Cycling · 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 many rivals do not, plus a firmer 25A option on the Gum colour.
- 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 stainless allen 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 quotes 100 g per pair but does not say which diameter that figure applies to.
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
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| DMR Deathgrip2 Flange Our pick | 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 |
| Attachment | Lock-on, single alloy collar | Lock-on, single anodised clamp |
| Published outer diameter | 29.8 mm thin or 31.3 mm thick | 31 mm or 34 mm |
| Published durometer | 20A | 20A |
| Published length | 135 mm | 136 mm |
| Published weight per pair | 100 g, size not specified | 112 g at 31 mm, 135 g at 34 mm |
| Stated clamp torque | 2 Nm | Not published on product page |
| Shape | Round, flange or flangeless | Round, angled mushroom ribs |
| How you size it | Pick thin or thick | Pick 31 mm or 34 mm |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the DMR Deathgrip2 Flange if
anyone who wants a trail or enduro grip they can choose by published diameter rather than by guesswork.
Know before buying: the 20A compound is soft, and soft compounds wear faster than hard ones.
Pick the Race Face Chester Grips if
riders who want a large-diameter, soft lock-on grip without paying for a marquee name.
Know before buying: race Face does not publish a clamp bolt torque on the product page, so you are left guessing at a number that matters.
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).