Great replacement for grip shifters
927635
I recently bought a Specialized HotRock 24 Road bike for my 8 year old son.  This bike, along with the Trek equivalent and his older Trek 20" bike all come with grip shifters.  I truly wish all of these bikes would STOP shipping with grip shifters.  I even have a hard time shifting my kid's bike into the big ring.  As an 8 year old, he just doesn't have the grip and hand strength necessary to move his bike into the big ring.  One of the main reasons we bought the bigger bike was because he was maxing out what he could do with the smaller bike and needed more high-end gear ratios.  The stock grip shifters made it so he couldn't even use them.

Enter these shifters.

First, the price made it a no-brainer.  They're not like my SRAM Forces that would set you back over $1K.  They are dirt cheap and surprisingly well made for the money.  Yes, they're big.  Almost comically big.  But that makes it easier for a kid to work them.  (Don't worry - if you're an adult, they won't look stupid or out of place, just big).

It took me about 20 minutes to replace the existing shifters with these new ones.  Coming from grip shifters, the handlebar grips were quite small, so I also upgraded to full-length grips but that made removing the existing grips easier since I didn't care if I damaged them.  Though I didn't.

Using the existing brakes and cable housing (this is a newish bike so nothing wrong there), I ran the new cables through, attached to the derailleurs and made a couple minor tweaks to tension and voila.  Done.  I did wind up swapping the order that the shifters and brakes went back on the handlebars, but only because of a different form factor.

The right set shifts beautifully with no mis-shifts.  The left side takes a little to get used to but the great news is, since it's non-indexed and you have a lot of room to play, you can work your front derailleur and eliminate chain rub.  Normally, when my son was in his middle chain ring up front, he would get rub on gears 1 and 7 on back.  Now he can easily adjust and keep from getting the chain rub.

In all - a HEARTY recommendation for these shifters.  Well worth the money and a must-have for any kid's bike.  Don't hesitate to try the install work yourself. Just grab a pair of cable cutters (Park Tool ones work the best, but if you don't want to spend the money, a solid pair of wire cutters may work) and a couple ferrules (a few cents a piece) and get to work.
3611058
massive improvement in grip comfort, rubber grippy surface also helps to steady the gun and keep it on target.  this is the best glock grip modification i've came across to date, so good i have stopped searching for my next grip modification to try out.  it will shift slightly after each range session, but its a simple job sliding it back to original position, not a big deal to me at all.  it beats decal grip and talon grip in comfort, but thats just my personal opinion.  so cheap anyway, why not try it for yourself and see?
3047981
Great replacement item if your grips are worn. Nice and secure in the hand, feels much nicer than the original grips. Mine are on a S&W 5946.
3079947
Pro Grip 719, Open-End, dual-compound grips

I installed a pair of these on my Ducati Monster 696. The stock factory grips were too hard and my hands would always start to go numb from the vibration after 15-20 minutes of riding. The Pro Grips were the perfect solution and came highly recommended by other Ducati riders.

The dual-compound consists of a hard black rubber that contacts the handlebar and throttle tube. The soft vibration dampening gel is found above the rubber, so that your gloves would grip the softer gel.

In each kit, there are 2 grips. One is a slightly larger diameter designed to fit throttle tubes. The other fits over the handlebar on the clutch side. The Ducati requires grips between 22-25mm in diameter and 122-127mm in length. The Pro Grip 719 fit perfectly on my Monster, and the 717 appears to be very similar to the grips used on Ducati Corse's MotoGP Desmosedici.

I recommend using a flat blade screwdriver to run it under the stock grips, and spray some WD40 while rotating the screwdriver around the handlebar/throttle to spread the WD40. The stock grips should slip right off. Wipe off the WD40 and use brake cleaner or some other cleaner to ensure the handlebar/throttle is free of residue.

Use extra hold hairspray and spray a liberal amount into the new Pro Grips and a light layer on the handlebar/throttle. You can either push the new Pro Grips on or rotate them until they slip into place. Once the hair spray dries, the adhesive that remains is actually quite good. It is water soluble so it cleans off easily, but manages to stick on tight. I installed a G2 Throttle Tamer and the Pro Grip fits perfectly over the G2. The stock plastic throttle tube should accept a Pro Grip as well.

