We’ve ridden with a wide variety of lock-on grips, and we thought you should know about Giant’s offering. The Sole-O grips sell for $25.
Tech features: Giant’s Sole-O grips have a single-side, lock-on clamp and a custom, anatomic, raised rubber surface. The Sole-O grips are available in black, blue and red, and the lock rings are sold in six different colorways (click here to see color choices). Giant, click here.
After the thrashing: It’s the little things that get the wrecking crew excited. One of our pet peeves is the slippery aluminum lock rings on the outside of lock-on grips. We’ve often knurled and roughed them up with a file to reduce the slippery sensation. The Giant Sole-O grips can lock on at the innermost point of the grip, so on the outside they have rubber instead of a metal ring. This may not seem like a big deal, but riders who put their hands at the very ends of their handlebars know exactly what we’re talking about. The Giant Sole-O grips hold firmly with the single-sided lock ring, and the medium-width rubber grip is comfortable and doesn’t have the harsh plastic feel of other brands. Grips are a disposable mountain bike component, and the best ones disappear beneath your hands as you ride and let you focus on the trail ahead. While the grips cost a few dollars more than other popular lock-on grips, we think they are worth it.
