Installing a set of the best mountain bike grips is an easy way to make a big difference to your riding by improving comfort and control at one of the key contact points on your bike.
Mountain bike grip choice is as personal as it gets and there are no hard and fast rules here about which ones to go for. However, shock and absorption, width and surface texture are three things to bear in mind when considering which mountain bike grips to get.
You might be happy with a relatively thin and firm grip if you're riding cross-country, but you'll likely want something with a bit more cushioning and a grippier surface if you're heading downhill.
Length of grip is another thing to consider. If you have large hands or run a wide handlebar, you might appreciate longer grips, but if space on your bar is limited you might want to go for a shorter grip.
Most of the grips here are lock-on grips that have clamps. These are good because they stay in place and don't move around, as other clamps can.
With this in mind, read on to find out about the best grips our expert testers have got their hands on.
Best mountain bike grips in 2023
Gusset S2 (Extra Soft Compound)
- Price: £18 as tested
- Length: 131mm
- Diameter: 32mm
Your hands drop neatly into place on the S2s, as the Extra Soft rubber sags a little under your weight. The diamond-cut pattern and raised finger strips keep your hands exactly where you want them.
They provide unparalleled damping and lessen wrist-jarring on big impacts. The single lockring means you can easily access the full width of the grip, with support over the whole palm.
However, there’s no escaping how quickly the Extra Soft Compound rubber wears down, with these showing signs of it after testing, but that’s the trade-off for their top-level compliance and feel.
Chromag Format
- Price: £22/$30/€24/AU$39 as tested
- Length: 134mm
- Diameter: 30mm
Considering how good these Chromag grips are at damping vibrations coming through the bar, the direct handling you get from these slim-feeling grips is impressive.
The finger ridges do a decent job of adding mechanical grip – even though they aren’t the biggest – and the ribbing for thumb comfort is softer than most. A subtle outboard flange adds support when resting your hands right at the edge of the grips.
We didn’t always find our fingertips sat in the indents. As on most grips here, you can’t use your bar for tool storage due to the integrated end caps.
DMR Deathgrip Race Edition
- Price: £26/$28.95/€27.99 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 30mm
DMR's Deathgrip Race Edition grips offer huge amounts of traction thanks to their super-soft and 'race' compound construction which has been developed in collaboration with Brendan Fairclough.
Alongside tacky rubber, the knurl pattern bites into hands and gloves well, providing unparalleled grip while still remaining plush for damping.
All this traction does come at a cost, with the grips relatively quick to wear out.
A 'mushroom' section near the thumb allows for shifters and dropper levers to be used while still feeling a secure connection to the bar through rough sections.
ODI AG-2
- Price: £30/$35/AU$55 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 30.5mm
Developed with Aaron Gwin, you’d expect these single-lockring grips to take a thrashing, and they don’t disappoint.
The AG-2s have a very direct feel, transmitting a reassuring amount of feedback from the bar. Raised finger slots and large-diameter ends keep your digits in place, while the rubber compound used is forgiving enough to damp the buzz from rougher trails.
They’re the priciest on test, though – not a deal-breaker, but not ideal if you tend to wear out grips quickly. The smaller diameter in the thumb area sometimes left us wanting more support for the inside of our palms.
Brand-X Half-Waffle
- Price: £7.99/$9.99/€8.99/AU$12.99 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 28.5mm, 31mm
Brand-X is known for its value for money, with the Half-Waffle grips being no exception, bringing lock-on grips to an ultra-low price point.
A tapered design that widens towards the end of the grip gives confidence while providing plenty of control through the palm of your hand.
The knurled pattern and half-waffle design on the underside of the grip give it plenty of traction, with the performance unparalleled in grips usually found at this price point.
While the plastic lock-on clamp isn't as effective as the metal kind found on more expensive grips, it does a good job of preventing grip twist.
DMR Deathgrip Flangeless
- Price: £21 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 30mm
There’s plenty of friction on offer from Brendan Fairclough’s signature grips, and the diamond pattern has the ‘sharpest’ feel in your hands. A small waffle area helps to add security for your fingers.
The Deathgrips strike a good balance between cushioning and a responsive feel on the trail, and they come in lots of options, including a ‘firm’ gum rubber.
The tapered core is a tight fit on the bar, making it hard to know if the grip is installed fully. DMR’s standard ‘soft’ compound is firmer than others here, but there’s a super-soft Race version, too.
ODI Elite Pro
- Price: £27.99/$29.95/€30 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 30mm, 32mm
The Elite Pros have an ergonomic design that offers high comfort levels without being overly bulky.
The thick rubber numbs vibrations through the bars, while maintaining a direct feel for accurate line choice, though this disappears towards the ends of the grips, where it's needed most.
A large outboard flange is positioned at the end of the grip, which we found reassuring, especially if you hold your bars at the ends.
The half-waffle design adds plenty of traction, though we'd have liked a softer rubber for greater comfort.
OneUp Grips
- Price: £23/$25/€26 as tested
- Length: 135mm
- Diameter: 28.5mm–30mm
The OneUp Grips are made from a soft rubber with a slightly tacky feel, and the diamond pattern gives plenty of traction. Directional ridges add even more purchase.
