Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
DMR Deathgrip2 Flange vs Race Face Chester Grips
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Mountain Bike Grips: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Deathgrip2 is the rare grip where the maker publishes hardness, both diameter options, length and a clamp torque, so you can buy it on numbers instead of vibes. The Chester gives you the same 20A rubber and an even wider diameter spread for less money, with a slightly less refined shape.
DMR Deathgrip2 Flange
Buy itThe best-specified lock-on grip you can buy, with published hardness, two diameters and a real torque figure.
- DMR publishes a 20A durometer figure for the compound, which almost no rival does.
- Two genuine diameter options, 29.8 mm thin and 31.3 mm thick, so you can match the grip to your hand.
- A single slimline alloy lock ring with a stated 2 Nm torque and a 3 mm hex bolt makes install and removal simple.
- The 20A compound is soft, and soft compounds wear faster than hard ones.
- The lock ring still puts a hard alloy collar under the inboard edge of your hand.
- DMR does not publish a weight for the grip on the product page.
Race Face Chester Grips
Buy itA budget lock-on that publishes 20A rubber, two diameters and pair weights, which is more than most premium grips manage.
- External diameter is published as 31 mm or 34 mm, and 34 mm is a genuinely large option for big or gloved hands.
- Race Face states 20A durometer rubber, the same headline hardness as far pricier grips.
- Weights are published per pair at 112 g for the 31 mm and 135 g for the 34 mm.
- Race Face does not publish a clamp bolt torque on the product page, so you are left guessing at a number that matters.
- There is no diameter between 31 mm and 34 mm, which is a big jump if you sit in the middle.
- The perforated core puts more rubber under the palm but also means more material to compress and eventually tear.
Side by side
| DMR Deathgrip2 Flange | Race Face Chester Grips | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who wants a trail or enduro grip they can choose by published diameter rather than by guesswork. | Riders who want a large-diameter, soft lock-on grip without paying for a marquee name. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the DMR Deathgrip2 Flange - The best-specified lock-on grip you can buy, with published hardness, two diameters and a real torque figure. Choose the Race Face Chester Grips instead if riders who want a large-diameter, soft lock-on grip without paying for a marquee name.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Mountain Bike Grips: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).