Like the other contact points  on a bike (saddles and pedals) there’s a definite love/hate thing going on with certain grips. When I first tested the Burgtec Bartender Pro, I didn’t loathe them, but I didn’t think they were among the best mountain bike grips on the market. I was a bit lukewarm. Now they’re my favourite grip and are fitted to all my bikes. This one is a new marble colour (called bloody Mary), but is actually the regular compound. Burgtec offers the Bartender Pro in a Greg Minnaar soft compound signature version. The amount of traction is off the charts, but when I had this softer grip on my e-bike I dropped it and the whole end of the grip disintegrated, which to be fair, is par for the course when it comes to heavy e-bikes. When I fitted the regular grip, I did exactly the same thing and was expecting the same outcome, but there was actually no damage. No cookie cutter or flapping piece of grip; it was still solid. I’m not saying the regular Bartender Pro is e-bike specific, nor is Burgtec making that claim either, but it’s definitely a lot more durable.

The Burgtec Bartender Pros are a lovely bit of rubber to cling on to

The Bartender Pro is single collar lock-on and has a micro-ribbed surface. It’s 31.5mm in diameter and there’s a bevelled transition between the grip and collar. The 7075 aluminium collars feature 3mm fasteners, which are less likely to round out compared to 2.5mm bolts. I also like the closed end – it finishes the handlebar nicely, keeps the dirt out and it’s more comfortable, because your hand is not riding on a piece of hard aluminium. The single collar is secure, but the grip does have a slightly tapered inner core to stop rotation. Although that does mean you have to jam it on slightly when fitting.