Tatze Sport Grip

31.05.23 07:03 8932023-05-31T07:03:00+02:00Text: Erwin Haiden, Ralf Hauser, Martin Rauscher (translated by AI)Photos: Erwin Haiden, Ralf Hauser, NoMan, Martin Rauscher3 zones for a hallelujah or a nifty little spot for the paw, that's what Tatze's sport grips offer. More about the handle zone, clamping area, and finger link hanger can be found here.31.05.23 07:03 9372023-05-31T07:03:00+02:00

Tatze Sport Grip

31.05.23 07:03 9372023-05-31T07:03:00+02:00 Erwin Haiden, Ralf Hauser, Martin Rauscher (translated by AI) Erwin Haiden, Ralf Hauser, NoMan, Martin Rauscher

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3 zones for a hallelujah or a nifty little spot for the paw, that's what Tatze's sport grips offer. More about the handle zone, clamping area, and finger link hanger can be found here.31.05.23 07:03 9372023-05-31T07:03:00+02:00

Grips are like saddles. In saying that, I don't want to compare apples to oranges with my equivalent drawn to the handlebar ends. Both are highly underestimated, very individual links between man and machine, which, if everything fits, are usually given little attention. However, if they don't fit as precisely as they should, they can quickly become a problem - especially on long or even multi-day tours.
Before I pull more inappropriate passages out of my bandana, let's start with a few facts:

Developed and tested in Tyrol, Tatze offers solutions for all four limbs with pedals and grips.
The Sport Grip is the first handlebar product from the Tyroleans, and it relies on technology with three zones that are meant to relieve the hands while still ensuring the appropriate grip. The grip is available in the colors Black, Blue, Red, and Orange, or, for the daring among us, also in Bi-Color combinations of the three colors (R-B, R-O, and O-B).

Tech Specs

What it is:	3-zone grip for maximum control with minimal finger force
The rubber:	Grippy and cushioning rubber compound
Thick or thin:	32-34 mm diameter
Wide or narrow:	133 mm wide contact area up to the handlebar end
Securely:	Secure clamping with 3 Nm
Weight:	104 g (blue) \| 106 g (orange) on the BB scale
Price:	€ 29.50

The grip is technically divided into three zones, with the enlarged pressure zone featuring fins designed to dampen peak forces and vibrations, the handle zone (oriented in the direction of travel on the grip) has a tight radius where the finger joints can hook in, and finally the clamping zone on the underside for the fingertips. The whole thing is rounded off with a solid clamping system that allows for friction-free mounting and prevents twisting (with low torque and carbon handlebars, assembly paste is always recommended). That's the theory so far.

Since a grip can be swapped out much faster compared to nearly any other component on the bike, we sent three reviewers, ranging from XC to downhill experts, into the fray, who collected quite different experiences and impressions.

Ralf's Impressions of Hard Enduro

Pleasantly soft to the grip, without feeling spongy. The area designed to relieve the palms could help people with wrist problems, but I have less trouble with that.
With normal grips, my hands sometimes go numb, which didn't happen with the Tatze, but I haven't ridden a really long tour with them either. To me, they are a bit too thick (even though I have relatively large hands, I always ride thinner grip variants), and that distracts me too much while riding.
So, I personally can't get on with the current thickness, but if Tatze were to make a thinner version of the Sport Grip, I would be open to riding them for longer.

NoSanes Impressions Touring Bike

Even though I'm generally more of a fan of classic, round, and minimalist grips, the Tatze Sport Grip offers good support through its three zones and the wing. Thanks to the rubber compound and structure, the fins stick well to the handlebar. The angle is really crucial during installation, and one should definitely take their time and approach the matter with a bit of an experimental spirit.

The grips haven't seen too many kilometers of landscape yet, but after the recent two-day tour in the Salzkammergut, I've decided to continue riding with the Tatze grips. In the scorching midday heat, we fought our way up nearly 400 meters of elevation on asphalt towards the Loser. The goal was the entrance to the Augst Trail. The ventilation of the grips was good, so despite bare hands, I had no problems with sweat. Also, numb hands were not an issue for me despite eight hours on the bike (no, not just for the Loser loop...).

Downhill, I rode the simple trails without gloves, as you naturally feel the structure of the grips the most. For one of the most brutal short trails in the Salzkammergut, the new Törl-Trail, I preferred to wear gloves, and even with them, I had good grip and sufficient feedback from the handlebar. However, I must add that I usually ride with very thin gloves that also allow me to operate my Canon camera with sensitivity.

Martin's Impressions XC-Bike

In itself a cool handle, but for my taste, the Sport Grip is simply too thick.
The damping through the slats is very good, but despite having glove size 10, I would need an "S" version because: Even with very comfortable grips, sooner or later I always get pain and problems with gripping. The thinner the grip, the less grip force is required, and therefore the lower the risk of "losing" the handlebar.

Conclusion

Tatze Sport Grip MTB Handlebar Grip
Model Year:	2023
Review Duration:	varies greatly
Price:	€ 29.50 RRP
+	Technical construction
+	Good cushioning and still crisp
+	30-day return policy
+	Ventilation
o	only one (thick) thickness
BB-Verdict:	Basic solid lock-on grip with technical 3-zone construction

As you can see from the three different review impressions, and as I have already mentioned at the beginning, the choice of grips is a very individual one.
Tatze is obviously aware of this: The Tyrolean company offers their customers a 30-day return policy (assuming minimal signs of use).

My colleagues liked the construction of the screw-on grips, but found them too thick.
For my part, I have decided to ride with the Tatze Sport Grip for a full season. I like the ventilation, they feel quite crisp despite the vibration dampers, allow enough feedback from the ground, and are quite grippy both with and without (thin) gloves.