Enduro21 gets to grips with the Apico enduro grab or pull straps, fitting them to our test mule Husqvarna TE 250 to take on the 2024 Erzbergrodeo where they were put to a proper test...

Most commonly used in hard enduro, pull or grab straps are the quickest and easiest way anyone can help you when you’re stuck. Fitted to hobby and pro rider bikes the world over, the grab strap is a simple and relatively cheap part which can be a massive help when you need it.

They simply fit securely to the front forks and rear subframe of your bike and give you or anyone a super-handy way of grabbing hold and pulling or lifting your bike up and over obstacles or up hills.

Enduro21 recently kitted up this bike for Erzberg ’24 and took the chance to test a box full of parts including these pull straps from Apico, the British-based off-road parts suppliers. As well as distributing a number of well-known brands, Apico also manufacturer some of their own products and this is one of them.

Enduro21 has experience testing the Apico grab straps in the past on long term test bikes but this pull straps pairing did Erzberg, plus two further enduro events.

They say:

Fitting easily over the front and rear fenders, Apico enduro pull straps are constructed from durable nylon material front and rear, and come with leather stitched cover on handle areas.

They use a secure buckle system allowing adjustment to fit different machines and manufacturers, positioning on fork legs or subframes and tightening back on itself for security.

Installation is relatively simple using the front fork upper stations and lower triple clamp on the front of the bike and fixing to the rear sub frame on the rear.

We say:

Enduro grabs straps need little explanation we’re pretty sure, simply they’re there for someone to quickly and easily grab hold of and help haul you up or over something.  Their design requirements are simple too: they need to be tough, easy to get hold of with enough slack for someone to get their mitts around but not too much so the strap is loose and flappy or liable to catch on stuff.

They also naturally need to secure well and be strong enough so the weight of your bike, and maybe you, can be pulled or lifted from it.

These straps do all that and got a through testing at Erzberg as we, and riders around on the day, exchanged help along the Iron Giant.

Fitting

They use a standard buckle which you feed the strap through and then come back again to lock it in place. The left-over strap tidies through an elastic band also.

The front strap around the fork legs needs securing in position to stop it dropping down the leg and not being accessible also.

Using the loop on the top which you feed as big as possible cable tie through, and then around the bottom yoke to hold it as high as possible.

Some grab straps have a tendency to pull undone or instantly snap those tie-wraps. That can be down to poor design but also not fitting them properly so, knowing that, we made sure these were fitted correctly.

The design of the composite subframe on our Husqvarna TE 250 meant it took a minute to look where is best to fit the rear strap. Alloy subframes make this easier in many cases and can mean more options.

But the Husky has a home for it and, like the front, it was secure and adjusted well in position just behind the furthest point back where we naturally might sit – so it rarely got sat upon.

The rear strap didn’t get used as much as the front for obvious reasons, and generally moving the bike around or lifting it on and off the paddock stand is still easier with the grab points on the rear fender. The rear pull strap is something you maybe think you don’t need, until you suddenly do an then you really do.

Erzberg has a heap of narrow gullies where bikes get log-jammed in and the only option is to manhandle the bike up and that is where the straps got used the most and proved a) their weight in gold and b) how tough they are in repeated use.

Verdict

As a test, it’s hard to imagine a more thorough one than Erzberg. To pass that test they have to be tough but also need to be in the right place reliably every time. That might sound odd to say but we hate it when halfway through a race the strap is all loose, has dropped down the fork legs, or one side has come undone or similar issues.

The Apico enduro pull straps stayed put and were always reliably just there basically. Like Ronseal paint, they get full marks for doing exactly what it says on the tin.

RRP: £35

Colour: Black

More information: www.apico.co.uk

Photo Credit: Enduro21 + Future7media | Andrea Belluschi