If you do any amount of mountain biking, even if it’s just on the road or smooth paths, you know comfort is paramount to keeping you on your ride.
For that reason alone, companies have invested millions of dollars researching more comfortable and ergonomic saddles, but until recently little time had been spent looking into the other major pressure point on a bike: your hands.
Many mountain bikers have experienced their hands going numb at some point or another. While a more upright riding position (courtesy of a riser handlebar) can help alleviate this by reducing the weight on your hands, the real solution is to distribute the pressure more evenly across all of your hand.
Ergon’s line of mountain bike grips accomplish just that, courtesy of their wider profile that provides a considerably more ergonomic position. The result is a grip that supports virtually all your hand, rather than the 60% or so most grips offer.
The benefits list is short but substantial:
- greater comfort
- reduced pressure on the ulna nerve (no more numbness)
- reduced pressure on the median nerve (a cause of carpel tunnel)
Ergon offers a variety of different grips targeted at different segments of the market, from the more casual rider to the pro racer, with or without integrated barends. The biggest differences between the models are styling and weight—they all deliver similar ergonomic benefits.
Prices range from as little as $25 to over $100 for grips composed of more exotic materials, like carbon fiber. Availability is tight on most of the models, and no single reseller seems to offer every version, but we like Blue Sky Cycling and JensonUSA.
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