The Lizard Skins Machine is a quality handlebar grip that provides excellent traction in the wet or dry, feels great and is wider than most options in the best MTB grips segment. But it is a touch pricey for what is quite a simple and common design.
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Lizard Skins Machine lock-on grip – Technical details
Lizard Skins has been in the mountain bike game for nearly 30 years, and have a reputation for designing innovative and high-quality products. Here we have the Machine, the company’s classic treaded grip offering.
Design-wise, Lizard Skins have chosen to keep things simple, there’s no fancy ergonomic contouring to be seen here. The Machine grip features a classic knurled ‘ruffian’ texture with a raised half-waffle section for increased control and improved fingertip purchase. The rubber compound is soft and feels tacky. The grip is a single-sided lock-on design with a nice chamfered lock ring, a robust 3mm stainless bolt, and a solid built-in end cap featuring the Lizard skins logo. However, the grip core isn’t tapered like some rival grips so it is a slightly looser fit on the bar. More on that later…
>Buy now: Lizard Skins Machine lock-on grip from Sigma Sports for £22.00
The grips are available in five colours and are 135mm wide, 31mm in diameter, and weigh 101 grams on my scales.
Lizard Skins Machine lock-on grip – Performance
In use, the Machine grips proved to be solid performers, with a nice tactile feel and an abundance of tenacious grip in both wet and dry conditions, with or without gloves. Much of my testing has been over the recent unfeasibly hot summer months, where I mostly chose to ride without gloves – somehow sweaty palms actually seemed to make these grips feel tackier! The compound offers a happy balance. Soft enough to offer a decent degree of trail buzz isolation and brilliant mechanical grip, but not so soft as to wear prematurely or feel squirmy in the hand.
My test grips are still looking relatively unworn after a good few months of hard riding. The built-in end caps have proven very durable too, fending off a few tree clips and a couple of crashes without sustaining any damage.
The raised waffle section really aids rotational traction too, especially noticeable on steeper downhill tracks and on jumpier trails. In collaboration with the tacky compound, they allow for a lighter grip on the bars which in turn helps to prevent cramping and arm pump.
As a rider with shovel-like hands, the 135mm width is a revelation, a good 5mm longer than most lock-on grips, allowing for a little extra wiggle room and the freedom to shift position on the bars slightly. I also found I could slide my hands in a little to limit the risk of squished pinkies when negotiating tighter tree-lined singletrack. Anyone with an above-average hand width should enjoy the added freedom these grips provide.
On to the negatives, and there isn’t much to say. Unlike my usual Odi Elite Pros, Lizard Skins have opted to forgo an offset grip sleeve that apportions more rubber under the palm area where it’s needed. This is a shame as while the difference is subtle, it is noticeable on longer rougher descents where my hands would feel a smidge more fatigued at the end of the day.
Secondly, I would ideally like to see an internally tapered core as favoured by DMR’s DeathGrip and many others, as relying solely on the single locking collar and a little friction from a few small internal cutouts in the sleeve to prevent rotation called for a little more torque on the bolt. Thankfully Lizard Skins have opted for a good quality 3mm hex reducing the risk of rounding the bolt. I’d still suggest a drop of thread lock for a little extra peace of mind. Saying that I’ve had no trouble with unwanted movement during the test period. I’d perhaps be a little wary of running them with a lightweight carbon bar due to the increased clamping forces in play.
As alluded to earlier, an offset design offering a little more rubber under the palm would increase comfort without adding unwanted bulk and would be good to see in future versions. Finally, the moulded end caps whilst secure and robust do mean there is no scope for in-bar tool storage such as the Wolftooth Encase System Bar Kit Or the Muc off Stealth Tubeless Puncture Plug kit.
Lizard Skins Machine lock-on grip – Verdict
The £27.99 ODI Elite Pro grips offer increased comfort thanks to that offset design putting more rubber where it’s needed. However, at 130mm wide, they are narrower than the Machine grips. Ergon’s GD1 Evo Factory grips offer advanced ergonomic technology and a super soft high grip factory compound as well as the open-ended design allowing for the use of in-bar storage/tool systems, but at £36.99 are a spendier option.
DMR’s ever-popular DeathGrips sport a tapered core for a tighter fit on the bar and are available in two different diameters and compounds as well as being a bit of a bargain at just £21 a pair. Although not everyone gets on with the mishmash of textures and they feel a little narrow for wider hands.
In conclusion, the Lizard Skins Machine has proven to be a brilliant all-around grip with only a few minor flaws. I would recommend them for those with wider hands. They perform very well in a range of conditions, with or without gloves. At £29.00 a pair, I do feel they are perhaps a touch overpriced for what is essentially quite a simple grip that lacks some of the advanced design features found in some rival grips in a similar price range.
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