Foam grips have an old-school reputation, but Tom Ritchey's been making the case for them since the early days of mountain biking — and the WCS Truegrip HD is the current version of that argument. It's a slip-on grip made from single-density high-density foam, shaped into a hexagonal profile rather than a continuous round tube, and built around the idea that simpler is sometimes just better. No clamps, no locking collars, no rubber compounds — just foam, a shape that works, and end plugs in the box.

The hexagonal cross-section is what makes the Truegrip HD feel different from a generic foam grip. Instead of a perfectly round tube, you get six flat facets that give your fingers a subtle shelf to wrap around. It's a shape that reviewers have noted feels surprisingly natural in the hand, and the high-density foam strikes a balance between cushion and support — soft enough to take the edge off trail buzz, firm enough that it doesn't feel mushy when you're pushing into a corner. The foam also doesn't get slick when wet, which is the failure mode that turns most riders off rubber grips on humid days.

At 43 grams per pair without plugs, these are genuinely light — about a third the weight of a typical lock-on grip. That weight savings comes with the tradeoff of slip-on installation, which means hairspray, rubbing alcohol, or your preferred grip-mounting trick to get them seated. Once they're on, they stay on, and you've shaved real grams off your cockpit without spending carbon money.... Read More