Contact points night be a small part of your mountain bike's overall build, but they are crucial.
Incorrectly sized or shaped grips can become a misery when you are an hour into a potentially excellent trail ride.
Finding the ideal grip is usually a journey of trial and error for most riders. Some grip brands focus more on ergonomics and comfort than pure grip and outlandish colourways.
Ergon has been a default choice for many riders who prefer form over function, relating to grips. The German brand is obsessed with rider ergonomics (hence the name), and its latest grip is the GXR.
Available in two diameter sizes (32- and 34mm), the GXR grips are designed to provide lots of ride comfort. Especially on those long corrugated gravel road routes. Or rocky jeep track climbs.
Taking the stain off your hands
Ergon has sourced an aircell rubber material for the GXR grips. It contains tiny air bubbles within the rubber formulation, which increases vibration damping. And that means slightly less terrain harshness, being translated from the trail surface to your hands.
By allowing the grips to absorb a touch more terrain vibration, riders should benefit from slightly lower levels of hand fatigue.
Does it work? Ergon’s team riders, Elmar Sprink and Peter Schermann, rode the Cape Epic with pre-production versions of the GXR grips. There is hardly a more testing validation experience for mountain bike grips, than the world’s most challenging stage race, where the GXR grips proved durable and comfortable.
