Back in May Bike Hacks was the recipient of a new product, GripRings, produced by a company named Spurcycle. Not only did Bike Hacks get a set to review, the fine folks at Spurcycle agreed to send a set to a Bike Hacks reader.
Reader Noah was the chosen one and his review is below. And as a follow up on my review, I really liked them to start and I still like them. I have dirtied them up several times and they clean up nicely. They are also as soft and comfortable as the first day I got them. I give the product five zip ties! =)
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I’ve enjoyed the use of Spurcycle’s GripRings for several weeks after receiving them as part of Bike Hack’s reader review feature. They are attractive, highly customizable, and rather comfortable. The lifesaver shaped rings present the consumer with customizability both in terms of configuration and color scheme.
The ordering process is quite easy. Using a nicely designed web interface, customers are able to drag and drop a combination of colored rings from a medium-sized palette of primary and secondary colors onto a mock handlebar. Once your order is placed, the team at Spurcycle will ship you a small plastic baggy filled with rings in your selected color scheme, a transparent sticker meant to wrap the handlebar in preparation for the rings, caps for your handlebar openings, and instructions.
I’m sure the customizable color scheme will appeal to many who wish to identify with a college or city sports team, company, or rock band. It’s nice that Spurcycles can let fans express themselves without wading into the excessively litigious world of sports licensing.
The installation of the GripRings is fairly easy. Of course, anything would seem easy in contrast to the handlebar wrestling required to remove my old grips. However, the ease of GripRing installation and removal is one of their major benefits. The short GripRings are much easier to slide on the handlebar than a conventional full rubber grip. I had some difficulty attaching the end caps, but I may have a handlebar with a nonstandard diameter. In contrast to some handlebar grips, the GripRings are compatible with mirrors or other accessories that attach to the end of a bar. More or fewer rings can be added to accommodate larger or smaller hands.
As I mentioned, I have used the GripRings for several weeks of medium-range Florida commuter cycling. I found them comfortable for continuous rides of up to 15 miles. I suspect they would be comfortable longer, but I simply haven’t had a chance to test them on a longer ride. The rings show no signs of fading or hardening from exposure to sun, rain, or the elements. Even with heavy use they don’t start to look dirty as oils and dirt build (perhaps contingent on your preferred color scheme). Overall, GripRings are comfortable and stylish bike accessory.
