Aushiker

While I have Ergon grips on my Jones H-bar, they do not have bar ends. My new 'touring bike' has flat bars and a Rohloff E14 Shifter and is currently fitted with Ergon GP1 Evo, but I would like more hand positions.

Hence, I am tossing between the Ergo GP5 BioKork grips and the GP3 BioKork grips.

Does anyone have experience with either? Is the GP5-L just too much for long-distance multi-day rides?

The alternative is SGLab's 702 and a set of their innerbands. I am unsure about this idea, but I am interested in others' experiences.

Small cog

I have the standard rubber GP3s on my touring bike and they work very well, I would recommend them.

elcruxio

Our e-touring-cargo-bike has Ergon GC1's and they're honestly amazingly good. They're designed for angled handlebars and put the wrist in a pretty much perfect position for long days. So far I've tested them for 160km daily distances and my hands didn't bother me at all.

I'd combine them with the SQlab innerbarends for an additional hand position / wind option. I have those one my MTB and they're great for transitions to and from trails

Rick

I also use the Ergon GC1 BIokork grips

Because I use the Rohloff Lefty Shifter I had to use the non Rohloff set and cut the left grip down myself.

veganbikes

I know Ergons I use nothing but Ergons for flat bars and alt bars so I would recommend a variant of those.

The GC1s are specifically for sweptback bars and are great in that function. You might also consider the GP4 and stick right in the middle sort of a goldilocks situation. I have used 3s and 5s and if I want he bar end grip probably I want the longer version. In your case I might also consider adding some SQ inner bar ends or like the short Ritchey aero bars (or similar) in addition to the Ergon but I would stay Ergon no matter what. Ergon Grips when you absolutely have to grip every bar in the room except no subsitutes.

Aushiker

My bars do not have much of a sweep if any at all so not sure the GC1's would work ok for me.

Dumb question time ... I cannot get how one would use the innerbarends. It just seems odd to me.

Aushiker

Love the bike setup ...

Aushiker

I considered GP4 grips, but they do not do them in BioKork . Short aero bars are something I hadn't considered but will investigate now.

zacster

I have the SQLabs bar inners and grips and I swear by them now. At first I had to remember to grip by the inners but now I do all the time. I mostly ride a roadie but for years I commuted on the flat bar and wish I had them back then.


I can shift and brake without moving my hands.

djb

The cork versions do have a nice tactile thing to them, less sticky when really hot.
I have a set of the long ones, but only use them on my winter commuter bike.
Having any sort of bar end, even short, is crucial to me to change up hand position.
The added inner things seem like a great idea, but haven't used any.
I tend to agree that ergon stuff is worth the extra money, they are better than cheaper stuff I've used over the years

Aushiker

I will do some measureing on the weekend and see if I can get away with a combination of Ergon GP3 + Innerbands. If not I will probably go the the GP5 grips.

djb

Re 5 with longer bar end with the bend Vs 3 with a shorter straight ish bar end-- I got my gp5 with a used bike years ago, and personally I never really use the bent part.
In snow and slippy snow I sometimes appreciate having my hands fully on the length of the bar end, but that's really more for having my hands much wider than the regular grip area ( for more see saw handlebar motions due to a squirrelly front end)
But having the wrist position in a similar position to being on the hoods is the main advantage.
I've used regular old bar end for years, same thing, changes up wrist position, crucial to me for hand comfort.
I certainly can't tell you what you'd prefer, but I wouldn't buy the long versions if I was spending the money, but that's me.
Have you used old school bar ends before? If you aren't comfortable, one can catch them on branches and stuff, if that would be a concern for you, but that also depends on your riding skills and whatnot.
I have regular rubber ergons on my jones bars, and tactile wise they are fine, but the cork ones do have a neat, different feel to them.
Cheers

Bill1227

I have owned/used all of those
- the GP5-L cork were really nice but keep in mind imo they are at there best on flat bar widths similar to early 90’s MTB / Scott Alt Bar 2. IMO not todays widths with out cutting down
-GP3 = ok nothing special
- my first choice is an alt bar with inner ends / bull horns like the Velo Crazy Bar, Kona Durham Personally I love my Salsa 23 degree bend bar with Specialized Ned Over Ends used as inner / bull. With these types you have the width for control on single track dirt, bulls for hoods and slightly more aero and multi hand position. Second Choice Bio Cork GP5 early 90’s MTB width bar. Basically a early 90s Scott one piece alt 2 bar - same thing
-

djb

Good point--mine are on my mid to late 90s MTB that has some riser bars with a slight angle, but are definitely 90s width--and I do like using the bar ends in slidey deep snow partly because the bar ends put my hands wider than the grips. On narrow bars it's nice to be wider for fast see-saw corrections when pushing the front in loose snow.

Aushiker

Thanks, @Bill1227, for your input. I have found that due to the design of the stem on the bike, it seems that no other brands of bars will fit, so changing the bars is not a realistic option. Even the standard Reise and Muller bar is a custom-manufactured bar. This leaves with deciding on grips. Having considered all the options, I am going to give a pair of Ergon GP3 grips combined with a pair of SQLabs 410 2.0 Innerbarends. I guess I will find out soon enough if that was a good decision or not

It has been a long time since I owned a '90s mountain bike, so I do not recall the bar widths. What was normal then?

Bill1227

About 600mm or 23 1/2” comes to mind

Aushiker

I just got a chance to measure mine and they are 700 mm for what it is woth.

Bill1227

ok, in my experience that width is better suited to inner bull horns/inner ends with outer grips which is what you did.

keep adjusting until you dial them

here are mine fwiw on my dirt touring set up trek 520. I use Salsa Bend Bar with some specialized bar ends I had prior. I later taped all after dialed.

djb

I finally got around to measuring my winter bike with the GP5 L cork jobs -- bars are just under 600, so pretty much inline with what the other feller was saying.
My Jones bars are the standard 710mm I think.

With your bars at 700, I would think that big bar ends like on the gp5 L would make your arms pretty wide, where in headwinds on my winter bike with the 580 or 590 width bars, they aren't too bad.
I can say though that with the Jones bars, I really like bringing my hands to that junction point of the tops and main part, and being inwards a lot compared to the grips position makes a real difference with headwinds and going faster downhill--so I would expect that inner bar end thingees would be a nice option to have, especially with wider bars.

again, have fun trying out stuff and show us what you end of trying out.

Aushiker

A quick update. I have now fitted the Ergon GP3-L Biokork grips. I need to fine-tune the position. I am still waiting for the SQ Labs innerbarends to arrive.

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/aushiker/, on Flickr