MTB Grips

How to choose your MTB grips

It is the only bike part in permanent contact with you, and the least expensive to replace for an immediate comfort upgrade. On a long ride, good grips do more than many costly components.

Lock-on or slide-on

• Lock-on : one or two lock rings clamp the grip to the handlebar. Installation and removal in thirty seconds, zero chance of slipping in the rain. It is the standard today.
• Slide-on (slide-on): lighter and thinner, so closer to the handlebar. It requires hairspray or rubbing alcohol to install, and twists if not glued properly.
• Silicone (ESI): no lock ring, outstanding grip even when soaking wet and the best damping in the category, at the cost of faster wear.

Diameter and length

• The outer diameter ranges from around 29 to 34 mm.
• Thin grip : better feel of the front wheel and preferable for smaller hands.
• Thick grip : absorbs more vibration and relieves hands on long rides.
• The standard length is 125 to 135 mm ; check the remaining space on your handlebar once levers, shifters and any bike computer are fitted.

Rubber compound density

• Soft compound : superior grip and damping, wears faster.
• Hard compound : significantly longer lifespan, less damping.
• Dual-density : soft where the palm rests, hard where the grip rubs. The best compromise for regular riding.

Ergonomic grips

Models with palm rests distribute pressure over a wider area and relieve the ulnar nerve — the most common cause of tingling fingers after two hours in the saddle. They adjust by rotating, which requires a bit of trial and error: a poorly angled support does more harm than no support at all. Start with a slight upward tilt, then adjust until your wrist stays aligned with your forearm.

When to replace them

As soon as the tread pattern is worn smooth, as soon as a grip starts twisting, and systematically after a crash that has torn the rubber. A worn grip no longer holds in wet conditions: it is not just a matter of comfort.

To find out more: How to choose your MTB grips

See also: MTB handlebars · MTB handguards and bar ends · MTB stems