Robvolz 

I have until 4 when all the LBSs close for the holidays.

My His/Hers ‘71 Cinellis were extensively used. The couple toured Europe then all over America. They were less concerned about being original or thinking Auburn 2023 when they replaced parts that better suited them.

Both came to me with Grab-On grips.

couple things:
1, Grab-On grips hail from Walla Walla, WA. I’m from Bremerton (certainly not bragging. Bremerton sucks) and I think it’s cool that a local random place like Walla Walla produced Bike Parts.

2, my first serious road bike was a silver 1971 Holdsworth. At the time I worked part time in a bike shop and chose to put Grab-On grips. Ted, the original owner loved the restoration I did but told me to get rid of the Grab-Ons. I didn’t because I liked the comfort and bar wrapping was my least favorite thing to do.

3, Being a sponge material, I imagine these things have 50 years of palm and forehead sweat soaked into them.

4, I have noticed at my age, the pads on my palms aren’t as padded as they used to be. I have vintage gloves but I prefer the double thick specialized for most riding. I (we) might enjoy the added comfort.


Faded, but all there.

Hers are red

Mine are black

bboy314

Option 3: cloth tape wrapped over the grab-ons

gearbasher

I didn't vote. Personally, I don't like them. But, you have to do what's right for you and forget about what others think.

juvela

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...and lettuce not forgeteth safety flags...



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Chuck M 

Didn't vote, but I have bought two old bikes with Grab Ons. They smelled funky. My thought is riding with them would have made my hands smell funky so I replaced them with cloth tape, but I replace tape too as it has to have been sweat all up in. When the time comes to rewrap them, I may go back to Grab Ons.

Eyes Roll

These came with my used vintage Schwinn installed by the previous owner. I like to ride, steer, and brake (with turkey levers) sitting in an upright position and these give a good feel and grip to my hands. I personally like them.

Bike-riding is not for those that dislike, hate, or scared of sweat. Give them a good wash with a warm soapy water or steam clean and dry them, the sweat will go away.

P.S. I always ride my bikes with a pair of black washable cotton gloves on, winter or summer. I throw them in my washer with my clothes, regularly. It is a habit. They make me feel safe and give me confidence while bike-riding.

Chuck M 

I ain't afeared of no sweat of my own. But I don't think I want to mess with washing 40 year old foam grips unless they are unobtainium.

Mr. 66

I used to use them until they had holes worn. or would get ripped up.

bulgie 

I used "Ultra-Thin" Grab-ons on my racing bike in the mid-eighties. They are dense closed-cell foam of a reasonably high durometer, not too squishy. I put cloth tape over them of course, I'm not a total fred. I didn't get ostracized by the other racers (especially on the odd occasions when I won), in fact I don't remember anyone even noticing them.

They're very durable, essentially never wear out if you keep an intact layer of cloth tape over them. I used to move them from bike to bike (bar to bar) rather than sell the bike with them still mounted. I still have some used ones waiting for the right bike, and a NIP set that I set aside and then lost... and then found.

Grab-on co-sponsored a top US team (with Davidson) for a while, probably around '78-'82. Their best racer was Mark Pringle, who used to beat George Mount and young amateur Greg Lemond at least once in a while (in case you hadn't heard of him). He's still the answer to the trivia question "what's the best placing ever by an American in the World Amateur Men's Road Race Championships". Mark got 10th in '79. Second best was Lance Armstrong who got 11th before he turned pro.



Whoops looks like Jacques Boyer was also on Team Grab-on. I guess even as a Pringle fan, I'd give the nod to Boyer as the better racer. Pringle never turned pro, that I know of.



No racer would be caught dead with the thick ones though!

sced

I read over on the road forum recently that clear tape is available and can be used as an over-wrap to keep what's under clean. It might have a role here.

Kabuki12

I guess I’m late to the party. I would say change to cloth bar tape but I’m not the one riding the bike . As far as looks go , well ….not very fitting for these bikes.

Manny66 

Like yourself, it seems my hands start to suffer on rides of over 60 miles and the current Cycling gloves have very little padding on them nowadays. But Grab Ons are what Old Dudes used to use ... LOL.

bikingshearer 

You know me, Mr. Ride What You Like. If they feel good, use 'em, with or without cotton tape over them, and the hell with the rest of us.

As to the original question: Grab-Ons are certainly "vintage," but whether they are "classic" is open to debate.

Another possible option for your consideration is multiple layers of tape. A layer of a nice padded tape with cloth over (or even under) it gives some extra padding. I've done that before and it works pretty well.

On a different but related note, it is possible that your bars are too low and/or too far forward for your maximum comfort. (we are not as flexible as we use to be). More often than not, if you are correctly positioned on the bike, padding on the bars or in gloves is not really necessary. Not always, but it is more often than not.

iab

Defiantly vintage and maybe classic to a loving mom.

My .02 - it's fugly.

I try not to call someone's baby fugly, if you can't say something nice, keep yer yap shut. Etc,

But it's fugly. Sorry.

Robvolz 

Oh absolutely!!

This is why I traded a campy rear skewer and some drop out positioning screws to SLOAR for a vintage 100mm Cinelli stem.

Just what the Dr ordered.

Robvolz 

Much respect!!

So, how do you really feel??

seagrade 

In general I’m all for riding what’s comfortable, what fits, what works, and what one already has.

If you’re prepared to ride, and have a significant other also ride, a bicycle with an aluminium handlebar under a fifty-year old absorbent consumable handlebar covering then good luck. Personally I’d want to have a look at the handlebar underneath first.

To each their own, but to me the fact these are Grab-On grips is an irrelevancy in considering the above.

If these bicycles needed new tape and you stumbled across two NOS sets of Grab-On grips would they be your choice?

rando_couche

According to the calendar, they qualify, so knock yourself out. On my '78 Jack Taylor, I use cork tape, which doesn't qualify. Oh well.

daka

If you want to use Grab-Ons, fine, but then you should install some "safety" levers to the brakes to complete the "look"

repechage

Grab Ons are Fred endorsed.

merziac

My 2c, Grab-ons if you like but no, a sponge too far.

This is my fix for the problem.

A bit hard to see here, I wrap from the hoods up with cork, generic black foam then wrap the whole bar again with Cinelli or more black, makes the top thicker with more cushion.

The bigger around helps more too as its easier to hold on too and fatigues less.




And here's some Grab on goodness just for fun.

davester

They're definitely vintage but they're not, and have never been, classic. They were ugly back in the day and they remain ugly today.

Chombi1 

I had Grab Ons on my bike, back in the early 80's. I liked them because I found the cello bar tape on my Peugeot just wasn't comfortable. I eventually quit using Grab Ons because they retained water when I rode in the rain and took days to dry out. I also found out that they retained so much water that they added significant amount of weight on the bike. I got vinyl padded bar tape instead.

Garthr

As has been noted, they're vintage yet anything but classic. They retain moisture and absorb whatever else is on your hands, (food, snot, etc.). (What a lovely image !). They make your bars look like a pool noodle, "smurf friendly ?" If your hands are hurting don't necessarily blame the bars. Look at your core strength, body position in relation to the BB, frame reach and bar position, pretty much everything leading up to holding the bars.

SJX426 

I used them on my wife's bike, mid 7-'s, in College Place, Wa, right next to Walla Walla. Long gone because they didn't hold up. No picture.