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IB13: Ergon Hones in on Enduro, Plus new CF3 Pro Setback Carbon Seatpost

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ergon enduro grips  (1)

As one of, if not the biggest player in endurance mountain biking grips, Ergon hasn’t quite had the same success in the “technical” department. Sure, they have offered their GA1 (now the GA1 Evo), but that grip has failed to find the cult like acceptance of the GP series. The GE1 looks to change that. Working closely with 3 time downhill World Champion and Enduro star Fabian Barel, Ergon has created a new grip that feels like it could be a winner.

The GE1 is another product that is specifically designed for Enduro – what does that mean? Find the answer to that plus new saddles, and road seatposts after the break.

ergon enduro grips  (2)
Fabian Barel’s Ergon equipped Canyon Enduro machine

 

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0160

When Ergon thinks of enduro, they see wide handlebars that riders grip at the very end while keeping elbows out and bent while descending. Really this applies to aggressive mountain biking in general, but does ring true with the enduro race scene. One of the areas the GA1 lost points with aggressive riders (including yours truly) was that the fairly large clamp was situated at the end of the grip. On the new GE1, the new forged and CNCed aluminum clamp has been moved to the inside of the grip and the entire structure has been revised to fit the angle of your arms in attack position. Due to this design the grips are directional and right and left specific. The Ergon grip line receives new German rubber compounds to be softer which you can really feel. The GE1 is a dual compound grip, that uses strategically placed cutouts in the inner plastic clamping sleeve for an impressively soft lock on grip.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0161

The GE1 will be offered in Black/grey, Grey/white, Red, and blue and will sit alongside the GA1 Evo in the Technical grip category. We’re excited for this one.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0169 Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0170

What good are new Enduro grips if you don’t have an Enduro saddle to match? Again, what makes an Enduro saddle? Well, it needs to accommodate rapid position changes and varying seat heights due to dropper posts – all while not catching on your baggy Enduro shorts. They haven’t gone to Enduro skinsuits yet, have they?

So the new SME3 is shorter, wider, and offers more padding than a typical mountain bike saddle and is fairly flat which is good for sliding off the back. The SME is also available in the SME Pro and SME Pro Carbon with CroMo, TiNox, and carbon rails respectively (260g, 225g, and 190g). Each saddle will be offered in two widths and will retail for $89-200.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0171 Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0172

If you’re gonna have an Enduro specific saddle, a Cyclocross specific saddle shouldn’t be far behind, which is exactly what you find in the new SRX3. This time Ergon drew on the experience of Wolfram Kurschat, a professional cyclocross and mountain bike racer, to create a flatter saddle that you would find on a road bike again for ease of movement. There is a slight kick at the back of the saddle to push against when going hard, but softer edges and more padding make mounts and dismounts comfortable as they can be. Again offered in three models, the SRX3, SRX3 Pro, and SRX3 Pro Carbon with the same rails as the Enduro saddles which come in at 260g, 225g, and 195g. The SRX is only offered in one width, and will retail for $89-200.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0167

When Ergon introduced the CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost last year, it gained a lot of press due to its leaf spring suspension design. Sale of the seatpost had been delayed due to safety testing, the but post is cleared for take off and should be available in a week or two. The post uses essentially two flat carbon fiber springs that work in opposition when you hit a large enough bump. This post is designed for the road, so while it may look like the perfect post for your hard tail mountain bike, you’ve been warned.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0166 Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0165

New for this year for both sides of the pond, is the CF3 Pro Carbon Setback post which is a 25 or 13mm setback version of the original. The set back can be changed by flipping the clamp head, or you can purchase an adapter head for use with oval carbon rails. Both posts also have a new emery material on the sides of the post around the split to keep it from slipping in your seat tube. Both models will retail for $299.

ergon BA3-SuperEnduro_pers ERgon BP100_front

Apparently for 2014, there is a new UCI rule for Enduro that every athlete must have some type of spine protection. That was apparently a bit of a mix up. There are races in Europe that require back protection, and the Ergon 2014 catalog states that it is “TüV/GS tested and certified for UCI Enduro Races,” but there is apparently no upcoming UCI rules about back protection. Sorry for the confusion. So, to give riders equipment that will comply with the regulation the BA3 EVO pack has been updated to include a compartment for a back protector, while keeping all of the previous features including the hydration pack slot. Just what back protector? Why the new BP100 of course. Designed to fit into the BA3 series packs, the UCI certified spine protection weighs only 144g and slips easily into the pack.

Other news for Ergon packs is that for 2014 all packs will be offered with or without an Ergon BH300 3 liter hydration bladder made by Hydrapak.

