Over my time as a mountain biker, I have tried many grips. First thing’s first: a firm, thick, tacky grip that doesn’t get slippery when wet is what is needed for downhill. I have experimented with many grips to try to find that ‘just right’ mixture. I believe that Renthal Lock-on Kevlar Grips are the best grips I have ever used. They last a hell of a long time and even partially mould to your hands. Wearing gloves with these grips would be better in rough, wet situations, but on trails such as the Flow trail in Thredbo, this is not the case.

Many riders in the Enduro World Series are sponsored by particular brands for grips and can’t use the grips they find the best. Me, on the other hand, I have tried many, many brands with different compounds, tackiness, thickness and lasting qualities, and again, Renthal takes the lead. The Renthal Soft Lock-on MTB Grips (in light grey, for me) have stood out to me for their performance in jumps, single trail, wet weather, full enduro days, and gravity runs at bike parks. This is the ultimate grip for mountain biking. The best thing about them is that your hands don’t feel like you’ve been laying bricks at the end of the day!

In the end, the trial and error technique is the best for finding your perfect grip, but I strongly recommend you try these grips.

By Alexander Unicomb – Pushys Sponsored Athlete