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Looking for the Next Big Thing in Bar Ends? TOGS Might get Your Thumbs Up

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Togs thumb grip 2

Raise your hand if your mountain bike in the 90’s had bar ends. Now who is still using them today? A lot of hands just went down. Granted, there are still a number of riders using traditional bar ends but the majority of us have probably left them in the bin with the sub 600mm handlebars.

Traditional bar ends have a few drawbacks – namely they can be heavy, you could hook them on branches or trees, and most keep your hands away from the brakes and shifters. However, the alternate hand positions do offer an advantage for certain types of riding including endurance racing. What’s the answer if you’re craving another hand hold? TOGS thinks their Thumb Over Grip System is just what racers need.

Lightweight, ergonomic, and relatively inexpensive, TOGS are an interesting solution to the common bar end…

Togs thumb grip 1
All photos c. TOGS

The basic idea behind TOGS is the ability to move your thumb from underneath the bar and place it around the hook provided. This supposedly better aligns your wrist and changes the position enough to reduce fatigue. The benefit to the TOGS design is that your hand is still in place for shifting and braking and it keeps the ends of your bars free and clear. Chances are good that you may already place your hands in the TOGS position, but lack the thumb hook which allows you to keep control of the bar and provides additional leverage when climbing.

Made out of a nylon resin from Dupont called Zytel, TOGS are extremely light coming in at just 18g per pair. Designed to be a universal fit, each TOG has a locking collar that allows it to be positioned over any grip. Available in 8 colors, TOGS are made in the U.S. and sell for $24.99.

togs.com

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jimbob
jimbob
9 years ago

Do they make any that are fat-bike specific? I see they offer blue, so they are enduro-certified.

Bbiker
Bbiker
9 years ago

Looks like the perfect place to hang your helmet!

Surly Shawn
Surly Shawn
9 years ago

This could work.

Matt F
Matt F
9 years ago

cool idea…I rest my hands with my thunbs on top of the bar like that all the time

R0b0tAt0ms
R0b0tAt0ms
9 years ago

I really like this idea and can imagine using them. However, it adds yet another clamp to the handlebar, which is far from ideal. Using these would mean that I have 4 clamps on each side of my bars (shifter/brake/togs/grips)! If this could be incorporated into the inner lock-on clamp of a grip I would buy in a heartbeat.

'Merika
'Merika
9 years ago

Is it a hinge, or do I need to remove my foam grips with an air compressor/remove my brake levers/remove my seatpost lever/remove my shifter pods?

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

They aren’t wrong about me resting my hands that way. Not sure how I feel about having a hook there for my thumb though, I don’t feel like I need it.

Oh, & long bars aren’t the only reason bar ends don’t make sense anymore. bike don’t have the frontward weight bias the did in the past. I used to use them all the time to gain leverage & traction, but nowadays, I’d end up flipping off the back of the bike if I had that much leverage on the front end. I have to work to keep my front wheel coming up as it is.

Scott B
Scott B
9 years ago

Something to jab into your gut when you crash on top of the bars.

Mirco V
Mirco V
9 years ago

@Scott B In September, when my front wheel collided on a stone hidden from the tall grass on a quiet trail, my thumbs ups on the knobs (like a good road racer) did not allow me to grab the handlebars and my abdomen did a disagreeable acquaintance with the stem. Result: herniated abdominal trauma that was reduced with total laparotomy.
Thumbs always under the knobs !!!

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
9 years ago

I still have a set of bar ends…
on the stoker bars of my 90s tandem.
I don’t see how you can easily shift gears with your thumbs hooked around those things. I think the Ergon grips with the mini bar end may be a better option.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

I don’t see how you could shift gears from a mini bar end.

Do people even think for a mere second before they post?

Mathieu
Mathieu
9 years ago

Please confirm… Is this a joke?

Ben
Ben
9 years ago

I love my togs they put my hands in the perfect position! They are excellent for resting when I’m riding flats. But I also love them for climbing. That little bit of extra leverage with my thumb really helps for climbing

Kurt
Kurt
9 years ago

ODI makes a TOG locking in 5…4…3…2…

alex
alex
9 years ago

i like it – for long rides on dirt roads, or on the road getting to the trails its a good idea…

jm
jm
9 years ago

(deleted)

jojojochim
jojojochim
9 years ago

gonna let y’all in on a little secret. Shhhh. Ya ready? Stop squeezing the bejeebus out of the grips. Also bend your (deleted) elbows. There ya go.

David French
David French
9 years ago

I literally wouldn’t have space on my bars for these…. But then I’m one of these people that still runs 600mm bars and bar ends 😉

ChrisnRenton
ChrisnRenton
9 years ago

i think they would be sweet on the end the bars to protect my pinkies!

Terry
Terry
9 years ago

i’m assuming these wouldn’t work with top mount thumb shifters?

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