In my opinion, mountain bike grips don’t get the scrutiny they deserve. Not only are grips crucial for both comfort and control, they also give riders an opportunity to make a statement. And boy, do the $39 Portland Design Works (PDW) Lisbon cork grips make a statement! However, after trying these on my hardtail, I found the beauty of these grips goes more than skin deep, even if they aren’t the most practical choice for trail riding.
Cork is a natural cushion
When I think of cork, I think of a squishy bulletin board. But if you’ve ever tried on a pair of cork-soled Berkenstocks, you know that cork can be surprisingly firm. Still, it’s softer than most wood products, and as a bike grip, it does a nice job soaking up trail chatter without feeling mushy. Cork is more solid than the silicon and rubber grips I’m used to, almost as if there’s a direct connection between my hands and the bar. A check of the durometer shows the Lisbon cork grip is about a 60 on the Shore A hardness scale. Compare that to more traditional grips, which generally measure between 20 and 40, and you’ll see that the PDW Lisbon cork offers a firm grip.
So in fact, the emphasis is on natural cushion here. Cork is a sustainable material, and once the grips have outlived their usefulness, they should be (mostly) compostable. Plus, they smell like a lived-in beach bungalow, and not like the product of a dirty chemical factory.
Unlike silicon and rubber, cork actually grips better when it’s wet as moisture is absorbed into the natural fibers. Dry, the Lisbon cork grips are smooth and less grippy than a traditional mountain bike grip. It’s only once your gloves get a little damp with perspiration that the grips take on a satisfying tackiness.
PDW uses a blended cork-rubber material on the ends to improve wear, though as you can see in the photo above, they’re still vulnerable to tree and rock strikes. To be fair, I tested these on very narrow trails and scraped the ends of the grips between trees dozens of times, and this is the worst of the damage. The left side grip is still completely intact.
Unlike dual-sided lock-on grips, the reinforced ends on the PDW Lisbon grips are totally usable. However, they do add about 27mm to your overall bar width, which is probably why I was striking so many trees at first. I measured to confirm and found that my 800mm bars were effectively 830mm wide.
The PDW Lisbon cork grips feature a thicker center section, and the overall diameter, which ranges from 34mm to 36mm, is wider than many standard grips. At 127mm long, they sit a few millimeters on the short side of average.
Cork bike grips are lightweight
The weight for these PDW Cork grips, 64.4g for the pair, is on par with what you would expect from lightweight foam grips. Like foam grips, these don’t lock on, which makes installation more of a hassle. I coated my bars with a layer of hairspray before twisting and sliding the grips into place. Once they were installed, the grips didn’t rotate one bit. In fact, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to remove them without getting out a razor blade!
Thankfully, the grips came off without too much drama. At first, I figured I would shoot a bit of compressed air beneath the grips, but there’s no way to get a nozzle between the grips and the bar because the cork is so solid. In the end, I shot a blast of air through the hole at the end of one grip while pulling the grip on the opposite side of the handlebar.
Are the PDW Lisbon cork grips for everyone? Absolutely not, and that’s obviously the appeal. For those who prefer a firm grip, appreciate natural materials, and want a wider cockpit — not to mention a unique setup — the PDW Lisbon cork grips will scratch that itch.
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