If you suffer from hand pain or arm pump on multi-hour rides or long, technical descents then you will want to take a look at Rev Suspension grips! Mountain bike grips are possibly a very under-rated part of your bike set-up, and play a much bigger role than just adding a little color or "bling" to your bike. I've suffered from crashes and even DNF'd on all day endurance events due to extreme hand pain. No fun when your aerobic engine is still ready to go. So what exactly are suspension grips?
Revgrips make the following statement on their website.
"Suspension Grips outperform any other grip because they DO NOT make contact with your Handlebar. The Inner Diameter of the Grip is approximately 1/8 of an inch larger than the Outside Diameter of the handlebar and is "suspended" in an elastomer on each side of the grip. This unique design allows the Grip to work WITH your hands, isolated from shock and vibration, and independent of your handlebar. Tuning washers are placed between the Grip Sleeve and Clamp to customize feel and performance so you can allow your grip to "move" as little or as much as desired (just like a fork or shock)."
Set-Up:
The grips themselves are easy to set-up, considering that there's so much more to them than standard grips that you just lock on and go. The purpose is to have a grip that you can tune and customize based upon your riding preference by choosing between different tuning washers and suspension rings (that should come included with your order). Personally I chose the "softest" set-up and have been very happy with it. Overall the installation process is very straight-forward and doesn't take more than a few minutes.
Ride quality:
These grips have made a big difference for me and I notice much less hand pain on long, technical descents. I feel less hand pain and feel more "connected" to my bike, since the grips move "with" my hands and bike and not against it. Enduro and DH riders would most likely love these! Plus, they look pretty sweet too, as you can customize the color of the grips and lock-on clamps. I've used so many different grips in the past (ESI, Ergon race grips, Specialized grips with "flat" surface) and I can see the Revgrips as my go-to for every day riding.
Overall Impression:
These grips are more expensive than standard grips, but you really get what you are paying for, which in this case, is a grip that offers tunability and comfort that no other grip can offer. Parts and grips themselves are inter-changeable and can be ordered separately if you have to replace something or want to change out color.
Customer Service has been top-notch and has been very responsive when I've reached out to help really customize my fit, AND Revgrips offers a 30 day money-back guarantee. So, give'em a rip and see what you think! I've been very impressed with mine!
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