Ergon Enduro grips saddles bags interbike20130918_0164

In addition to a number of design updates and new grips, the GS1 will now be offered in a twist shifter size. Offered in dual or single twist shift packages, the GS1 Twist grips will include an extra grip ring to dial in your grip width.

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16 Comments
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Matt
Matt
10 years ago

Dual hand position 😉

slyfink
slyfink
10 years ago

UCI rule for Enduro!? I thought EWS was being run outside the influence of the UCI…

Eyal
Eyal
10 years ago

Ergon peddles in vaporware. They’ve been talking about the CF3 seatpost zero setback for two years now and it’s been no show! Now they’ve come out with a setback post, which will also be for eyes only for the next two years.

Ydnar
Ydnar
10 years ago

@Matt— Hilarious!

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
10 years ago

do they have fatbike, 650b, & 29er grips and more importantly, whaddya mean UCI rule for enduro? i know the new guy likes mtb but..

edge
edge
10 years ago

We heard you like enduro…so we put some enduto in your enduro, yo!!!!

Topmounter
Topmounter
10 years ago

Does Ergon no longer make the GX1 grip?

Andy
Andy
10 years ago

GS series have replaced the GXs.

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

Eyal – the seatpost is actually a Canyon product, being rebadged for sale by Ergon for the US market. Canyon founder Roman Arnold and Ergon owner Franc Arnold are brothers. Post has been on sale via Canyon in the EU for a while, not sure what the delay has been in getting it into the US but it’s not vaporware. If you want one head over to http://www.canyon.com and place an order https://www.canyon.com/_en/shop/?category=F07&item=36180#tab-accessories

BT
BT
10 years ago

Now that they have enduro grips, they need to tackle gravel grips next.

DB4L
DB4L
10 years ago

On a side note, bring Canyon bikes to the U.S.!

Fabricio
Fabricio
10 years ago

Many people joined Enduro to avoid the UCI hands, so if the UCI think that they can grab something from the more free riding style and now that have many media coverage, they are wrong, more people will hate them and keep doing circuits and competitions out of the UCI. Even with a new director UCI is the same cave of snakes, one man will not change what the UCI is, never even if the director is John Tomac.

Acmi
Acmi
10 years ago

It’s a shame about the Gx1’s. I prefer them over the newer GS1’s.

Jeff at Ergon USA
10 years ago

What consumers/riders need to remember is that enduro is now the industry adopted word for all-mountain and/or freeride. These grips fit under our “enduro” product line……or in other words products that are designed for aggressive and technical riding. That could be enduro, enduro racing, park riding, DH racing, XC, marathon, etc. The GE1 is an existing product that we pulled off the production line back in 2010 and have spent the last 2 years redesigning based on consumer and sponsored athlete feedback. The GE1 is most at home on wider bars….780+. Unlike other grip options on the market, the clamps are inboard so you can ride wide on the bars and not put any pressure on a metal clamp. The rubber, when looked at in a profile view is a saw blade design…….you have more grip when pulling back….as opposed to forward. Also wide bars = naturally riding elbows out. When elbows are out your hands by nature rotate inward. The grip shape and location on the bar fits to this riding position. From us, this is a product that has been in the design pipeline for the last 2+ years. Like it or not, we put this product under our “enduro” umbrella.

As for the GX Series, this series was discontinued a few years ago in favor of a more advanced grip design….the GS Series. The internal structure is more advanced in the GS Series, now a 2 part wing skeleton, and new for 2014, a softer rubber compound form Germany. If you rode the GX1, the GS1-Small would be similar in shape and size.

The CF3 is an Ergon product that has been in development since before 2007…and we have shown it at many previous Eurobike’s and Interbike’s in “concept mode”. It wasn’t until we joined forces with Canyon a few years back that we have been able to hone in on the final design and make it to our standards of public use. Yes, Canyon is selling it now in Europe. As is Ergon in Europe. The delay to the USA market is a result of legal logistics and adapting the fine print and packaging for the N. American retail level. The last we (Ergon USA) were told, we should expect a November 2013 delivery of both the setback and non-setback CF3.

The BP100 was spawned because of requirements set forth by the enduro racing scene in Europe. While the UCI does not have it hands in the enduro race scene at this time, there is chatter going on about different rules that may be enforced….and many brands in the industry are looking towards the future, us included. UCI aside, in Europe, spine protection is a requirement in most competitive enduro events. You will likely see some of these rules Stateside in 2014.

norm
norm
10 years ago

When do we see the Enduro Series (grips and saddle) in the shops? There is even no hint on the german website.

Jeff at Ergon
10 years ago

Norm, we are expecting a Feb 2014 release for the new GE1 grip and SME3 saddle. Only available products are reflected on the website currently. All new product for 2014 are reflected under the “Interbike 2013” tab: http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/pages/interbike2013

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