Back when it was still warm and sunny, we were provided with a pair of Serfas Thin Wall Grips for review. If you’ve got some money left over after the holidays, or are in the middle of your winter rebuild, you may want to consider them for your ride.
Most of the grips I have used in the past were either thick, with a deep pattern cut into them, or thin and smooth. These are neither. They are very thin, with a light pebble texture, as though the rubber was cast in a mold of coarse sand. This makes them very comfortable, and gives them a high traction feel without the stickiness some grips have. Rather than a compound that leaves you feeling like you got glue on your grips, the Serfas Thin Wall Grips rely on the rubber compound and texture to provide traction. For durability, the thin rubber is paired with a harder plastic liner. Like most locking grips, installation takes no time at all. Just slide them on, and carefully tighten the locking collars at each end. For those of us with bicycle OCD, the logos on the collars line up perfectly on the top of your bars, with the allen screws all but invisible underneath. That, and five color options (black, grey, red, blue, and green) to match most bikes gives them a bit of extra appeal. Note that the review samples were black, but I’ve chosen the color options that give the best view of the texture.
Visual appeal and OCD aside, these are great grips. They feel really good, and allow for a secure hold without having to grab the bars tightly. If you have small hands, or like to ride with thicker gloves and therefore want a thinner grip, they are a great option. I prefer them for riding without gloves, which I think makes them ideal for commuting. They should work on a mountain bike or a BMX bike too, but may not hold up well if you crash often or bomb through heavy brush. I haven’t gotten to put enough miles on them to comment on their long term wear, but I seem to get a lot more mileage out of grips when not using gloves. Your results may vary.
MSRP is $25, and of course it pays to shop around. Any reputable dealer will carry Serfas products, as they have been around quite some time, and have earned a reputation for quality. To find your local dealer, just click this link, and then the button that says “Buy Local Now”. You can also visit serfas.com to check out the rest of their cycling products.
– Brian