SDG Components: The All-New Thrice Grips

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Sure, riding your bike with no hands can be fun, exhilarating, and a great way to scare your mother. But, when it’s time to strap up and get down, there are few components in which riders interact with as intimately as grips. At first glance, they don’t appear to be an overly complicated part, and SDG will not tell you they hired some ex-NASA engineers to design the new Thrice grips, but they did incorporate some pretty cool features to make certain they are more than just a color-matching accessory for your bike.

Chris Han headed the product team for the HanSolo and now also the Thrice Grips. Here he drops down in Laguna Beach, testing his favorite purple Thrice Grips.

SDG Components is a small, core brand, focused on making a few things and making them well. They’re like the In-N-Out Burger of bicycle components. They got their start making saddles back in 1993 and have led the industry with some of the most popular and revolutionary butt-perches. About 20 years later, they decided that along with keeping riders comfortable while seated, they could offer them the same high-performance luxury under their palms. Enter the HanSolo grip—a design that many still love and buy today.

Grips have come a long way since then. However, rather than use the open source mold core found on too many grips, with simply a logo and pantone selection, SDG decided to do it their way. This is not the same old grip you’ve seen with a different logo. They tested various densities, thicknesses, texture angles, material composites, and then listened. All testers provided feedback and compared with various notes and emails from customers (good and bad) over the years, SDG made more rapid prototypes, riding samples and repeated the process again and again until what you see here today. The SDG Thrice grips.

The new Thrice grips features an integrated 1-piece Lock-On Technology, thanks to an in-molded collar with stainless steel bolts. With the clean interface, it also provides industry leading weight reduction compared to traditional alloy rings. This unique Lock-On system is complemented with a tapered and slotted inner core that holds, giving you the ultimate confidence to go fast and yank hard!

Wrapping the proprietary inner core is the dual density grip, with you guessed it, THREE different patterns. A firmer inner stabilizes the grip for ultimate control, while the plush, gel-based Thermoplastic Elastomers compound (some may call it TPE) offers a supple feel, vibration absorption, and long lasting durability.

During the development of the Thrice, the test team discovered that combining an ovalized profile with the key parts of different grips, offered the most ergonomic feel, maximum comfort, and incredible traction. SDG’s Thrice grips pack the benefits of an extended length mushroom design, ramped/undercut grabbers, and 3D damper grips all in one. The collapsible ribs of the half-mushroom portion of the grip offer all-day comfort on even the most blown out Whistler Bike Park days.

The gel-based TPE compound material offers all day comfort with the recessed and raised icon dampers. Ramped finger grabbers are incorporated across the entire front side of the grip for unparalleled traction.

SDG found that the many mushrooms designs felt too narrow, so they decided to extend the length of the pattern to utilize the feel in all grip positions.

While placing your fingers over the grip, you’ll notice the ergonomically ramped and undercut grabbers which serve key purposes. The grabbers are engineered to offer the best in-class traction, while still feeling natural to the fingertips. The design also aids riders while pulling on the bars, whether it’s for a mega-bunny hop or out of the saddle pedaling.

As you continue to move around the grip, you’ll notice the circular icon dampers. The time tested and proven icons are recessed, while the outlined circles are raised on the front side of the grip to offer impressive damping properties. The raised dampers help reduce vibration and numbness, while still offering grip and a predictable feel.

Surely, not all hands are created equal, so the Thrice is available in two sizes – 31 and 33mm designs.

That predictable feel is enhanced by the flared outer ends, which offer outer palm support for those times you want to attempt your best bar-dragging corner moves. The inner core features a protruded SDG logo at the end, which helps keep the grips protected and looking good after you push it just a little too hard.

A perfect combo. Each color of the Thrice Grips match every model of the new Bel-Air V3 saddle.

"The Thrice is a perfect addition to our growing lineup of contact points. Testing here in Kamloops, they fit right at home on your XC to Enduro Bike, for all day comfort and control, regardless of the weather. And at this price point, it’s hard to beat the quality."

—Devyn Pelley, Part Time Tester / Full Time AM Sales Director

Pictured here is the D1 core of the Thrice Grip, which is tapered and slotted for maximum lock security.

The SDG Thrice grips are now available worldwide in both 31mm and 33mm diameters, with a 136mm length, they come in seven colors. Even more impressive, you’ll get all these benefits and engineering know-how under your palms for just $19.99.