Ever had a grip slip? It sucks, which is why WTB set out to solve the problem. Sure, you could just tighten the heck out of your lock-ons (as many do), but you risk weakening your bars due to excessive torque and the creation of a stress riser at the grip clamp. Instead, WTB is asking you to trim your bars at an angle to pair them with a new grip design with a wedged portion inside the grip.
They've partnered with Park Tool to create a jig for cutting the bars at just the right angle, though several bar manufactures will start shipping bars that are pre-cut, including the Truvativ BlackBox bars shown here.
Several grip styles, diameters and shapes will be available. WTB made the angled portion of the grip with a thicker, softer rubber to increase comfort on the trail.
While the concept sounds pretty clever, some potential drawbacks include cutting the bars at an angle resulting in poor grip feel, or the inability to use any other grips after you make the bar cut. We'll have to see how things shake out in a future review.
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