What are the best mountain bike grips? Wil’s tested a bunch over the years, and here he’s put together five of his current favourite lock-on grips. Over to Wil!
Having invented the concept some 25-years ago, ODI has long been the king of the lock-on, with the iconic Ruffian being the jewel in its crown. The Ruffian still exists (and continues to be copied by every other grip brand out there), but it’s the Elite series that has taken that has taken the design to the next stage of development.
The Elite range comes in three options; the Motion (thinnest), the Flow (medium), and the Pro (thickest).
All three versions use a single locking clamp design, along with tapered outer flanges that encapsulate a durable hard plastic end cap. ODI builds the Elite grips in the US with its proprietary ‘Soft Pro’ rubber compound. The base diameter is actually the same for all three Elite models, with the key difference being the addition 3D tread patterns that increase the effective diameter.
ODI Elite Flow Grip Specs
- Diameter: 30.2-31mm
- Total length: 130mm
- Grip area length: 123mm
- Single locking clamp w/3mm hex screw
- Confirmed weight: 100g
- Colour options: Green, Blue, Black, Graphite, Red, Orange
- RRP: £26.99 / $49.95
On The Trail
As the middle option of the range, the Elite Flow grip has a 31mm diameter once you factor in the half-waffle pattern that sits underneath the grip.
The really clever part though is the offset profile – something you won’t know is there just by looking at the grips. Unlike a lot of other grips, the rubber walls on the Elite Flow are built thicker where they face your palm. This increases shock absorption, and therefore comfort, all without having to make the entire grip fatter.
Because of this, you’ll want to get the orientation right. A handy etched guide on the outside of each grip indicates the ideal angle range, and you can fine-tune by rotating the grip up to 30° forwards or backwards.
In use the Elite Flow’s are a proper Goldilocks grip, achieving an idyllic balance between traction, comfort and feedback. The waffle pattern gives useful hold for when things are damp or just sweaty, but the soft rubber compound and micro-knurled pattern are still friendly on bare skin.
Overall
A durable, well-made set of grips that feature slick anodized clamps and high quality rubber. The evolved design will suit a broad range of riders looking for a comfortable yet low-profile grip that works in a wide range of conditions.
Review Info
| Brand: | ODI |
| Product: | Elite Flow Grips |
| From: | Ison-Distribution (UK) / Lusty Industries (AUD) |
| Price: | £26.99 / $49.95 AUD |
| Tested: | by Wil Barrett for 9 months |
Comments (3)
Comments Closed
mine wore out pretty quickly. but i put that down to using muc off
@andybrad – Interesting about the Muc-Off claim! I’ve not experienced rapid wear myself, and I’ve had these ODI Elites for well over a year, with a fair dose of bike washing in between. So far they’re fairing pretty well, though that softer compound will wear faster than a firmer compound. ‘Tis the tradeoff for the added comfort and traction.
[ST Wil]
I’m trying out the Pro version with the extra palm padding. It doesn’t look much but I found the grip a bit awkward until getting the orientation right with the pad on top so it sits behind the knuckles. Once sorted they are pretty comfy and very grippy.