When people say to get a grip it usually means something different than what this review is going to discuss. In this case we are going to be talking about bike grips and how they are not all the same and how one company is trying to revolutionize the way they work. Can you see where I'm going with my train of thought? If not thats ok because sometimes I'm not sure if I do either! |
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Many people don't put too much effort into the grips that are on their bike and for a lot of people they will just use whatever grips came with the bike and not even think that there might be something much better out there for them to use. Of course there is no real way of knowing what grip is right for you until you try it on your bike or at least be able to feel it in your hands. Grips come in various thicknesses, patterns and compounds and what works good for one person may not work well for another.
Revolution Suspension Grips has a product called RevGrips that were designed to act as a shock absorber for your hands. They do this by leaving space between the handlebars and the grip itself allowing it to absorb shock as you go over bumps. They also have rubber shock absorbing inserts at both end of the grips that also absorb impact. When all of this comes together it feels like you have an air pocket inside your grips and you can actually feel them move a little if you twist them like a motorcycle throttle. This is how they are designed to give your hands a little play over bumps to help smooth things out.
Installing the grips takes a little work and a little time but overall it's a pretty easy process once you figure out what goes where. If you lay all of the pieces out on a table it will help to get you acquainted with what comes with the grips. You should have 2 grips, 4 clamps, 4 bolts, 2 end caps, 18 inserts and 8 rubber washers (4 each of 2 different thicknesses). The thicker washers will give you more cushion so if that is what your goal is then try those first. You will also get 2 different size allen wrenches so you don't have to go finding yours!
The grip itself comes in 3 different sizes it's probably a good idea to choose the one that matches your current grips assuming you like the way they feel. If you decide you want a different size then you can simply order another size without having to get a whole new set of grips. This comes in handy when you wear out the grips and need to replace them.
Now for how they work. Your results will vary based on how you ride, where you ride and how sensitive you are to subtle changes in your bike. Some people can't tell the difference between 15 PSI and 30 PSI in their tires while others can tell the difference when adding one click of rebound adjustment in their fork so your results will vary. We had 3 riders test them out with different results with all of them. For example one of them noticed them right away while me on the other hand didn't really notice a difference at all. In fact after riding with them for some time it seemed as though they were less comfortable than when I started. It might have been a case of the grips themselves wearing down but if that's the case they didn't last too long. After testing them for several months I ended up going back to my still favorite grip, the ODI Rouge which is the best bang for the buck grip in my opinion. Assuming you like thicker grips that is.
The RevGrips will set you back about $90 compared to $25 for the Rouges and other comparable grips. It's a pricey experiment if it's something you want to try out but if you get the results that many people get then it might be worth it in the long run. If you can't afford $90 grips then you probably shouldn't be spending that much money on grips to begin with no matter how well they work. Yes I know we mountain bikers don't care if we have to live off bread and water in order to get our bike parts! You can check them out for yourself on their website.
