Weight: 75g / Colour: Black/grey / Contact: Extra UK Ltd 01933 672170 www.ergon-bike.com

Ergon says its grip prevents numb fingers and painful hands and forearms, and we’re inclined to agree. The GP1 is anatomically designed with a flare under the palm, which gave us a really comfortable platform for our hands, especially on long climbs or traverses. The flare was a bit disconcerting on really techy descents and short steep climbs as it prevented us really pulling on them and throwing the bike around. They’re lightweight at only 75g each, and come in two sizes. The small size was spot on for our female riders, and they really liked the comfort offered by the flare. The aluminum clamps have proved pretty hard-wearing and are easy to fit and didn’t slip — but we did have to spend a bit of time getting the angle of the platform just right. Great for cross country riders who do the distances but tend to avoid the really tricky stuff found in some trail centres.

Mbr rating:8