These days, lock-on grips reign supreme, and a pretender for the throne is The Grippler from Race Face.

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At £25 it’s not a cheap grip, but there’s a couple of reasons for the high price tag. It uses twin aluminium clamps to lock the grip to the handlebar, and while running two clamps may seem overkill, the Race Face design integrates the end cap into the outer clamp, which not only protects the end of the bar, it also protects you. We’ve seen injuries where the bar has cut into flesh; it’s one of the reasons why end caps are essential for competition. To make these sturdy clamps more comfortable, and to reduce numbness, Race Face also overlaps the rubber part of the grip onto both clamps.

Another feature about the Race Face clamps is they’re all unique, meaning all the fixing bolts face in one direction. This may seem irrelevant, but this arrangement speeds up installation and means you won’t have to move a brake lever or shifter out of the way to access the bolts.

There are several things I really like about Race Face The Grippler, and one thing I don’t. The asymmetric fixing bolts are a nice touch and the twin clamps, although bulky, do make it feel incredibly solid – there’s no flex or movement when wrenching hard on the bar. The rubber is reasonably tacky and I’m quite partial to the orange colour. My big negative though, is that thin ribbed overlap on the outer collar can move if you ride with your hands over the end of the grip. I do this from time to time, and it feels like the rubber has split apart, even though it has not.

If you stay locked in, The Grippler is a solid and well-made, no matter your hand size or aesthetic preference.