ODI Elite Pro Lock on Grips: Customer Review

In this review, a customer of ours purchased a pair of ODI Elite Pro Lock on grips to go with a new set of brakes. With such a large offering of grips, lets check in and see what made this customer go with ODI.

ODI Elite Pro Lock On Grips: Perfect mid-fat grip.

Overview

Grips are one of those parts that can be difficult to choose, given the huge selection. Foam grips are comfortable, but they wear out faster. Rubber lasts, and has a variety of grip tread options, but you feel every bump and rattle. A bigger grip tends to provide more comfort on long rides, but smaller diameters give (at least for me) a better feeling of control. For me, it’s difficult to find the right fit, because while I have normal sized palms, I have stubby fingers (I normally wear a medium glove). I did a ton of research: blogs, online reviews, YouTube videos. I looked at brands like Fox, Chromag, Ergon, and Lizard Skins. Of course, the obvious answer is to go to your local bike shop or outdoor store and see what feels best in the hand. For me, since I live in a small town outside of Boise, it’s kind of inconvenient. Plus, most places only keep a few types in stock.

So after all that, I happened to find an article from the UK talking about the ODI’s. The main thing that interested me was the description of them as a “mid-fat” grip. I wanted a slightly meatier grip, and that sounded like it fit the bill, so I pulled the trigger and ordered them in my next big parts purchase from Worldwide Cyclery. Since I also ordered my handlebar at the same time (a Salsa Salt Flat 2), I went ahead and installed the grips to see what it felt like.

Performance

The ODI’s are pretty much perfect for my hands. When I held them, my fingers could still wrap around the grips, but didn’t press into my palm. Once I had the bike fully assembled and took it for a ride, I found that the grips were also wide enough that I could comfortably rest my palms on the bars without pressure points (not as wide as the Ergon GP1 grips by any means, but still comfortable). The half-waffle pattern provides plenty of grip no matter your riding position, and the rubber has a decent give without feeling soft.

Final Thoughts

If I have any kind of gripe about the grips, it’s that the ends feel kind of flimsy. They’re a soft rubber, and I’m pretty sure they’ll tear if I wipe out. I’d love it if they made them with a more solid end cap. Other than that, these are a great grip if you’re looking for a compromise between comfort and control on the trail.