The Pro Grips are far more comfortable as the soft gel dampens vibration and offers more grip/friction so you don't need to grip the throttle as hard. I felt I had more control over the front end and possibly even more feedback from the bike. After 35+ minutes of riding, my hands felt fine.

Overall: 5/5 stars, highly recommended for any motorcycle. Less expensive than OEM-replacements, so if you damaged your stock grips, the Pro Grips are a more attractive replacement.
3518438
I bought these to slip over my stock Suzuki DRZ400 grips. My stock grips are not smooth but instead have an aggressive ridge/pattern to improve grip in muddy conditions. The new grips went on easily and without any hairspray or lubrication of any kind. They increase the overall diameter of the grip and lessen felt vibrations. I will buy them again if my future bikes need them.
891804
I used these shifters to replace old Shimano 8 speed shifters on a Gary Fisher Tassajara mountain bike. They installed with out a problem and shifted perfectly. I would recommend this product for an 8 speed shifter replacement.
1062574
We bought these a year ago to replace the extremely worn out pair of twist shifters on an older generic mountain bike. They are virtually the same as my ancient pair, just slightly updated styling and perhaps a more durable material.

Not much to say other than they work identically to my old pair, installation was easy, feeling and responsiveness are just fine.

Definitely consider getting a set if you are in need of a replacement. Have had no problems at all with these over the course of the past year.
1834753
These compete favorably with Ergon grips for about 10% the money! No allen screws to lock them on but they stick to the handlebars really really well. They have a proprietary "lock" molded into the inside. Perfect for thumb shifters, single speeds, or downtube mounted friction shifters. Lose those nasty grip shifters so that you can use these underpriced grips. XLC products are a good value and a company to watch.
1923526
Works smoother than the stock pistol grip shifter; the metal ball gets hot when it's warm and cold when it's cold but that is a small problem as the ball will twist off and can be replaced.
4684449
Installed on a 1981 Yamaha XJ550 Maxim. Adjusted clutch arm and cable to correct specifications and this clutch grips great. Excellent upgrade over the stock friction plates. If you need XJ550 friction plates on a budge - get these.
3046219
These grips are softer than the stock grips on my 2011 Yamaha FZ8. It helps slightly ease the vibration felt through the handlebars of the motorcycle and my hands do not get tired as quickly compared to the OEM grips. Overall I feel a slight to moderate improvement because grips won't entirely change the motorcycle's ergonomics, especially for a bike with a lot of vibration, but is is a noticeable improvement.
4502579
Great shifters. Installed them in under 20 minutes and worked very well with my shimano derailer on my Specialized Hardrock bike. They came a little late, but customer service was quick and responsive via email. They responded within an hour of my email. I would definitely recommend.
3485077
Like everyone has said they are great, big improvement over the grip shifters on "hilly terrain". Seem very solidly made, had to move the brake handles to the outside position on the bars for a K2 Shadow Nine.
108752
Ordered this for an older MTB, the gummy, sluggish action of the original system disappeared, the bike now shifts as well as any $1200 new bike, with the original derailleur. Shipped almost overnight, for free! Feels very similar to my LX shifter, would recommend.
1436959
I love it.  It took a little getting used to since you have to hold you hand differently, but I love it.  There was a little bit of vibrating afterwards so I put a piece of paper between the shifter staff and this shifter.  No more problems.

**The automatic and manual shifters are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE models**
Make sure you get the right one.
3536164
They worked like I wanted them to. They were comfortable enough. I had to reposition my shifters but that doesn't seem to be a problem. One of the set screws was missing on one of the grips but I tightened the other end and it worked.
4032505
I've worked on bikes before, so this was an easy swap out from my original shifter set. Be forewarned, there are no instructions in the package. This is meant for a bike shop, so you'll need to google DIY bike repair where you'll find plenty of tips. I ended up using some of my old cable sheaths, which was easier than trying to cut and fit new, so I have lots of stuff left over.