Tested: SDG Open Core Thrice Grips First Look & Ride Review

Let’s be honest: the mountain bike grip world is in a pretty good place right now, and we have an absurd amount of options when it comes to slip-on and lock-on grips. You either go for the cloud-like vibration damping of a classic slip-on (and pray they don't throttle out on a rainy day) or you opt for the rock-solid security of a lock-on, often at the marginal expense of comfort. Today, SDG Components joins the trend toward open-core lock-on grips with the launch of the Open Core Thrice.

These grips are designed to offer that elusive "best of both worlds" feel, and this is the second grip (that I know of) to cut out some of the plastic on the lock-on sleeve to improve comfort, the first being the new Goldstone Grip from OneUp Components.

Oh, and they come in a ton of colors, if you're someone who wants to color match all the parts on your bike.

The Thrice Open Core can be found over at SDGcomponents.com and probably your local bike shop.

Details

Obviously, the talking point is the Open Core Zone. Most lock-on grips use a solid plastic sleeve that runs the full length of the grip, which inherently limits how much the rubber can compress. By removing some of that section of plastic, the outer layer of ultra-soft 20A-durometer rubber is free to flex and conform directly to your palm. And the results aren’t totally noticeable at first, but there is a little more “give” to the grip when you’re really grabbing.

SDG didn't just stop at the cutout. They’ve covered the 20A durometer rubber body of Thrice with a list of topographical features that feel really great in the hand, both with and without gloves. The Thrice Open Core has an ovalized profile, designed to fit the natural closure of your hand for better control. The underside of the grips features a slab of finger-shaped grabbers and undercut textures to give your fingertips something to bite into, and they feel really great without gloves.

Ride Feelings

While they feel soft, they are built to stay put. A single lockring on the inside maximizes the usable grip surface, while a tapered inner core works to ensure the grip doesn't rotate. So far, there’s been no slippage, and since it’s summer, I’ve mostly been riding without gloves, and the Thrice Open Core grips feel quite comfortable.

Grips are super personal, as are most contact points on the bike, and most of us will find a grip that works and run those over and over again. So take what I share here as opinion and not as fact. I’m somewhat picky when it comes to grips, and I usually reach for a smaller-diameter grip if given the choice; 32mm is usually on the bigger side for me, but these don’t feel too huge in the hand like I expected. So if you're like me, and like a smaller grip even though you have big hands, these feel smaller than the specs suggest, and you'll probably get along with them pretty well.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Compared to the Goldstone Grip from OneUp, which has a cutout under the thumb, these Thrice Open Core grips have a much larger cutout under the palm, and smaller notches near where the fingers wrap around the grip. While not as noticeable as the cutout on the Goldstone Grips at first, after a few minutes gripping them, you'll come to realize the added squish under the palm, especially when you start heading back downhill. It feels like there's just a little more give to the material, and the vibration has somewhere else to go other than right into your palm.

Overall, the Thrice Open Core has been surprisingly comfortable, even though I usually prefer a smaller-diameter grip. I’m currently deep in testing out a bunch of grips for a longer article, and already the Thrice Open Core has become a standout in the sea of lock-ons sitting in the shed.