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Review: Ergon GE1 Slim enduro mountain bike grip

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review
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ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

I’ve been running Ergon grips ever since they first introduced the winged GX1 and its curvier predecessor. I’ve also run the rounder, thicker GA1 and GA2, which provide a solid grip but feel a bit too firm for all-day adventures.

Most recently, the standard GE1 enduro grips have been my hand rests of choice. I’ve been riding the same pair for more than a year, but for kicks, I slapped on the newer Slim version before a recent ride.

Here’s how they compare, along with a run down of why the GE1 is my favorite mountain bike grip…

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

What sets the GE1 apart is the angled outer edge, which extends the handlebar width by about a centimeter per side. That may not seem like much, but it makes a massive difference. I’m running Thomson’s carbon riser mountain bike handlebars on two of my bikes. One has these grips on, and another has another brand’s ergonomic grips that place the lock ring on the outer edge. The difference in feel and control is massive, with the Ergon GE1 the clear winner by adding a lot more useable real estate.

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

Ergon claims the shape and design puts you in a more natural, elbows-out riding position, and that held true. It’s a very comfortable position that also allows for aggressive riding.

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

Zach covered the grip’s construction and materials in his review of the standard GE1, check that for all the details. The quick of it is this: An alloy lock ring uses a large 3mm allen bolt to clamp the grip to the bar, with marks to help you get both sides’ positions synced. It uses dual density natural rubber to remain soft, but it’s also durable.

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

My original pair, which you’ll see below in blue, has taken plenty of abuse (side swiping trees, wrecks, leaning against the ground like shown above…sometimes at speed), but show hardly any wear. The plastic end cap prevents abrasions from ripping up the rubber, which absolutely helps extend the grips’ longevity.

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

The difference between the original (blue) and the slim (white) is only a few millimeters – about 4mm at the inside…

ergon ge1 slim enduro mountain bike grip review

…and 2 or 3 mm at the outer edge, but it’s enough to be noticeable. Ergon pitches them for smaller hands or those who want a more direct feel on the bike. I found another benefit in winter riding: Those big, thick winter gloves fit better and maintain appropriate fat finger clearance when braking with a single digit. The improved dexterity with winter gloves definitely made me feel more aggressive and comfortable.

Overall, Ergon’s grips have stood the test of time. Not all of their shapes will work for everyone, but the GE1’s design is very well thought out and they’ve made several of our testers’ hands very happy.

Retail is $34.99 for both original and slim, and they come in black, blue, green, grey, red and white, plus the occasional limited edition color (like pink or laser lemon).

Ergon-Bike.com

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8 Comments
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Antipodean_eleven
8 years ago

I always wanted to try Ergon’s and after doing the old ‘car park’ ride on a friend’s new bike with a fresh set, I’m convinced I was a set.

bob
bob
8 years ago

Cool. i have the original style ergon with the little wing/support. they were ok (good quality and sort of help) but i didnt really like them.

their more conventional version seem to have mostly all the benefits without the winglets, which is nice. thanks for reviewing them!

Duzzi
Duzzi
8 years ago

“What sets the GE1 apart is the angled outer edge, which extends the handlebar width by about a centimeter per side. That may not seem like much, but it makes a massive difference.”

It would be very nice to know what exactly that “massive difference” is really about.

Antipodean_eleven
8 years ago
Reply to  Duzzi

So you can no longer fit between trees on singletrack (though with ‘modern’ wide bars you already can’t in some areas I know)??

Wil
Wil
8 years ago
Reply to  Duzzi

I think Tyler explains that at the end of the same paragraph Duzzi:

“The difference in feel and control is massive, with the Ergon GE1 the clear winner by adding a lot more useable real estate.”

I would concur with Tyler’s comments for sure. The effect of the GE-1 grips is like having an extra 10mm on either side of the bar. So a 730mm wide Thomson bar becomes more like 750mm wide. I’m sure that not every rider would notice it, but I guess it depends how fussy/sensitive you are on setup. I’ve also found that the profile of the GE-1 grips encourages a broader riding position over the bars, which is where the improvement in feel and control also comes from.

DaveR27
DaveR27
8 years ago

been running these fora few months now, couldn’t agree more, awesome grips.
@Duzzi: the Massive difference” is that there is no lock ring on the outside edge, just nice soft rubber right under the heel of your palm, right where you need it. I used to regularly get bruises from hanging onto lock on collars right on the outside edge of the bars.
It also effectively means you can run slightly narrower bars whilst maintaining the same relative hand position as you can use the full width of the bar, rather than the last 5mm of each side being hard bare metal.

TheFunkyMonkey
TheFunkyMonkey
8 years ago

I used to think Ergon was a bunch of marketing BS presented as science. Then I tried the GE1s after being a long time Rogue user and I haven’t looked back. I’m now using Ergon seats and they’re legit as well. Good products.

James
James
8 years ago

GE1s are great. But I tried the slim version and found that they beat up my hands much more than the standard version. Back to the standard GE1 for me.

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