Get A Grip With ESI Grips
I came across the ESI Grips shortly after getting sucked into the world of Weight Weenies, a website that helps you reduce the weight of your bike. I am now convinced that these are the best mountain bike grips you can find. The weight weenies story is a whole other story all its own, coming soon...
I had been using the Ergon GP1 Grips
This was the middle of the 2012 race season and I had become mesmerized by some of the lightweight bikes I was racing against. Thus began my search to find a replacement set of mountain bike grips that didn’t weigh quite so much. My search eventually led me to find the ESI Chunky MTB Grips which I purchased at my local bike shop Cadence Cyclery for $19.
These ESI Chunky Grips weigh just 60 grams, meaning I saved a full 155 grams by switching to them.
There is also a Racers Edge version that removes some of the padding and weigh only 50 grams. I chose the Chunky version because I wanted the additional padding for maximum shock absorption, and 10 grams in savings isn’t worth the possible discomfort.
If you don’t have a local bike shop or they do not carry ESI Grips, you can also find them on Amazon. But please support local bicycle retailers as a first option.
Best Mountain Bike Grips 2013
This is not an understatement. I put these grips on my bike in November 2012, just a week or so before the first endurance race of the season. Since that time I have logged a couple hundred miles on my mountain bike and feel that I know these grips pretty dang well.
The ESI Chunky MTB Grips are 5-1/8″ in length and 32mm in diameter and includes bar end caps with the packaging. These grips are made of high density silicone that is incredible in wet conditions. Your hands won’t budge an inch while holding these things because the silicone doesn’t hold moisture from the weather or your sweaty palms.
The shock absorption factor is also really impressive. I was afraid that I would have sore wrists, palms and arms after switching away from the Ergon grips, but my hands are actually more comfortable on these. And what is really amazing is that the silicone is kind of like memory foam, after about 5 rides it had begun to conform to my hands riding position making them even more comfortable. Another plus is that these things don’t slip or move at all once you get them on.
One of my favorite thing about the ESI Grips is that they come in an assortment of colors. You aren’t just stuck with the standard black, but instead have some freedom and can color match with the rest of the bike. I was in the process of trying to get some bling and color on my bike last fall and went with the red grips to match a few other accent pieces I had picked up
Installation for these mountain bike grips is possibly the only downside. It can be a little bit of a struggle figuring out how to fit it over the handlebars. Here’s how to do it.
ESI Grips Installation Tips
- Remove your old grips and use some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to wipe down your handlebars. This is important because it removes all of the dirt and grime and prepares a clean surface for your new ESI Grips.
- Next use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and really saturate the inside of the ESI Grips your putting on. Putting rubbing alcohol on the grips gives a small bit of lubrication when you are first putting them on. The rubbing alcohol dries out after about 3 minutes so you don’t have to worry about the grips slipping while riding.
- Slide the ESI grips over your handlebars and rotate/pull them into the position you want. I found it easiest to do a rotation back and forth while pulling from the opposite side of the bike.
- Rotate the ESI Grips so that the thicker side is on top to give you more shock absorption and comfort.
- Once both of the grips are in place, push the bar end caps into place to finish it off
- Wait 30 minutes and then shred some dirt!
I am a very firm believer that the ESI Grips are definitively the best mountain bike grips of 2013.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
These ESI grips are getting a lot of buzz these days. I’m less concerned about weight and more interested in their ability to keep my hands from going numb; I’ve had issues with ulnar and median nerves. I currently use Ergon GP-2s, which I like a lot. I think these grips, while nice, might not address those problems as well as the Ergons.
I had numbness in my hands when I got my Ergon GP1′s several years ago. I’ve found that it was mostly from riding a bike that was undersized for me and riding in a poor position. Once I got correctly fitted and positioned on the bike the hand numbness and pain went away. If the Ergon GP2′s are working for you then stick with them, I know all too well how much the hand pain really sucks.
You really like these better than the Ergon grips, comfort wise? I put on Ergon grips before Leadville, and they really helped prevent hand cramps with that wide grip.
I am really tempted by the relatively low price and the weight savings though. I guess I could always buy a pair, try them out, and then cut them off and put my Ergon grips back on if I didn’t like them.
I really do like them that much. I’m actually putting together an additional video from extra footage I had about why I used the Ergon’s in the first place. These have more cushion, a more stable grip and I like them all around much better. That said, for a race as long as Leadville, I may prefer to keep the Ergon’s. 10 hours in the saddle and I would probably be glad to add 150 grams for the added hand support.
So I will concede that to the Ergon GP1′s.
I’m disappointed to report that it took me more than 11 hours to finish, and almost 12.
Now I really feel bad about myself. Thanks a lot.
I’m not going to wear my buckle around you.
Seriously though, I am thinking about swapping out and getting those grips for the Austin Rattler 100, which is only 100k and won’t take nearly that long.
I’m putting a Maxxis Ikon tire on the back and replacing my Ground Control, which will save me almost 200 grams of rotating weight. I’m keeping my beefy Captain 2.4 in the front though, weight be damned. That tire sticks, and does well on gravel too.
HA HA HA!
Sorry Lars, I didn’t mean to insult you. It would probably take me 14+.
Toss them on and get a few good long rides in before the Rattler to see what you think. Definitely let me know your thoughts, I’m interested!
I tried these on one of my bikes for a bit, and the best thing about them, IMO, is definitely their tackiness when wet, especially for me because I’m a sweater; usually half way through a summer ride I have a tough time hanging onto most grips, even with gloves. The biggest downside for me though was that once they are on, you are committed… if you like to swap bars or anything (like I do), they aren’t coming off without a knife, so forget the quick blast of compressed air like other grips.
Yeah, I feel you on that. It is a commitment once you put them on. But I suppose since they are so cheap you could always just stick a set on each handlebar you have and swap as desired right?
You’d need extra brake levers and shifters on each bar too; needing to remove them for the bar swap is the main reason for removing grips. In my case I also share between my SS and my 1×9, so even if I had a set of levers for each bar, I’d still have to slip the shifter on/off. What I *should* do is settle with one stem/bar combo, but alas, I have severe ADD and am perpetually jacking with stuff.
Good point. I totally forgot about needing those as well.