The Monarch Grip is a descendant of decades of hanging onto handlebars like your life depends on it. Because sometimes they really did.   Thin vs Thick People come in all shapes and sizes and so do their hands, so having a one size fits all approach to grip diameter is almost as crazy as offering a one size fits all glove. The thin grip has 30mm diameter on the inside and 32mm on the outside and thick grip 32mm on the inside, 34mm outside. This not only makes the thick grip an ideal diameter for people with larger hands but also an extra 2mm of impact damping rubber compared to the thin.   Your ideal grip size depends on your riding style, trail conditions. Hand size, and whether you wear gloves or not so it can be as much personal preference as a science when selecting which is right for you. As a general rule people with bigger hands (XL glove size upwards) should opt for a thicker grip however, some aggressive riders (even ones with massive hands) may prefer a thin grip to achieve better bar feel and precise control. Conversely people with smaller hands, who might otherwise be best suited to a thinner grip, may prefer the comfort and fatigue reduction of thick grips over ultimate control.   Tapered Diameter A tapered grip means that its diameter increases from the inside to the outside of the grip. The thin grip has 30mm diameter on the inside and 32mm on the outside, and the thick grip has 32mm on the inside, 34mm outside.   This taper helps to create a more natural gripping angle by supporting your palm and reducing pressure on long rides. The taper in the rubber also results in a thinner section of rubber on the inside of the grip (for more bar feel) and a thicker section of rubber on the outside of the grip (for more impact cushioning). This taper also works with the offset core to further increase the thickness of rubber on the top surface, increasing impact cushioning even further!   Comfort Thumb Pad Your thumb is the only part of your hand that grips the rear side of the grip. This means every rock, drop, root or rail can result in a small impact and rub between your thumb and grip, and can lead to hot spots and blisters on the inside of your thumb (particularly the metacarpal bone / knuckle). Peaty's comfort thumb pad extends further out from the grip diameter to provide more support and cushioning to your thumb, and help to reduce the risk of blisters. Its shape has been finely tuned to find a sweet spot in size and location to cater optimally for small hands, shovel hands and riders who prefer to either position their hands on the inside or outside of the grip while riding.   Cornering forces naturally cause your thumb to shift left and right which causes the straight fins of a mushroom texture to collapse side to side. This can not only create a distracting 'clicking' feeling under your thumb, but also compromises the level of cushioning and blister protection - enter the zigzag! Like corrugation in a tin roof, adding corners to a...