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Found: Custom Moldable Imprint Bike Grips from TMR Designs

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Imprint Grips TMR Designs (1)

When it comes to ergonomic grips, there are no shortage of fans. By tailoring the shape of the grip to better suit the natural curve of your hands the grips offer what many see as improved comfort. To this point though, most ergo grips have been one size fits all (or at least, S and L). Taking the concept of an ergo grip to the next level, TMR Designs thinks the answer is a custom moldable grip – one that conforms precisely to your hands.

Create a new grip on your bike after the jump.


The secret to the Imprint grips is the heat molding process similar to that of a mouth guard if you ever needed one for ball sports (puck sports in my case). Boil some water, pour it on the grips, quench the grips in cold water, then grab the grip to make your mark. Once the grip has conformed to your hand, the grip is cooled in water, installed on the bike, and the diamond pattern wrap is removed – which is what gives the grips texture.

There are currently two models being developed for their Kickstarter, the plastic cored Standard, and aluminum cored Premium. Current pricing ranges from $34-57 which includes International Shipping from the UK.

Features:

  • Easy to mold in hot water
  • Soft, high friction, and vibration damping
  • Grip in all conditions
  • Diamond pattern provides styling and extra grip
  • High durability – grip life is maximized from the increased contact area and even pressure over the gripping surface.  If your grip ever starts to show signs of wear it will be over the entire surface
  • Use with or without gloves.  Our trials have shown excellent results both with and without gloves.  If you currently use gloves to preserve your hands when you ride then you may find you can now ride without
  • Imprint grips can be re-molded a limitless number of times

Imprint Grips TMR Designs (3)

468c03969715e80cb9a3a1957d116363_large

The biggest difference between the two grips is the inner core. On the premium grip, the entire core is made from one piece of aluminum with the locking collar built in. Offered in a choice of 5 colors, the aluminum core grips are offered with grip material either in “kickstarter green” or magnesium colors (no black grips just yet – though if black material is ready by the launch, it will be offered to kickstarter customers at no extra cost).

 Premium Features

  • Imprint Technology
  • ‘Full Metal Jacket’ grip sleeve offering unrivaled strength
  • Fully integrated single lock ring
  • 3mm hex key cap head Ti-6Al-4V Titanium lock screw
  • TMR emblem high density polymer end cap
  • Grip Surface Length 115mm
  • Overall Grip Length inc. end cap 132mm
  • Mesh style sleeve with diamond pattern
  • Weight (Complete, Pair) 149g (including locking screws and end caps)

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The standard grip offers the same Imprint technology as the premium grip, only it uses a plastic inner core that is held in place with a separate locking collar. Hardware also differs slightly, with the standard running stainless steel and the Premium with Ti.

Standard Features

  • Imprint Technology
  • High density polymer sleeve
  • Aircraft grade aluminum locking ring
  • 3mm hex key stainless steel lock screw
  • TMR emblem high density polymer end cap
  • Single lock ring allows maximum usable bar width
  • Grip surface length 115mm
  • Overall grip length 134mm
  • Mesh style sleeve with diamond pattern
  • Weight (Complete, Pair)  – 144g (including lock rings, locking screws and end caps)

TMR’s kickstarter ends on Monday, January 13 and is just over a third of the way to their £15,000 goal.

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24 Comments
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Chasejj
Chasejj
10 years ago

I really like this concept. The one thing missing for me and everyone I ride with (we all use Ergons BTW) is the palm rest feature of Ergon style is the critical feature we enjoy.

If the 2 features could somehow be combined into a single product, then it is a slam dunk.

I am curious to how long the polymer lasts as well as what happens in hot weather and sun exposure. The UK and the southwest US are 2 vastly different environments.

suede
suede
10 years ago

@chasejj
Positive emotions and constructive questions in a comment section is going to break the internet, please stop.

JK I concur.

Ck
Ck
10 years ago

I’d love to try a product like this, but like Chasejj, i’m hooked on Ergon’s palm rest.

Jeff
Jeff
10 years ago

Have you Ergon guys tried the Specialized version? I find it’s durometer much more to my liking and still gives you the palm rest.

JonB
JonB
10 years ago

I used the Ergons for a while after I broke my hand, and they were a lifesaver then with lower grip strength, but I found that I was actually having issues with technical trails with the ergons – if I hit something just wrong with the front wheel, I had a hell of a time bracing myself, or really punching the wheel forward and down over a steep little dropoff. I ended up going back to my Ourys.

These look like they’re worth a try – hopefully they won’t get all bent out of shape sitting in the sun on 100+ F days! I’d imagine you don’t want to leave them in your car in the summer…

bikeboi
bikeboi
10 years ago

I like the idea, but really, how does it behave in the sun? maybe some chemicals involved in the molding process so it molds like once in a lifetime and won’t be changing shape again when it’s hot… some clarification needed here

dislivello
dislivello
10 years ago

I like idea.. question :do u thinks is possibke chage SHA with post cure in home oven?

Keith Cody
Keith Cody
10 years ago

These seem pretty cool, but $50 is way to much for grips.

