OneUp Components Grip REVIEW

Review by Caitlin Wilkinson

In addition to the two new grips that OneUp Components has introduced to their range – the “Thick Grips” and “Thin Grips” – they continue to offer their original mid-size option, creatively named the ”OneUp Grips”. With a purposeful ergonomic design and some clever construction, we were excited to put them to the test to see how they performed.

THE LAB

The original OneUp grips were designed to increase rider comfort without adding to the overall diameter. They achieve this by removing the plastic core in zones where it is not required, increasing the rubber thickness for the average 30mm diameter grips. The 136mm long OneUp grips have a semi-ergonomic design, with raised finger ramps on the back side to increase rubber thickness further here and let your fingers latch on easier to their 20A rubber compound. The entire grip surface is given a knurled texture to further promote grip, letting you relax your hands a little when descending.

Alongside all of the clever design on the inside, on the outside you can see little R and L icons on them so you don’t get them mixed up, and their motto ‘Work Less’ on the left hand grip and ‘Ride More’ on the right hand grip – cool! They are available in seven different colors; black, blue, green, orange, purple, red and (my favorite) turquoise, so you can match your ride. The OneUp grips come in at 97g for a pair, and retail for $24.50 / £24.50.

THE DIRT

Pulling the OneUp Grips out of their packaging, I immediately noticed the sweet knurling and soft finger ramp section underneath. The single bolt lock-on system made it easy for the grips to slide onto my handlebars. After a little tap from the hammer to ensure they were fully seated and securing the single bolt, they were good-to-go.

On the bike, they have a “close to bar” feel that reminds me of the feeling that a “conventional” non-lock on grip provides, leaving me reminiscent of my old BMX grips. Replacing the inner core with the outer rubber results in a grip that has a comfortable ride feel close to a conventional grip straight out the box. This means good things for your hands on long descents. As a gloveless rider, comfort is key for me. The first place I rode can get rather gnarly and I figured it would be the best place to test the grips out, especially on those ‘oh sh*t’ moments where I end up gripping a little harder than usual. At first, I thought the 20A rubber was quite hard, at least in comparison to my other well worn grips, and I noticed how slippery the grips were when I started to sweat. This applied to when caught in those classic Scottish rain downpours. However, after a little use the compound improved considerably.

I have particularly small hands for a female, and I liked the ergonomics of the grips. Their low profile proved to be comfortable, ensuring I was able to get my hands around the whole of the grip. The gripper ramps gave me something extra to hang onto when things got gnarly, ensuring I didn’t have to white-knuckle the grips too bad. The one downside of their design is that they can feel a little hard in the spots where the plastic core is beneath the rubber, especially towards the inboard end of the grip. I found over a long day that this could begin to transmit more harsh bumps and feedback directly into my hands, leaving me longing for a bit more comfort. This may not be the case for riders who hold onto the outside edges of the grips.

I did have a silly crash on an off-piste trail and unfortunately, that was enough to slightly tear one of the grips. Over time they ended up discolored slightly from transporting the bike upside down in a van, but saying that I’m still to find a brand where the bright turquoise doesn’t turn green after a good few dirty rides. It didn’t stop the fun though; they’ve held up well for me overall, and I’ve enjoyed their performance.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Although I’m not used to such a low profile, I enjoyed the One Up Component grips. The 20A rubber takes a little bit to settle in at first, but once it has been ‘ridden in’, the grips become tacky and comfortable. I can’t comment about hand durability as I have never worn away any grips with my hands, but I do tend to tear and discolour grips. I would consider the One Up Components grips for anyone who likes a close to bar feeling, or for those ladies/teens with smaller hands. Their new thin grips would likely double down on this thin feeling if you want to take it to the extreme.

Price: $24.50 / £24.50
Website: Oneupcomponents.com