Ergon GA2 Fat Grips: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

Ergon has dominated our grip collection for years now and with models like the GE1, GA2, and GA3, it should be no surprise. The GA2 has been a particular favorite because it comes in multiple diameters. In this review, our customer Gary tests out the Ergon GA2 fat grips. Check it out!

Overview

Ergon GA2 Fat Grips are really good grips. Just short of being great. I love the shape,  the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips really just feels right in my hands. The Ergon GA2 Fat Grips are very natural to grip. Most lock-on grips I have found are just too small for my hands and feel hard and harsh in rough terrain. The Ergon GA2 Fat Grips are good for those who have larger hands. The texturing of the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips and rubber compounds provide tons of non-slip grip even without gloves! Which is huge in wet climates like here in N.C.

First Impressions

The Ergon GA2 Fat Grips were super easy to install and line up the ergonomic shape to your hands. The one drawback of the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips is the vibration dampening is not as good as the grips I switched from. I ran the ESI Extra Chunky Grips before. The ESI Extra Chunky Grips are the best vibration dampening grips I have tried. I would say that is the one way the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips could be improved. I have been riding and racing (XC, DH, Endurance Events, and Enduro) Mountain Bikes for about 30 years. I live in NC but travel out west to ride as often as I can.

So I have ridden just about every terrain and condition you can imagine. I had a bad wreck about 15 years ago. I shattered my left wrist and ruptured a tendon to my thumb. I never regained full strength or dexterity. After 6 months of rehab, I was able to ride again. I suffered from hand numbness and pain for years. Until I found the ESI grips I had to keep my rides short and take a lot of breaks for my hands to rest. I always like to try new things and that is why I tried the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips. They are the only other grips beside the ESI Extra Chunky Grips that I can ride for 3-5 hours without hand issues. I would strongly recommend both the Ergon GA2 Fat grips and the ESI Extra Chunky Grips for folks with larger hands that suffer from hand numbness or pain. 

How Do They Compare?

So which grip is better? I think that depends on the rider, the distance they ride, and the terrain they ride in. If vibration is your biggest enemy I would go with ESI Chunky or Extra Chunky grips, hands down! If you ride less than 3 hours and vibration is not an issue you can't beat the feal and gip of the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips. Over 3 hours I believe because of vibrations my hands prefer the ESI Extra Chunky Grips. 

Final Thoughts

If you have strength in your hands issues, I have not found a grip that is easier to keep a good grip on than the Ergon GA2 Fat Grips. Ergon GA2 Fat Grips provide good grip even without gloves! So I guess for me I will run Ergon GA2 Fat Grips unless I am doing an epic four plus hour ride.