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OEM Foam Handlebar Cover

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OEM Foam Handlebar Cover

Old 05-14-22, 04:03 PM
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etherhuffer 
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OEM Foam Handlebar Cover

No laughing please. May not be the vintage item everyone thinks of but some rides came from the shops with this on. Ugly as it is, this stuff is sure easy on the hands. And miserable to install or remove. YMMV Went for a spin on old Super Sport with this stuff. Starting to disintegrate with age. Black stuff everywhere
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Old 05-14-22, 04:09 PM
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There used to be similar stuff on eBay, I bought a couple. It was not as durable as the old stuff. Cracking in only a couple of years.
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Old 05-14-22, 05:29 PM
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Probably the biggest manufacturer of those grips was a company called “Grab On.” They had several styles: Ultrathin, Maxi and Comfort. Maybe this info will help for an eBay search.
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Old 05-14-22, 07:26 PM
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Is Hypalon (fishing rod grips) similar? You know? For a restoration.
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Old 05-14-22, 07:52 PM
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Grab On foam handlebar wrap made in Walla Walla, WA used to be very visible in bike stores and magazine advertising. I think they even sponsored a bike racing team. Then they branched out in other industrial products and I don't know what eventually happened with them. They had both a thick touring and then racing versions.

They weren't so hard to put on if you used some liquid soap to lubricate the process before application. Also compressed air could work well.
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Old 05-14-22, 08:08 PM
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The Grab-ons did feel quite good on the hands when I had them on my bike in the early 80's. Thing I did not like about them was they soaked up water when I rode in the wet and the bike gains like 2 pounds in weight and they took like days to totally dry out.
IIRC, Grab-on did come out with thinner lighter weight foam bar covers, but padded vinyl bar tape eventually killed off Grab-on when everyone went that direction for their handlebars......
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Old 05-14-22, 08:30 PM
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I've bought a couple of bike in the last year or so with Grab-ons. They smelled like every one that rode it back in the 80s.
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Old 05-15-22, 05:30 AM
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Grab on is still around, more into MC, but still do bicycle.

​​​​​​Bicycle Grips | Grab On Grips, LLC
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Old 05-15-22, 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Doug Fattic
Grab On foam handlebar wrap made in Walla Walla, WA used to be very visible in bike stores and magazine advertising. I think they even sponsored a bike racing team. Then they branched out in other industrial products and I don't know what eventually happened with them. They had both a thick touring and then racing versions.

They weren't so hard to put on if you used some liquid soap to lubricate the process before application. Also compressed air could work well.
Grab On still has a warehouse in Walla Walla out by the airport surrounded by wineries and a coffee roaster around the corner. It's not a walk up business so I haven't investigated if they still have bicycle product.
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Old 05-15-22, 10:45 AM
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One that I didn't see mentioned is Spenco, I think their product is neoprene.
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