DEITY Knuckleduster Grip

AvgAverage User Rating
Vital Rating:
Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$27.99
First Ride: Deity Knuckleduster Grips
Rating:
Vital Review
s1600 deitygripsfirstride 932874.jpg?VersionId=JeNlVWPh8vt8i5WfuSUYLAItZeBU

Grips are often an overlooked component, likely due to the fact that generally, they're pretty inexpensive and something that can be replaced easily. They're also one of three contact points between you and your bike, and despite the fact that they're often overlooked, they make a huge impact on how your bike rides and how quickly your hands get fatigued. Deity, who launched their 2017 line today, definitely took that into consideration with the design of their all-new Knuckleduster grips, which feature three different grip patterns packed into one grip. With an eye for details such as a single-clamp design with forward-facing bolts, as well as a tapered inner sleeve which is said to ensure perfect contact with the bar, Deity sent us over a set of the new grips ahead of time to check them out and share with you, our thoughts.

Deity Knuckleduster Features

  • Kevlar-infused rubber compound
  • Tapered inner sleeve
  • Single-clamp design with forward-facing bolts
  • Laser-etched black ano 6061 T6 aluminum clamps
  • Three grip patterns in one - Recessed half waffle, chevron, and short and wide ribs
  • 132mm length // 32mm outer diameter
  • Replacement grip bodies and clamps can be bought separately
  • Intended use: Downhill, freeride, dirt jump, enduro, and all-mountain
  • 101 grams per pair
  • MSRP: $22.00 USD

The Deity Knuckledusters feature three distinct grip patterns; a half-waffle underside for fingers, a chevron design for a comfortable palm feel, and short-but-wide ribs where the thumb rests to help eliminate any side-to-side movement. After mounting the new grips, the narrow (but not-too-narrow) 32mm diameter of the grips was pretty spot on to our preferences. With a width of 132mm and only a single clamp on the inside edge of the grip, finding your preferred hand placement isn’t a problem even if you prefer to rest your palm slightly hanging over the outside edge of the grip.

Deity Knuckleduster First Ride Impressions

After spending half a day on our old grips, we swapped them out for the new Knuckledusters for some back-to-back comparison. The first thing we noticed was that the placement of the three different grip patterns was spot-on, with our natural hand position falling into place exactly where Deity planned.

The grips provide a nice amount of cushion. And, that cushion was welcomed on trails that were particularly rocky, reminding us of the days when we rode thicker grips, but without all the excess bulk.

Over the years we've come to prefer the hand-feel of a thinner grip, but the sacrifice was typically a harsher ride. Deity has found a solid balance of forgiveness and security with the Knuckleduster, offering a grip we can firmly hold on to that still provides comfort which helps with hand fatigue. And while they were comfortable, we didn’t feel any excess squirm or movement from the material of the grips.

Thanks to the single-clamp design, whether you rest your hand in the middle of the grip or prefer to hang your palm a bit over the edge, hot-spots should be minimized. Aside from durability, which we can't yet comment on having only run these grips a short period, we're not sure there's much else to say.

Despite all the gimmicks out there, Deity has brought to the table a well-thought-out grip that flat-out works, no gimmicks necessary.

Despite being an often overlooked component when it comes to bike spec (likely due to their relatively inexpensive cost and frequent replacement), grips are a crucial ingredient when it comes to a properly set-up bike. It doesn't matter how dialed your suspension is if your hands don't agree with your grips, and your paws will soon be aching if you don't find the grip right for you.


We've seen grips that mold to your hands, grips that are so sticky they leave residue on your hands, and even suspension grips. Despite all the gimmicks out there, Deity has brought to the table a well-thought-out grip that flat-out works, no gimmicks necessary.

For more information, visit www.deitycomponents.com

5 comments

Post a reply to: First Ride: Deity Knuckleduster Grips

In reply to by Allen_Gleckner

In reply to by FredLikesTrikes

3 member reviews

"Your dream grip."
is that true?
Rating:
The Good
-Super comfy
-Price is right
-Lots of color choices
The Bad
-Nothing to report yet
Overall Review:

When I saw the writing on the packaging, I thought “well, they’re pretty confident about their product!”. Being always apprehensive on what the marketing department says, I was eager to install and try them.

