Grips


webby's picture

By webby - Posted on 17 March 2015

Hi Guys, looking for recommendations on new grips. My Giant Trance grips are almost worn through after only 5 months. Most my rides are 60km XC rides around Terrey Hills or Manly Dam for a few laps.

Cheers

[Mod. moved to MTB gear]

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Pete B's picture

ESI grips. Comfortable, light and cheap. Rare that you get those three discriptions together on one product.

http://www.esigrips.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Abs...

twotommos's picture

+1 for ESI...

BT's picture

Esi chunky grips for me

spindog's picture

reckon these are worth the small premium, they're nice and soft in your hand but wear really well.
http://odigrips.com/store/mtb/mtb-products/rogue...
bonus if you have a KS Lev dropper as you can swap out the inner clamp and replace it with the dropper actuator for a nice neat install that puts the actuator right where you want it..

MC's picture

It's amazing a decent bike like a Trance can come with such shitty grips as standard. I think I replaced mine after they started falling apart within a month.

Lizard Skins for me...

hawkeye's picture

ODI Rogues are good, although heavy. I like the fact the end caps don't pull out when you kiss trees, which I'm prone to doing on occasion. The big fat grip is easier on the hand and improves your twisting leverage on the bars which is useful for controlling the attitude of the bike in flight.

Ritchey regular foam grips are also good, although a little fragile and subject to the above mentioned end cap hassle.

Haven't tried the ESIs yet. For those that like them, do the end caps stay in place when you bump trees?

BT's picture

No issues with the caps for me. Maybe every 10 or so rides they start edging out a bit. Just push them back in. They're pretty tight.

webby's picture

thanks guys looks like ESI are a winner reviews are also great online

comm's picture

Just ordered a set of Fit XC ESI Grips from the states. Will let you guys know how they go.

Paid way more (shipped) than what grips are normally worth (54 inc shipping).

Antsonline's picture

Yep - +1 for ESI.

I have been running the new 'Fit' style for a month or so now and LOVE them. They are a slightly different material to the normal ESI's - harder wearing.

If you want something more exciting, check-out Supacaz online - excellent product, and nice colours....

pharmaboy's picture

@hawkeye - no they don't survive clipping trees or dropping the bike, I've never had a pair last more than a year, nor both end plugs still be there after the same period, but I still use them on one bike.

For what they are, it's hard to call them cheap, but in the same vein avoid like the plague the shimano versions of same which tear really easily - lasted all of 2 months, similar for the ritcheys

ChopStiR's picture

How are the esi's for throttling/sliding?

My grip rings were great to start with but now they are sliding and throttling. I've been using them for around a year so I was happy with them but its now definitely a time for change.

Chuck's picture

My ESI grips work well, they never move.

I lost one end cap on the first ride, but it involved some hike a bike on a narrow track. I just used the old Jet Black end caps I had from my old grips, they have a screw clamp. All is good now.

MrMez's picture

Shimano Pro Atherton

Jake.'s picture

ESI chunky for me. And pretty sure I only paid $40 from my LBS.

fairy1's picture

Odi O grips and grip glue, best combo ever and with the jerks at ClickBike flogging them off for a few bucks they are a bargain!

How are ESI grips cheap? Crazy Talk!

Pete B's picture

They're $22.68 on ebay (free post) for the standard grips, I don't think that's bad at all.

fairy1's picture

There are supposedly fake ones on Ebay too, I have read about purchasers saying that(some) Ebay ESI grips are harder than the genuine item.

webby's picture

I agree they are American made grips sold 25% cheaper from Taiwan on ebay.. smells like a fake.
On the packaging on the ESI site it has the grip code in the bottom left corner and those codes don't match up to the ebay store exporting from Taiwan.. I guess you never know

ChopStiR's picture

I had almost went with a Taiwan Ebay sale. But I fly to Perth on the first with the MTB and want the grips before then. So needed express post and started looking elsewhere.

I then found them on Torpedo7 just as cheap. But they were sold out.