The grips taper in diameter from 28.5mm near the lock-on collar to 30mm at the outboard end, where there’s a slight flange, which adds support and cushioning. The ride feel is direct without becoming harsh.
They lack the additional thumb cushioning that some other designs provide, so if you have large hands or prize comfort over all else, the slim shape may not suit you.
Renthal Push-On Ultra Tacky
- Price: £13/$17 as tested
- Length: 136mm
- Diameter: 27.5mm
Looking for the most direct and responsive-feeling grips possible? The Renthal Push-On Ultra Tacky grips are some of the best.
The lack of a plastic insert means they provide comparable damping to thicker options. Installing them with glue is quick and easy, too, and they stayed in place during testing. The rubber really is ultra tacky, so it helps with keeping your hands in place, as does the flange at the end.
There are no finger ridges or waffle pattern for added grip and if you can’t detach your brake levers, gear shifter or dropper post lever without also removing your grips, these aren’t your best bet.
Renthal Traction UltraTacky
- Price: £25/$33/AU$55 as tested
- Length: 130mm
Renthal’s UltraTacky lock-ons offer so much purchase that even a layer of dust or grime doesn’t affect grip. The ‘traction ridges’ stop your hands slipping on flat landings. Plus, the super-soft rubber compound helps damp trail chatter and vibration when things get rough.
The large twin lockrings won’t be to everyone’s taste, though. They sit taller than the rest of the grip and, if you’re used to hanging your hands off the end of the bar, you may find the outer ring a little intrusive under the meaty outer edge of your palm, especially on bigger impacts.
Also consider…
The following mountain bike grips scored fewer than four out of five stars when our reviewers tested them, but they might just tick the right boxes for you.
All Mountain Style Cero
- Price: £27/$33/€30 as tested
- Length: 132mm
- Diameter: 30mm
All Mountain's Style Cero grips use a comfortable rubber compound that aids in damping trail vibrations and adds mechanical grip when wearing gloves.
A slight outboard flange helps keep your hands centred on the grips, while the half-waffle underside keeps your fingers in place.
While the knurled pattern adds to the grip, it's certainly not as effective as others we have tested.
Deity Knuckleduster
- Price: £19/$22/AU$40 as tested
- Length: 132mm
- Diameter: 32mm
The Knuckledusters are new-school grips that combine a single lockring with an internal conical sleeve, to give a solid hold on the bar while still allowing you to use its full width.
Coupled with the waffle design on the underside, the upper mushroom pattern provides decent comfort. At 32mm in diameter, they’ll suit riders with larger hands.
With each flange of the mushroom pattern standing independently, the grips can feel vague when you start to push harder. This can be fixed by holding on tighter, but doing so often leads to early arm pump.
Ergon GE1 EVO Factory
- Price: £36.99/$44.95/€44.95 as tested
- Length: 141mm
- Diameter: 30mm
Using a softer rubber than Ergon's standard grips, the GE1 EVO Factory offers good traction thanks to a tacky compound, which provides high levels of control.
The GE1 EVO Factory features a flared design that helps to distribute pressure across the grip evenly while keeping your hands centred on the grip.
The dimensions of the grips make it difficult to set up brakes and shifters in preferred positions because they are longer than most other grips on the market.
Ergon GFR1
- Price: £33/$40 as tested
- Length: 141mm
- Diameter: 30mm
With their raised finger ridges and knurled pattern, the GFR1s give good mechanical grip, despite the rubber compound not being that tacky. The ribbed section under the palm damps vibrations well, taking the sting out of the trail while maintaining direct handling.
These are longer than many grips, so take up the most handlebar real estate and their end-plugs stick out further, too. They’re also pricy. We’d like to see a flange at the outboard end and more thumb cushioning.
RaceFace Love Handle
- Price: £23/$25/AU$36 as tested
- Length: 130mm
- Diameter: 28–30mm (tapered)
These double-lockring grips use a mushroom pattern under the palm for comfort and have a knurled underside that gives plenty of purchase. Flipping them puts the knurled section under your palms for even more feedback through the bar.
One of our first test pairs had a lockring drop off, but the problem hasn’t recurred with our second set. These grips are slim, tapering down to 28mm, and give a lot of feedback through the bar, which won’t suit everyone. They take longer to bed-in than we’d have liked too.
Nukeproof Horizon Race
- Price: £20/$30/AU$39 as tested
- Length: 143mm
- Diameter: 30.5mm–33mm (tapered)
There are lockrings at each end of the Horizon Race grips to hold them in place, secured with 2.5mm Allen bolts. The outer ring has a metal end cap, which helps to protect the grips from crash damage.
While the grips themselves only come in black, the rings are available in a choice of six anodised colours.
With a ring on each end, the grips are very long (143mm), so you may have to move your controls inboard to fit them, making your bar feel narrower.
The rubber isn’t particularly forgiving on the hands, with the mushroom sections not providing the cushioning you’d hope for.
