Ergon GP3 Comfort Grips

[arthurfarr]

Thinking of buying some of these for my Specialized Hybrid to alleviate the numbing in fingers and wrists after about 8-10 miles. I see they have come recommended.

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Ergon-GP3-Comfort-Grips_34494.htm

A couple of questions:

Would anybody recommend an alternative?
What's the difference between standard and gripshift?
I think I'd probably need small (I am M/L glove size). Would my assumption be correct?

 

[mjr]

Would anybody recommend an alternative?

Regular ski-bar ends or North Road handlebars. Cheaper too.

What's the difference between standard and gripshift?

Gripshift is for if you change gear by rotating the grip around the bar. Standard is if you've got gear levers or triggers.

I think I'd probably need small (I am M/L glove size). Would my assumption be correct?

Can you measure your hand circumference? Or try them in the shop?

 

[alicat]

If you are getting numbness after so few miles it suggests to me that you have a medical problem that has not been diagnosed, you are gripping far too hard or your bike fit is wrong.

I doubt ergonomic grips would fix any of those issues.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

If you are getting numbness after so few miles it suggests to me that you have a medical problem that has not been diagnosed, you are gripping far too hard or your bike fit is wrong.

I doubt ergonomic grips would fix any of those issues.

My guess is that you haven't tried them yet.
I don't buy the gripping to hard theory. We grip as hard as we need to. The body is clever that way.

They make a significant difference and they are very good quality too. Cheaper versions such as that by BBB do exist.

 

[mjr]

I don't buy the gripping to hard theory. We grip as hard as we need to. The body is clever that way.

Sadly, the mind isn't always clever enough and it sometimes convinces the body it needs to grip too hard, such as if you're basically terrified about the stability of the bike for some reason.

That said, I'd probably use bar ends again if I was riding a straight-bar bike for any length of time.

 

[Salty seadog]

I have the GP1's they are are very good. Once you get your angle set up right they are very comfortable. I just don't get comfort issues with them.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Sadly, the mind isn't always clever enough and it sometimes convinces the body it needs to grip too hard, such as if you're basically terrified about the stability of the bike for some reason.

That said, I'd probably use bar ends again if I was riding a straight-bar bike for any length of time.

Yes, but that is a panic-station reaction. Not the same as a ride to church.

The Ergon is not just a bar-end, it is a grip with a large flat paddle that supports a wide part of your palm. The paddle has to be lined up with your forearm and takes a bit of getting used to but it reduces numbness. The bar-end part is just an optional position. You can get these grips with or without the horns.

 

[alicat]

My guess is that you haven't tried them yet.
I don't buy the gripping to hard theory. We grip as hard as we need to. The body is clever that way.

They make a significant difference and they are very good quality too. Cheaper versions such as that by BBB do exist.

I don't doubt that they are good. However, they aren't cheap and if I was getting numbness after such a short time I would want to rule out other causes first.

 

[vickster]

Highly recommended by me. They do make the handlebars pretty wide though if you are riding in heavy traffic and filtering, just to be aware you may not be able to squeeze through narrow gaps

 

[Southside Mike]

Can't recommend an alternative as I've only tried these. Had them on my commuting hybrid for a couple of years and think they're brilliant

 

[MichaelW2]

I have the gp1 without bar end, and in cork. I ditched my mtb flatbars for on one mary with some backwards sweep, and that unwound some of the tension in my arms.

 

[NeilnrLincoln]

I'd recommend them. I have GP1s with separate bar ends on my shopping/commuting/touring bike and I've put GP3s on my hybrid. I find the ergons much more comfortable than standard grips that used to give me numb hands.

 

[User33236]

I put GP1 grips on a hybrid I bought after breaking my arm at the start of this year.

They stayed on the bike until my physio sessions ended and I put the original grips back on. Two rides later the Ergon grips went back on because they were so much better in both overall grip and comfort.

I looked at other brands at the time but stumped up for the Ergons are they looked and felt the best.

 

[GlenBen]

I just bought a second set of these to go on the spare bike, highly recommend them, just make sure you get them set up nicely. I use a small, but i have tiny hands, so cant help you there.