ESI Chunky Grips with bar end shifter wire question

[Roberta]

Currently I have an albatross handlebar on my A. Homer Hilsen with bar end shifters and a leather-like handlebar wrap over a gel pad for my handlebar grip. I need to change my stem so I’m considering the ESI Chunky grips instead. I like the feel and sophisticated look of the current wrap but wouldn’t mind more cushioning. 

The bike mechanic tells me he can put the bar end shifter wires through the ESI grips. *Is this OK/safe/good idea?*

Another option would be to put the wire underneath the ESI grip and wrap the grips with Newbaum’s tape to hold the wire in place. 

A third option would be to put back what I have now with the wrap going over the wire. 

I have honey colored Brooks B68 and would get the blue or tan ESI grips, or honey for leather like wrap.  Opinions, especially about putting wire through the grips?  

Thanks,

Roberta 

[Roberta]

Here’s the link to the ESI GRIPS:  https://esigrips.com/products/chunky?variant=43580903162095

[Johnny Alien]

I am a fan of grips like this now vs the hand made tape options. Now issues with putting the wiring underneath if they claim they can do it. If I was doing it myself (because those foam grips can be a pain to install) I would do it like you suggested....have the wiring outside and then do a twine wrap on one end to hold it in place. But if someone else is doing it for me then I would get it routed under the grip.

[John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ]

Roberta

You said " putting wire through the grips?"   Are you saying the mechanic will push the shifter wire through the length of the silicone or put the shifter wire between the bar and the grip???

If the former, it should work since the wire should be able to move fore and aft in the silicone.    

If the latter, I would be worried the shifter wire will not move fore and aft easily.

On drop bars with bar end shifters, the normal practice is to place the shifter wire inside the plastic tunnel supplied with the shifter and the tape the plastic tunnel to the bar.  So the shifter wire is totally free to move fore/aft, but held securely to the bar.

It would be nice if the mfg molded a small diameter (say 3 mm) tunnel on the inside of the grip for shifter wire (shifter wire is < 2mm in diameter).   Maybe using a small diameter plastic straw between the bar and grip with the wire inside the straw would allow the wire to move fore/aft freely.  The straw need to be 13cm (5-1/8" long), since the grip is 13cm long

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

On Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 6:14:12 PM UTC-4 Roberta wrote:

[Roberta]

Thank you both. 

The wire inside its housing would go between the grip and the bar. I’m leaning toward doing this with the tan grip (closely matches the head tube color) unless I hear “don’t do it.” I getcha about having a channel. 

The mechanic from Keystone Bikes would do this, not me. 

Roberta 

[J]

Hi Roberta,

I have used this method (housing between grip and bar) twice before and it worked just fine. I'm not sure I have photos though, I don't generally document that stuff. I've not experienced the trouble with ESI grips that folks talk about, plenty of rubbing alcohol is all you need for lubrication and the housing underneath the grip actually allows it to slide down the bar easier than 360 degrees of grip to bar contact, once you have the grip started and the housing in place. 

[Mackenzy Albright]

I just put the cable in place and sprayed the bar and ESI grip with rubbing alcohol. Works great. Shifts great. No grip slip.  

[REC]

Exactly!  And, beautiful 1st gen Clementine. 

I’ll go ahead and have them order the grips for me. 

Thanks, everyone. 

Sent from my iPad

On May 28, 2023, at 9:34 PM, Mackenzy Albright <mackenzy...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Slin]

Nice, yeah I also like the idea of putting the bar end shifter cable housing under the ESI grips. I set up mine outside the grips and it was just annoying to feel there. It was so annoying that I didn't even think it would help if I used twine to tie it down.