I then settled with Jenson USA and went the next level up on delivery so I should get them on the 25th. I've been pleased with Jensons delivery service with past purchases.

I ended up paying a total cost of $46.01 AUD - That includes the express post to Australia.

all74's picture

For the petit handed gent (you know who you are), the ESI chunkys were a bit too thick for me. Pulled both hands straight off my bars the first time I tried to lift the front over an obstacle. I am still a 2 finger braker so I think that made the chunkys too thick for my ring and pinky to wrap around. But for the price you can afford to buy both sizes.

hawkeye's picture

You really don't need to do that with modern brakes. Well, Shimanos.

If you have small hands the extra confidence from a better grip on the bars is immeasurable. It feeds into lower fatigue on longer rides as well.

Like some coaching on brake setup?

Jake.'s picture

I went from Formula R1 which needed 3 fingers, to XTR and 1 finger. So many variables involved...

pharmaboy's picture

FWIW, I've had at least 6 pairs of ESI grips, some from torpedo 7, some from TRuckerco, and also the cheapest vendor on ebay from Taiwan - they all seem exactly the same.

Trucker co used to be cheapest but not since the US $ is so strong, that's why the Taiwanese sellers have become cheaper

all74's picture

Thanks Hawkeye, I do need to get around to working out 1 finger braking, I guess it is mostly about getting the lever in the right spot? Maybe more inboard?

Re the Esi end caps, I haven't lost an end cap as yet even though the grips are showing lots of wear from hitting things. From memory they were difficult to fit on a carbon bar (ok on alloy) and needed me to snip down the little jamming flanges. Well I'm off to fit some new ESIs to my young fellas bike today. All three of us are a big ESI family now perhaps I should ask for sponsorship Eye-wink

Pants's picture

You're crazy man, I wouldn't be able to hold on to the handlebars!

You get so much more strength.

There's parts of the Thredbo DH track where I have to let got of the brakes when my hands are worn out just to hold on

hawkeye's picture

It is moving them inboard, but also rotating them forward/down as well.

I used to get massive arm pump and tennis elbow-like symptoms after 3 laps of Manly Dam. Forearms would be horrendously fatigued and eventually something would go "pop" form being overworked.

My physio has seen the photo above and commented that my elbows were much too low and I needed to roll my whole cockpit forward and keep the elbows *up*. Simon had been on my case about this earlier as well.

Rotating everything 15-20 degrees further down/around has made it much easier to remember keep the elbows up. I've got more weight on the front of the bike so I'm much less afraid of washouts, and my bike control and ability to ride the twisty bits is much improved. My triceps get more of the workout instead of the smaller muscles and tendons in my forearm.

I now set the brakes so that with one finger on the lever, and my elbows up and out but arms in a straight line when viewed from the side, my wrist is in a straight line.

The shifters are adjusted so that the the paddles are easily engaged by thumb without moving hands from this position. Interestingly, one side is further out than the other and I just checked and noticed for the first time that my thumbs are different lengths (by roughly 3mm)! D'Óh!

And now, no arm pump or tennis elbow or thumb tendonitis Smiling

fairy1's picture

Yup as above I run bars rolled way forward, the brakes way down so they are in line with my arms when you are off the seat. Riding when sitting down is boring so I set my bike so it's most comfortable on the fun bits. However 5 deg backsweep bars do send your hands numb if you don't stand up and pedal every so often.

Also I've just ordered some Guide brakes because they just feel awesome, my 2015 Deore brakes are going in the bin, worst brake I've owned.

all74's picture

Thanks for the one finger advice. I've moved the levers inboard and little and tried one finger on a couple of less demanding sections at yellowmundi today. It is a work in progress and might take a while to get used to it. Getting the confidence and the right modulation will take some time (tended to go towards locking up quicker with one finger than 2) thanks again.

Good news is the ESIs made all the difference and my 8 yo boy was top 3 of the kid race today! Well maybe his legs have gotten a bit longer too, but he assured me it was the grips!

DigDig's picture

Ill give you 10 for the deore brakes.

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