODI Bike Handle Rouge Bonus Pack. This rogue model from ODI is a silver and black beauty classically designed to take biking to a different, higher level of exciting. On several mountain bikes fora, these grips have recorded universal praise for their amazing cushy comfort. Made for easy use with or without gloves, the ODI bike handle grips require a little setup process to ensure that they don’t slip during your rides. The instructions are simple to follow and don’t take up too much of your time.
These lock on grips from ODI are 130mm long, with a 2.5mm Allen bolt found on either end and a clamp for maximum security. It fits snugly to your handlebar and doesn’t pose any risk of slippage.to make this unit slightly tack from the onset, ODI engineers have designed the Rogue Grip with large raised pads and relatively soft rubber. The tacky feel is necessary from the beginning to deliver cushioned control to bikers in all trail situations. These bike grips have been tested rigorously by ODI staff to ensure they offer only the best concerning quality and durability. No product is launched without a test, which is why ODI products are regarded highly in today’s market.
- Aluminum construction
- 130mm long grips
- Hard nylon Snap-On end caps
- Large raised pads
- Brand Odi
- Model 127919
- Weight 4 ounces
The final product recommendation from our team is a product from Lizard Skins. It is the Lizard Skins Moab Lock-On Grip, one of the small diameter mountain bike grips that are great both in design and use. With inspiration from MOAB, these grips come with a soft texture and alloy collars. They are made to withstand all conditions, and as such, they can be used anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you prefer to ride with gloves or not, the Lizard Skins grip has got you covered. It features aluminum clamps that prevent twisting while you ride. The quality of this product is seen from the choice of materials, construction methods, and processes up to their finish. They’re simply terrific!
These mountain bike grips are thin and sticky, with a surface that doesn’t encourage slipping. They’re a comfortable pair to own thanks to their Lock Jaw collars and low profiled dimpled grip. ODI manufactures the Moab grip for Lizard Skins, and as such, it bears a level of semblance to many ODI products. If you love to be in full control while you ride (which all of us do), we recommend this mountain bike grip for you.
- MOAB inspired soft texture
- Small diameter
- alloy collars
- High quality build, fit and finish
- Brand Lizard Skins
- Model 32190
- Weight 4 ounces
Best Mountain Bike Grips Buying Guide
What to Look for in The Best MTB Grips
For the best mtb grips, some features such as appearance are minor, with a customer’s budget and the durability of the grip is exceptionally vital. We need to be made aware of all essential selection factors to ensure that our decision is well informed. For this reason, we have listed some things to look out for a while you shop for your next best grip.
- Material
If your bike grips are made from materials such as silicone, its durability is increased, and the grip on your handlebar is more significant than when other materials are used. Select a product that makes use of materials that can dispel water quickly, to prevent your palms from feeling clammy during your ride.
- Features
The design requirements for the design of a mountain bike grip is used by several manufacturers, causing many models to look alike. To change this situation and also to entice potential customers, some manufacturers include special features or elements that are both exciting and unexpected. These features may help in the performance of your bike grip, or they may be there only for aesthetic reasons. It is essential that you look out for such unique features, to find the ones you prefer.
- Durability
Your mountain bike grip must be designed to last a long time. The longevity of this product is sometimes affected by our maintenance practices or lack thereof; nonetheless, any product you decide to purchase must be strong enough to withstand regular usage. To be sure you’re making the right choice, be thorough when reading each specification outline for the products to know the type of materials and construction procedures employed. You can also peruse user reviews online to understand the experiences others had with different kinds of products. This will place your choice in a better perspective.
- Bike type
Some bike grips are designed specifically for specific bikes; thus, potential customers must keep an eye out to know if your bicycle has compatible grips, undertake some research online. Also, read the features of your preferred product to be sure it will fit perfectly onto your bike.
- Budget
Compare the quality offered by each brand on sale to their price before making your final decision. you must be confident that any investment made will not be a wasted one.
The Dangers of a Bad Mountain Bike Grip
Trails are often segregated according to the level of skill needed, from beginner to expert. Most times riding on a trail can prove to be a handful, and without the requisite skills, you may make mistakes that can cause damage to you physically. Bikers are advised not the go beyond their ability and use their brakes less, especially when riding downhill.
The Difference Between a Lock-On Grip and a Non-Lock-On Grip
The Lock-on Grip are versatile units concerning positioning. Besides being a bulkier option, they make maintenance more comfortable and are very simple to install, change and remove.
The No Lock-On units are lighter in weight and more complicated, concerning their installation and processes.
Ergonomic Vs. Non-Ergonomic Handlebar Grips
Ergonomics for handling tools have both positive and negative aspects when it comes to the design. For bicycle handlebar grips there are the ergonomic designs and non-ergonomic designs. Ergonomic designs are engineered to fit the curves of your hands distinctly. This offers users increased comfort and makes the general riding experience more enjoyable. The downside for this type of handlebar grip Is everyone cannot use that. The uniqueness of its design makes it suitable for only right-handed bikers/ left-handed bikers, depending on the model.
For non-ergonomic models, there is comfort but not so much; however, it is a universal unit that can be used by several riders. These types are often recommended for families and individuals who share bikes.
Our Top Pick
Recapping on our top pick, the Ergon GP1 grips. The fit of these grips is snug and precise, offering instant comfort whenever your hands come into contact with it. The Ergon GP1 grips have a cork made from antibacterial and hypoallergenic materials. They provide powerful grip even during wet conditions and are pleasing to rest on. If you need the best pair of gloves for your next vacation, you should give the Ergon GP1 Grips a shot.
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Source:
- Mountain Bike Performance Accessories – HowStuffWorks