bowwow

Cork grips have an appealing look about them. Beyond the looks, are they any good? Do they wear well? I tend to think of cork as not wearing well at all. I've seen really nice-looking grips for $20 to $40. They can look great on certain classic bikes but, is it only looks? Can anyone comment on the functionality of them?

markk900

I used a set on a couple of bikes and without any shellacking or anything they have worn very well (though admittedly those bikes don't see a lot of miles). They feel great. Only downside is that mine picked up dirt pretty easily....

Not the greatest picture but here they are on my Paff:

Velo Mule

Yep. They feel good and look good. If they don't last that long, I'd be willing to buy them again. They are better than most grips in isolating the minor vibrations that come through and the shape is comfortable and grippy.

Most of these grips are not actually all cork, however they put cork bits into an amalgam that must include some rubber which makes them more durable.

3alarmer 

.
...I have some that are carved from genuine cork. They work well, but if you don't glue them in place they tend to slide around.
They doo pick up dirt, but all my grips and tape pick up dirt. I have resisted any sort of shellac or varnish, for fear it would change the feel of them.

They wear OK, if yiu don't beat them up, but cork is by nature a little more fragile than plastic or rubber grip material.

tiger1964 

Hmm, makes me think about repurposing Champagne, Prosecco and Cava corks on French, Italian and Spanish bikes respectively as end plugs.

As for end grips, unless they fail/wear out very quickly, I'd say enjoy them and replace as needed.

Velo Mule

I used the old hairspray on the inside of the grip technique when I put them on.

JohnDThompson 

I put cork grips on a city bike, and they are comfortable and work well. I did treat them with linseed oil after I installed them. One caveat is that they can crumble. I put the bike on a car-top carrier with some other bikes, and one of the other handlebars jostled against the cork grip while transporting. This eroded the end of one of the grips. Still comfortable, still working, but detracted from the appearance.

bikingshearer 

I have a pair on my commuter/city bike, a 1967 Paramount frame with decidedly not period-correct parts. I shellacked mine. I got them from Rivendell, and they have restocked recently - these with grooves for barcon cables (and a more up-to-date write-up) and these without the grooves.

I like the look and I like the feel. I don't ride this bike more than a mile or two at a time, so they have not gotten a full blast of my weapons-grade hand sweat (you should see what they do to leather gloves) but they seem to be wearing well.

Do be sure to glue them in place to avoid slippage. You don't need a lot but do use some. Rivendell recommended Gorilla Glue, and that's what I used, but anything should do. GG expands, so keep that in mind and don't use too much.

smontanaro 

I have a set on a Motobecane Grand Touring mixte we use as a loaner for our AirBnB guests. Ellen also rides it on occasion. No complaints that I've heard of.

nlerner

I've used them on several builds. If you don't treat them with some kind of finish (shellac is popular), they get dirty real fast (though you can get black ones to solve that problem). If you treat them with shellac, they get kinda slippery. Some of my favorite grips are a combo of cork and rubber, a purchase my wife made for me years back somewhere in eastern Germany.

bowwow

Gorgeous bike! I can't help but think that Gorilla glue or similar would make for an awful mess when trying to replace the grips. I envision using a sharp knife to whittle the bar ends like a tree branch.

While admiring your bike I noticed you have the quick slide-out foot straps. I have a pair which I bought many years ago but did not get a chance to use them much, How old are yours? How important are they to you?

bowwow

Does hairspray really "work? I'm a bit skeptical.

Velo Mule

Hairspray is spray adhesive. When it is first applied to the inside of the handgrip it is wet and slides on easily. Don't ride the bike for about a day. After the solvent dries, they stick pretty good. Perhaps not Gorilla Glue good.

Also, I believe that hairspray is water soluble, so it is possible for them to loosen up if riding in the rain. That also would make clean up easy.

I always have some in the house. No, the Mule is not into getting quaffed. My mane goes wherever it goes. It is for Mrs. Mule.

bowwow

Back in the day ... hairspray. Lol

bikingshearer 

Yeah, I've thought of that. But since I have no plans to ever remove them, I put the thought where I put most thoughts - completely out of my mind.

Power Grips, they're called. I got them already installed on pedals from REI, NIB. Installing the straps to pedals yourself probably isn't hard. but buying them already installed is better.
I'd say they are pretty darn important to me. They are easier to get into than clips and straps, I like them a lot for this application, and I would prefer not to have to get rid of them. But then, I've been riding with foot restraints of some sort for over 45 years (clips and straps, usually with cleats and the straps cinched down for 15+, SPDs since then) and I long since grown to very much prefer the feel of my feet being attached to the pedals as opposed to being on top of them. Others much prefer "going commando," as it were. As with so much in cycling, YMMV.

And thanks for the kind words about the bike. I had it repainted and like the way it turned out. I rode it with drop bars and SPDs for abut 10 years. It was all-day comfy and it handled well, but it's a bit noodly for hard riding and hard climbing. (Notice I said "hard," not "fast.") It is great for its present mission, if perhaps a bit of overkill.

bowwow

I was surprised to see those foot straps. Having not seen any in years I assumed they were no longer being sold. The pair I have are quite old but still in good condition.

Your bike isn't overkill, it's art!

bikingshearer 

It appears REI (where I got mine) still carries the pedal-and-strap combination for $49.95. Worth the money, sez I.

gugie 

I really liked the anatomical cork grips I had on this bike:

bowwow

jeez, even if the grips were made of cardboard, the looks would win the prize. Beautiful bike. My personal opinion would be, put a rack on the back, but it's got such appeal that maybe,.. leave it as is. At any rate, she's a beauty.

bowwow

I went to the Rivendell site and had a look. They say that the grips will not work on 23.8 mm grip diameter bars. The pic of your bike shows you have bar-end shifters. Iḿ pretty sure that you would also have 23.8 mm grip dia bars, right? What gives?

bikingshearer 

You know, I'm not sure. The bars have a 25.4mm mid-section but as you say, the barcons are standard issue. It may be that Riv had two different diameters of cork grips when I bought mine - I don't remember one way or the other. All I know is that I like the set-up I've got.

niliraga 

Those will be normal cork grips, I'll bet: judging by those brake levers, these bars are 22.2 diameter and will have their last 3-4cm reamed for bar-ends. Very nice!.

Nitto does this with the Albatross and Soma does it with Sparrows and Oxfords, but these bars here have little or no rise, more like VO porteurs ... I would love to know what these are!

bikingshearer 

Okay, my brain is functioning a bit better this morning. The bars are Nitto Choco bars, sold by Rivendell, as seen here. Per the write up: "The Choco takes bar-end shifters and works with MTB brake levers. Specs
: Heat-Treated 2014 Aluminum, 0.75lb, 54cm wide. 25.4mm clamp." As you will note. they ain't cheap, but then you don't go to Rivendell or Nitto for "cheap."

I bought the bars and the grips a few years ago. Riv was out of the grips for a while, so these may be from a different source. If in doubt, give 'em a call. They're pretty civilized.

bowwow

You are not the first person that I have heard talk about opening the ends of 22mm bars so they can accept barcons. Can you share whatever experience or knowledge you have on the subject? Such as, how would one go about opening the bar ends?

dedhed

Millions of fishing rods can't be wrong.