Handlebar grips that should fit well in the hand and be beautiful and durable at the same time? There is something like that from Brooks, kept in the classic, functional look of the Cambium saddles. After several weeks of practical testing, the conclusion is positive.
Bicycle friends like beautiful materials. A sleek, cleanly finished steel frame or maybe cream sidewall tires will get your heart pumping, but in many places it's really all about function. With the handlebar grips, for example, which are ergonomically shaped in the best case, but are otherwise made of plastic and rubber. That's not particularly nice and sometimes, especially in the long run, it's not a pleasure to touch when the rubber ages and becomes sticky.
Handlebar grip in cambium look
A set of grips that are as beautiful as they are comfortable to grip and durable is available from Brooks. The Brits under the Italian roof, known for their leather saddles for decades, caused a stir years ago with the "Cambium" series: saddles with a classic look, made of a thick layer of natural rubber and provided with a vulcanized textile surface. The latter is now made of waterproof nylon on most models, so that a cambium saddle can also be used in permanently damp environments. And the handles shown here are made of exactly this material.
First of all, the "Ergomonic Rubber Grips" feel pretty hard. Sure, they can't offer the hammock comfort of a Brooks saddle; However, there is no padding under the said textile surface of the handle. The fabric layer blends neatly into the hard rubber body of the handle; the latter has fine lamellae on the underside. There is also some "hardware": The handle is clamped with an anodized aluminum clamp, and there is also an "end cap rivet" (as Brooks calls it) made of light metal with an embossed Brooks logo.
Different variants
A grip plus a plug together weigh exactly 100 grams, based on a length of 130 mm - the grips are also available in 100 mm and half/half with a short grip on the right for bikes with twist shifters. The whole thing is quickly assembled, whereby the plug has to be pressed into the handlebars with quite a lot of force, but it also holds securely there.
As I said, the grips are hard - but you quickly got used to it. The ergonomic thing about the construction is above all the large contact surface for the ball of the hand, which prevents unpleasant pressure. The textile surface is rough but kind to the skin, the rubber lamellae below offer the fingers a good grip when grasping. In any case, the handles are not smooth, unlike, for example, those made of wood (there really is - not recommended). The no-frills look is also pleasing, which goes well with the typical black anodized or painted cockpit components of modern bicycles - and of course especially well with a cambium saddle.
Inexpensive gripping pleasure
While the latter costs upwards of 110 euros, depending on the model, the grips are available for as little as 45 euros – and might therefore be a suitable Christmas present for a cycling friend. Especially for those with a soft spot for beautiful materials.