Ergons & the new Specialized grips are neat, but what you really want are a pair of 30 year old Oakley 3’s!

http://startupblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/screen-shot-2012-07-17-at-11-49-34-am2.png

Learn the history of Oakley: http://blog.defgrip.net/2011/01/the-history-of-oakley/

Todd Nauert
Todd Nauert
10 years ago

Just wondering when these will make it to the USA?

rick
rick
10 years ago

XX1 gripshift??????

Rico
Rico
10 years ago

Good n’ Evil. Nuff said.

Eli
Eli
10 years ago

Surprised there isn’t more talk of the one piece clamp/band under the grip. My ODIs have about and eighth of an inch of play forward and back so I would take these just for that technology. Very nice.

Ian
Ian
10 years ago

Eli, Hot Tip, Loosen and rotate one lock-on clamp to eliminate play.

JonB
JonB
10 years ago

@Eli – you can get rid of the play by biasing one clamp each way. before you put the grip on, grab both end caps and twist! If there’s still a bit of play, get to one side of the play, loosen one clamp, twist to the other side of the play, and (while holding it against that side) retighten the loosened clamp. This will get rid of the backlash.

davet
davet
10 years ago

surely you want to mould these with your preferred riding gloves on, not bare handed

Tim Lane
10 years ago

I have the Specialized version, and really like them. I pledged on the Kickstarter to get a set of these, I plan on molding them with gloves on, with an open palm and my weight on the handlebar – at least for my first attempt.

stikman
stikman
10 years ago

Back in the day, 1996 to be exact, Downhill World Champion Leigh Donovan was approached by a mad scientist to promote his moldable grip, he also had a pedal cleat ‘wafer’ system that was supposed to align your knee in a way that offered more power. The guy offered some good money for the deal, so after trying the grips out, she liked it, went for it. That season she crashed in races more than ever, and could have just been coincidence, but I think the grips had something to do with it (I was her mechanic that season). These grips required a heat gun and water, took about 10 minutes to shape each grip, I think the problem was that it kept you in a constant position on the bars, when you need to be a little bit free for some movement/repositioning? I still have some of the material (he had grips and bar tape) and I eventually put it on some of my tools (hack saw, hammer, chain tool, big wrenches).

slippyfish
slippyfish
10 years ago

I’m not sure that molding something to fit your hand necessarily equals superior ergonomics, nor would it account for the variety of gripping that a rider’s hand goes through during a ride. Its not in a single place for the whole ride, with different pressure points during climbing, descending, and just riding around. The basic round sectional shape allows for maximum positioning and whatever micro-pattern the grip has can promote gripping and comfort. Its not the same as heat-molded ski boot inserts, for example.

alvis
alvis
10 years ago

stikman– PersonaGrip? Its still around used on steering wheels mostly for motorsport. The mad scientist as you call him is an ergonomics guy and makes each grip to individual requirements. Needs high temps to mould so not user friendly for the masses unfortunately.

Rich
Rich
10 years ago

Ed Dellis (the mad scientist) and I made a wheel for Schumacher in 95 while at Benetton using Persona grip. Lets hope he recovers soon.

Ed Dellis
10 years ago

Mad Scientist here. In the 30+ years I’ve been molding grips, I can assure you they’re the best and can’t be beat WHEN THEY’RE DONE RIGHT. This is an empowering technology that allows the end user to design the HMI to any shape they want. stikman, while I worked with Leigh and introduced her to the product, I never had anything that worked on cleats, nor did I offer any dough to anyone for using a PersonaGrip…ever. It must have been someone else with a “similar” knock-off product. 10 mins is certainly not enough time to develop a good grip…it’s an iterative process to optimize its shape for a given task, trust me.

To do a custom-moldable grip correctly at the PRO level, a trained ergonomist must administer the technology: both hardware and software. When you take a constant and turn it into a variable, unless the underlisting is carefully designed, you can sometimes venture into poor designs that can be counter productive. OTOH, for those who are willing to take the time and energy necessary to develop a proper human-machine interface over a period of months, they simply can’t be beat.

These represent a paradigm shift and aren’t for everyone. At $50, they’re priced right. If you think of the grip as a passive device, then they’re not the right product for your application. However, if you’re a thinker and choose to embrace a paradigm shifting technology, then you’ll realize how good a deal they really are. Good luck guys…I wish you all the best, and stay in touch.

Rich, Ser.#159-F1-001 is sitting right next to me as I type this, and I use it nearly every week at various promos…thanks. btw, Schumacher’s injury is nearly identical to the one that left me in a coma when I cracked my head on the pavement precisely 9 yrs ago, in exactly 23 hours, 32 minutes…but that’s another story. 😉

David
David
10 years ago

I really like the idea. Is there any info on phtalates and BPA content? That will need to be looked into as some countries have strict regulation on it. could potentially be a dealbraker in many EU markets if standards are not met.

daniel
daniel
9 years ago

does anyone knows what is the name of the polymer ?

manolo
manolo
8 years ago

Where can I buy it?

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