ENVE’s product lineup has been growing slowly and steadily, and it includes everything from road and gravel frames and high-end wheels to cockpit components and tires. The brand has been producing some of the best mountain bike handlebars for years, and today, it expands its MTB range to include your touchpoints with two new mountain bike grips.
ENVE’s two-model lineup of mountain bike grips includes the cross-country-focused slide-on 3DXC and the trail-oriented lock-on Fractal Grips. Let’s check them out.
ENVE 3DXC Grips
The lightweight, slide-on 3DXC is aimed squarely at cross-country riders and racers, and it joins a very small but growing number of 3D-printed mountain bike grips. Leveraging 3D printing technology, ENVE aimed to enhance grip, comfort, ventilation, and durability compared to the more common foam slide-on grips.
In recent years, 3D printing has taken the cycling industry by storm, changing the way that products are designed and constructed. Its applications are wide-ranging, but saddles have been one of the most common products that we’ve seen. The technology allows greater design freedom and the ability to fine-tune lattice structures to optimize performance characteristics more easily than with traditional materials. It stands to reason that the same would apply to mountain bike grips, although there are currently only a few 3D-printed options to choose from.
The new 3DXC adds to that short list, and according to ENVE, “The tuned lattice structure delivers comfortable support for your palms while damping out vibrations from the trail. Additionally, the material that is eliminated by the 3D-printed lattice allows for superior hand ventilation and grip. Finally, where other slip-on grips rip and tear, the 3DXC excels in toughness and durability while providing additional protection at the end of your carbon handlebar.”
And based on the claimed weights of the 3DXC, the listed benefits above come with a barely noticeable weight penalty compared to slip-on foam grips. For comparison, a set of ESI Chunky grips (32 mm diameter) weighs 60 grams, while the small size of the ENVE 3DXC (31.5 mm diameter) weighs a claimed 65 grams. The 3DXC grips are right and left-hand specific, come in two diameters, and only one color, which is black.
ENVE 3DXC Specs
- Diameter: Small: 31.5 mm, Large: 34.5 mm
- Weight (pair): Small: 65 grams, Large: 71 grams
- Length: 132 mm (+/- 2 mm)
- Type: Slip-on
- Material: Variable 3D-printed carbon lattice
- Color: Black
- Price: $35
ENVE Fractal Grips
The trail-oriented Fractal Grips have a more traditional design and construction compared to the 3DXC. The Fractal is a single-clamp lock-on grip designed to provide both traction and comfort for the hands. The outer ⅔ of the grip has a raised pattern of triangles and hexagons, which is likely the inspiration for the Fractal name. Further inward, the hexagons are “debossed at your thumbs and forefingers to allow for a softer feel in the high-friction zones to maximize comfort.” The grips are right and left-hand specific, available in two diameters and six color options.
ENVE Fractal Lock-On Trail Grip Specs
- Diameters: 31.5 mm and 34.5 mm
- Weight (pair): 95 grams
- Length: 135 mm
- Type: Lock-On
- Materials: A25 Shore Hardness Rubber, Plastic Internal Core
- Use: Trail, Enduro
- Colors: Black, Brown, Grey Swirl, Sage Green, Purple, Dark Red
- Price: $30
ENVE MTB Grips: Availability
The new ENVE 3DXC and Fractal Grips are brand new as of today and should be available soon, if not immediately, through the ENVE website or your local ENVE retailer. Head to the brand’s website to learn more or find an authorized dealer near you.
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