# A study in bicycle grips



## Jesse McCauley (Feb 15, 2022)

One of the most delicate and oft overlooked subtleties of the ca. 1900 US bicycle tradition can be found at either end of the handlebar. 

I thought a thread dedicated to original adverts and excellent survivor examples of grips was overdue. 

I will start with a group of adverts from the window of 1895 - 1917 or thereabouts


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## HEMI426 (Feb 15, 2022)

Jesse this thread will also be a great reference to identify unknown grips someone may have, Thanks ( I have none that early). I do have some from the 40s - 60s, Are they to new for this thread?


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## dnc1 (Feb 15, 2022)

Jesse McCauley said:


> One of the most delicate and oft overlooked subtleties of the ca. 1900 US bicycle tradition can be found at either end of the handlebar.
> 
> I thought a thread dedicated to original adverts and excellent survivor examples of grips was overdue.
> 
> ...



Loving the inflatable versions.


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 15, 2022)

HEMI426 said:


> Jesse this thread will also be a great reference to identify unknown grips someone may have, Thanks ( I have none that early). I do have some from the 40s - 60s, Are they to new for this thread?



I am not opposed to that, if folks would like to expand the date range we can have the thread moved to general discussion. 
Another option would be another 'study' thread over in the ballooner category. No worries on my end either way.


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 15, 2022)

The kind of Spamer you want


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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 15, 2022)

Jesse McCauley said:


> 🧐I am not opposed to that, if folks would like to expand the date range we can have the thread moved to general discussion.
> Another option would be another 'study' thread over in the ballooner category. No worries on my end either way.



There are already two grip threads in the general section.  It would seem a pre-1933 and separate post 1933 threads are in order.
Why not stick to your pre-1917 (or 1933) focus mentioned above so the thread isn’t polluted with Snoopy, gnome, tiger, and penis head grips as the other is in the general section?


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 15, 2022)

Here's a great page from ca. 1918 that shows a nice wide range of grips whose design spans decades into the past and future from this point.

Worth reading the descriptions closely, the "Bull Dog" grips make mention that the "shape affords a Bull Dog Grip which is of great assistance to hill climbing"


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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 15, 2022)

Teens-1920’s


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 15, 2022)

Some originals in my collection.


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## catfish (Feb 15, 2022)




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## catfish (Feb 15, 2022)




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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 15, 2022)

Early rubber grips:


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## Iverider (Feb 15, 2022)

1893





1893



1902




1900


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## Iverider (Feb 15, 2022)

Here are a few more.

1918-1919 T W. Boyd & Son catalog




1918 CCM Catalog




1918 CCM Catalog


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## gkeep (Feb 15, 2022)

Love the idea of corn cob grips!!! Somehow I doubt any of those have survived the decades. Great thread!


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## bicyclerNY (Feb 16, 2022)

Spring Wire Grips


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## cr250mark (Feb 16, 2022)

Jesse McCauley said:


> Some originals in my collection.
> 
> View attachment 1570593
> 
> ...




Geeeze Jess did you leave any others to post ! Lmao Great collection of timepieces 
Mark


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## cr250mark (Feb 16, 2022)

Iverider said:


> Here are a few more.
> 
> 1918-1919 T W. Boyd & Son catalog
> View attachment 1570930
> ...



Been waiting for a Ad to pop up


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## cr250mark (Feb 16, 2022)

Juv balled end to Classic Motorbike 
Size varies 
Used from bicycles ,sidewalk bicycles to early tricycles 
Scooters extc


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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 17, 2022)

Outstanding pair of NOS 19th century fancy grips:


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## oddball (Feb 18, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Early rubber grips:
> 
> View attachment 1570610



Brant, I've been trying to identify the grips we, any thoughts?


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## bikebozo (Feb 18, 2022)

1889 Overman Wheel Co. Highwheel bicycle grip


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## Rusty McNickel (Feb 19, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Teens-1920’s
> 
> View attachment 1570585



Brant, Didn't you write something about penis head grips???


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## oldmtrcyc (Feb 19, 2022)




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## Goldenindian (Feb 19, 2022)

1920s “rough rider”
I lost the advertisement/catalog reference for them, but someone on here has it.


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## Goldenindian (Feb 19, 2022)

Common… but I also liked these…


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 20, 2022)

A nice pair of grips that came mounted as a sexy combo on this original bar/stem setup- early take offs I guess?


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## locomotion (Feb 20, 2022)

1891 Singer grips


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## locomotion (Feb 20, 2022)

1897 Crescent grips


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## locomotion (Feb 20, 2022)

TOC/teens wood covered leather grips


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## locomotion (Feb 20, 2022)

NOS  Dunlop rubber grips


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## New Mexico Brant (Oct 9, 2022)

The Woodworth Grips:


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## gkeep (Oct 10, 2022)

This nice Crown Cyrus by Great Western just showed up in the for sale section and the grips caught my attention. They seemed to be wrapped with shellacked twine instead of leather. The lay of the cordage reminds me of two strand tarred marline used in the old days for serving lines and stays on sailing ships, it would be tarred for protection from chaffing, water and wear. Very nice bike and interesting grips. Those grips have the look of old pine tar covered line and canvas. 




To serve a line you "worm and marvel with the lay, turn and serve the other way".





Two strand tarred hemp Marline. Very useful stuff and it smells good too, like biking in a pine forest.


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## 10~18kustoms (Oct 13, 2022)

I found this single cork grip on these teens' era bars in the storage locker stuff I bought. Searched several times hoping to find the other grip, but no luck. No Idea what bike they came off of as the only teen's - 20's era bike in the bunch already had bars on it. Comparing it to the ads shown on the first page, the grip looks to be a Codling, or Cork and Corkine grip.


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