Ergon sent us a set of their GE1 Evo Factory grips to put to the test. We’ve been riding them on various tracks, from steep and loamy trails, to rough and rocky. As a key contact point with your bike, grip preferences can vary greatly. We’re here to share our experiences with the GE1 Evo Factory.
Specs
- Frozen Moss / Oil-Slick, Frozen Orange, Frozen Stealth, Oil Slick / Frozen Stealth
- $39.95 USD
- Cold Forged Aluminum / CNC machined clamp
- Available in regular and slim
- 119 grams for the set
- Built-in handlebar plug
- 135mm length
The Oil Slick finish on the clamps looks pretty sleek – we like its aesthetic in combination with the semi transparent rubber. According to Ergon, the GE1 Evo Factory was “developed for the toughest races in the Enduro World Series”.
A proprietary CNC machined clamp has a much wider interface with the handlebar than many typical grips, making for a secure feel that’s free of any unwanted rotation.
Left and right specific grips are key in maintaining an ergonomic fitted shape.
Textured panels are aimed at preventing rotational movement of the hand, and do a good job locking you in one position.
Built in end-caps seemed to withstand a fair bit of abuse, and we’d imagine they’ll hold up for the life of the grips.
On the Trail
The rubber compound felt to be high quality, and very grippy, and applicable for a variety of conditions, though after some comparison to grips we’re fond of, we would prefer a slightly softer rubber compound. The grips didn’t take the edge off on rough trails, but they did provide a sense of control due to keeping the hands locked in. We enjoyed that feeling of control, but found it hard to stray from our personal comfort of being able to shift hand position, particularly while in the air. We typically ride with gloves, which seemed to make the subtleties of the ergonomic shape slightly less noticeable than when we skipped the gloves. Having already mentioned the rubber durometer, we’ll note that we especially desired a softer compound when we rode sans gloves. At a standard length of 135mm, the grips were plenty large for our small/medium size hands.
The CNC machined inner clamp with a 3mm allen made for easy installation, and a strong clamping force. Due to the clamps wide nature it’s worth noting that it does take up more room on the bar. At an average width of 32mm, the grips are fairly thick, but due to the ergonomic recess’ they don’t feel as ‘chunky’ as a 32mm fully cylindrical grip would. At a standard length of 135mm, the grips were plenty large for our small/medium size hands. A weight of 119 grams does fall in higher than say a set of slim grips such as the 90 gram set of Sensus Lites, though it’s not as hefty as Ergon’s 33mm wide GA2 FAT grips which come in at 135g. Durability over time remained high, we have yet to experience and degradation of bar ends, rubber, or clamps.
Overall
The Ergon GE1 Evo Factory grips are form fitting, and aimed at supporting the intricacies of our hand shapes. A fairly high price of nearly ~$40 will get you a product that’s likely to last longer than other grips due to their high end rubber, and heavy duty clamp. For those looking to feel locked into their cockpit, or those in need of more wrist support, the GE1 Evo Factory grips are a worthy option.
