Bicycle handle bars typically have grips that make holding the handlebars safer and more comfortable. Without the grips, the rider is simply holding cold and sometimes slippery steel tubing. The slip-on grip, the tape grip and the shifter grip are the three types of grips commonly available today. Each is used on a different type of bike.
Slip-on Grip
The Slip-on grip is perhaps the most commonly known of bicycle grips. Typically made of soft molded plastic or foam, these grips come in a range of shapes, sizes and colors. The most basic of these grips is a simple plastic tube with an end cap molded in. More elaborate designs incorporate ergonomic contours that allow the rider to more firmly grip and easily control the bike. Slip-on grips do just that. They slip onto the end of the handle bar and are held in place by friction.
Tape Grip
Tape grips were historically used on racing bikes and continue to be used on them to this day. These grips consist of a long section of leather or plastic tape, often with an adhesive backing. Some plastic tapes have a foam core that provides more padding to the grip. Tape grips are wound around either side the handlebars to cover its entire surface, providing multiple locations where the rider can grip. This allows the rider to change position on the bike, depending on the demands of the ride at any given moment.
Twist Shifter Grip
The most sophisticated of the available grips, twist shifter grips combine the handlebar grip with the mechanism that shifts the front or rear derailleurs, or gear hub on a multi-speed bicycle. The cable that actuates the gears runs into the grip, which rotates around the handlebars to pull or push the cable. Shifter grips typically lock in place using a collar that grips the handlebars while allowing the grip itself to turn freely.
Replacement
Changing out bicycle grips requires a different method for each type of grip. For slip-on grips, a little rubbing alcohol squirted between the grip and the handlebars will loosen it enough to slide the old grip off and the new grip on. Tape grips are typically cut from the handlebar with a razor knife and rewound with new tapes. An Allen wrench is used to remove or attach the locking collar of a twister shift grip to the handlebars.
Member Comments