Installation is like the other single-sided collar grips, but this time instead of 2Nm of torque, the bolt on each side should be tightened at 2.5Nm. I had tried 2Nm at first, and they rotated a bit when, so I upped to 2.5 without looking at their packaging. They write it so no guesswork needs to be done, and at their specified torque, nothing moved afterwards. The end is slightly tapered, and they have some cutouts on the plastic sleeve so the harder you squeeze the grips, the harder they grip onto the bar.

My last pair (Race Face Half Nelson) were pretty thin @ 28mm dia. compared to the Knuckleduster’s 32mm. I can easily get used to different thicknesses, but after 3 seasons on the thin grips, I think I prefer the thicker ones. What made me feel like changing for thicker grips? The stiffness of my new Deity Holeshot 35mm bars. 

 This season I upgraded to a DVO Beryl fork from a lower-end 32m-stanchioned Rock Shox, and while the new fork’s small bump compliance is impressive, I could still feel some harshness that wasn’t there before with my old setup (31.8 Truvativ Boobar, 32mm stanchion RS fork). Those Deity grips brought the comfort back, and I can now enjoy much more front-end stiffness without it being too harsh. It truly made a difference in my experience. 

 The price was pretty good for a high-end grip, much cheaper than some other options while having as many “features”. I like to try as much gear as I can when I need to replace parts, but those grips might be my next choice when those wear out!

0 comments

Post a reply to: "Your dream grip."

Knuckle(duster) sandwich
Rating:
The Good
Great grip, even with sweaty mitts / Surprising amount of damping, even on the rigid singlespeed / A veritable panoply of color options / Durable for how soft they are
The Bad
Still not quite enough grip to convince me to ditch the gloves
Overall Review:

Full disclosure- I picked up my first Knuckledusters because Deity is a local company, and they’re good folks. But the second set I bought specifically to go on a rigid bike. They’re that good. The three patterns do seem a bit like they’re trying to do to much in one grip, but it works really well,I’ll be replacing these with more Knuckledusters when that time comes.

0 comments

Post a reply to: Knuckle(duster) sandwich

Deity Knuckleduster Grip: comfort and grip
Rating:
The Good
Very comfortable and extremely grippy
The Bad
Diameter is a little thick, single lock-on system
Overall Review:

If you are looking to try a new grip, this is a good choice. I have put it on all my bikes and love the feel and function of the knuckleduster grips!

My first impression of the grips were the feel, which was not as skinny as other grips that I had used previous. However, they felt comfortable and in riding scenarios I didn't feel that I was getting bad arm pump or fatigue. The next thing I noticed was the sheer amount of grip that I was getting with these grips, given the design it gives your hand a lot to hold on to. I further noticed this one day when I forgot my gloves, and noticed that I still felt comfortable riding as hard as I normally would with the grip that I had without gloves being worn.

Overall I found that they have been my favorite grips and there was not much negative I found in them besides the fact that its only a single lock-on system. Here is why. I found in one "oh crap" casing type moment the grip rotated on me. Now this may have been improper torque settings, but I always use a torque wrench so I doubt that was the case. However, this has only happened on one occasion and has not happened since. Another thing which is not as big of a deal, but the exterior portion of the grip is a little soft. In scenarios where my hands come on to the bar on the outside of the grip, it doesn't feel quite as firm and doesn't provide as good of a foundation as the exterior portion of dual lock on grips.

2 comments

Post a reply to: Deity Knuckleduster Grip: comfort and grip

Specifications

Product
DEITY Knuckleduster Grip
Riding Type
Cross Country
Dirt Jump / Slopestyle
Downhill
Enduro / All-Mountain
Freeride / Bike Park
Trail
Length
132mm
Material
DEITY TRC rubber compound, 6061 T6 aluminum clamps
Colors
  • Black
  • Stealth
  • Red
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Orange
  • TURQ LTD Edition with lasered Black anodized clamps
  • Weight
    0 lb 3.6 oz (101 g)
    Miscellaneous
  • 32mm outer diameter
  • Tapered inner Sleeve
  • Single-clamp design with forward-facing bolts
  • Price
    $27.99
    What do you think?
    Where To Buy
    Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
    International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
    Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
    International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
    $27.99
    Grips

    More Products

    The Latest