CONTEC MERGE: Ergonomics with the right feel to them
Grip selection is an underestimated factor when riding a bike. The contact points on the hands play a major role in this. Choosing the right components and setting them correctly is crucial for riding in a healthy and symptom-free manner. If they are not adapted to our body properly, discomfort, numbness and pain will set in over time.
Depending on our riding style, our body weight is distributed differently over the various contact points, which places special demands on the quality of the grip, saddle and the like. To give you a better understanding of this, we divided most of our products into three riding style categories as part of our brand relaunch two years ago. Our MERGE grips from our new G-Link system fit right into this.
Discover the products from our YouTube video here:
Setting up a bike ergonomically
Relaxed, active or sporty – no matter how you ride your bike: The sitting position adjustment should always match how the bike is used as well. We'll tell you how to travel more comfortably through the city, how to get more ergonomic and how to improve your aerodynamic posture on a bike.
Sport as a forward-leaning riding style, such as on a mountain bike or road bike. Here the back is at a 45° angle to the road.
Active for a slightly bent posture, such as on a trekking bike. In this category, the back is at a 60° angle to the road.
Relaxed as a riding style with an upright posture, such as on a city bike, where the back is at a 90° angle to the road.
Individual ergonomics are the name of the game
G-Link is an innovative system that combines ergonomic grips with practical accessories such as mirrors or bells on the handlebars. The connection brings the attachments closer to the hand, which ensures improved ergonomics. The clear and tidy look is another plus.
MERGE handles from CONTEC
The foundation of G-Link are our MERGE handles. These are available in different designs and follow our ergonomic types – Sport, Active and Relaxed. The pattern on the grip surface serves as a guide: the fork pattern stands for mountain (sport), the wave pattern for trekking (active) and for urban (relaxed) we use the line pattern for city or completely smooth terrain.
The grips are made of a D3 three-component matrix with anti-stick rubber compound, G-Link spacer and an aluminum lock ring. MERGE Urban consists of a D2 two-component Matrix. The synthetic material of the handles is durable and weather-resistant.
Since the grips are in constant contact with the rider, they must be comfortable and secure from the first kilometer to the last. With the different shapes and materials, the MERGE range covers all purposes, so that the rider is offered the best possible ergonomics on the handlebars. By the way: The MERGE Trekking Ergo grip was recently recommended by RadFahren Magazin and described as an absolute all-rounder.
RadFahren 02/2023
Test "Good grip? Much joy!"
24 ergo grips were tested
Result: 3x test winner, 3x recommendation, 1x price/performance winner
Watch our YouTube video about the MERGE handles here:
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Setting things right
The hands support a large part of the upper body weight on the handlebars. Nerve pathways can be irritated. To make matters worse, many cyclists bend their wrists too much or mount grips incorrectly, which leads to unnatural strain and in the long run takes away the joy of cycling. Therefore, after the correct selection, the correct adjustment of the handle is essential.
Wing grips offer ergonomic support for handlebars with a small to medium offset backwards (backsweep). That way, they prevent kinking of the wrists and the nerves and blood vessels running within, due to a larger contact surface. It depends on the correct assembly in order to optimally promote the angle of the wrist.
NEW: MERGE grips with cork
With the launch of our new products for the 2024 season, we are presenting the cork version of our MERGE grips. Every type of our grip collection will now also be available with cork. The renewable resource is particularly breathable and looks amazing on your bike.
Discover the MERGE Kork collection: