Stuff I like: Ergon Grips
Posted: July 29th, 2010 by MauriceSometimes you just wanna tell people about something good without getting into a full review-test-deadline-drama scenario. I have been running Ergons GP1 grips on one of my mountain bikes, on a bike here and there, but I have not gone to the trouble of putting them on all my bikes for whatever reason. But when I reunited with my Karate Monkey after leaving it in the East Bay area, it had some new Ergons on it. I was immediately pleased and thankful for this. Not only do my hands feel comfy upon first grasp, but they feel great all day.
These Ergon GX1 Leichtbau grips are designed for XC racing. They are some of the lightest grips Ergon has to offer, as well as having a more compact body, a smaller wing, and a narrower diameter. I like ‘em cuz my hands are prone to numbness and/or pain when riding long distances.
July 30th, 2010 at 12:14 am
what are the bars?
July 30th, 2010 at 7:48 am
I was having a terrible time with my hands.
I tried Ergons and I have been really happy with them.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Hmmm, the words “Jones-Bar-equipped” Karate Monkey got deleted. Also note the circa-1987 Shimano brake levers that came with my first mountain bike! And Suntour XC Pro 7-8 speed thumbies.
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:21 am
Hey Maurice
I have them on all my bikes. I really believe that the way they allow you to have to not grip so tight because your palms can lean more on your grips not only takes the pain out of the hands and wrists, it also relieves pressure on the elbows and rotator cuff. My bad shoulder has improved dramatically once I started using these grips. And, they are ridiculously easy to install and move over to other bikes. Food for thought. It is the one thing I tell new riders to get.
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:31 am
I like my Ergons for XC riding. My only complaint is on gnarly downhills I have a hard time adjusting grip vs brake pressure. With my index and middle fingers on the left brake lever, I feel like my grip is tenuous due to the wide area laterally. Anyone else experience this unsettling sensation?
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:47 am
Awesome grips, I have them on 2 of my bikes and sell them in my bike shop.
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I agree this is a great improvement . I always used Oury ( soft , large diameter )grips on all my bikes but when I built my rigid Niner I put on some Serfas Connectors , which are a simple , less expensive version of the Ergon grips . Combined with 11 degree sweep bars , my hands are much more comfortable . Interestingly ,this follows the normal progression of cycling accessories that seem to change with experience , like going from a big padded seat to one with moderate padding but just the right shape . From thickly padded gloves to ones with minimal or no padding . These grips do not feel that cushy if you just poke them with a finger , but the shape is just right to work with your existing human padding .
August 4th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Mixed bag. I found them comfortable, as promised. Liked them for riding on roads and less-challenging trails, but not so much on trails trails that required “stunting” moves, such as getting up and over big logs and/or on/off of big rock. During aformentioned stunts, I I find myself “rotating my wrists” to push the bars/bike and a round grips simply works better for that, IMO. But I definitely say give them a try for yourself, otherwise you’ll never know.
August 4th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Karl, there is a “Freeride” version that is supposed to address those “Stunting” concerns, but I’ll bet they are not as comfy for day-long XC grinds.
August 4th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Great grips. have had them on 3 of my bikes.
August 5th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Mo, thanks for the tip, I’ll have to see if I can score the Freeride version. They were not an option at the time I tried the Ergon grips.
August 6th, 2010 at 11:31 am
I ride the GA1s. I also have a pair of the grips Mo likes. The GA1s definitely aren’t as comfortable as GP1 model, but like Ergon says they are more “ideal for downhilling, freeriding or aggressive trail riding.” The GA1 grips offer some of the ergonomic benefits while still allowing you to rotate your wrists when the trails get technical and you need to flick your bike around.