Ever wish that flat area on the top of your handlebar was angled just a little differently? That was the pain point that led Lee Diallo to invent the Shape My Grip handlebar pads. He liked the flat top of some bars, but by the time he got them in a comfortable position, the drops weren’t angled correctly for him. So, he figured an add-on perch that would work on any round bar would let the rider customize the position and angle and solve the problem for all…
Shape My Grip comes in two versions, the BarTop (above) for the upper part of your handlebar, and the Curve (below) for the drops. They’re made of a flexible material that helps reduce road vibration and provides a little extra cushioning under the bar tape. They recommend (basically require) the use of a stretchable bar tape, but should work on any round handlebar. Finger indents also give you a better grip on the bar and should maintain their shaping even under the bar tape. The BarTop has a doublewide cable channel to slip over your shift and brake housing.
The Curve provides a better grip when in the drops but doesn’t have any backside to cushion your palm. Even so, they say test riders found they could stay in the drops longer and more comfortably with them. Just make sure the protrusion doesn’t affect full brake lever movement.
Retail is $24.95 per set (so, $49.90 for both BarTop and Curve), and they come with double stick tape to secure them to your bar. Installation is simple, with a quick video on their website to walk you through it. We’re thinking the BarTop ones could even be used on some really wide mountain bike handlebars to create an alternate hand position for marathon racers, etc.
