Editor’s Choice 2020

>>> Best mountain bike grips in 2020: fat, medium and tapered grips

Fabric has a couple of grips with names that reference the humble mushroom: the Fabric Magic, and this, the new Fabric FunGuy.

Why mushroom? Well, both grips use thin, collapsible ribs, resembling mushroom gills, running around the circumference to provide a level of cushioning. The concept was developed on BMXs during the ‘80s, and enjoyed a resurgence a decade later when the great John Tomac brought out his signature ODI Tomac Attack grip. Much as I loved the original Tomac Attack grip, I wasn’t impressed with the Magic when I tested it last year, finding it too long, with a bulge in the wrong place. But the new FunGuy is a completely different proposition. It runs a more conventional length with a uniform pattern and diameter running from clamp to end cap. The top three-quarters of the grip uses the mushroom pattern, and this provides just the right amount of cushioning for your palm, without feeling too fat and clumsy. Underneath, there’s a honeycomb design with two rows of raised hexagonal dimples that give your fingers and thumb something to latch onto. The result is decent comfort and isolation from bumps, but a firm, secure grip.