What is the best technique for removing handlebar grips. By design they are stubborn, and so are bloody difficult to remove.

And then if you lube them just a tiny bit to get them off, how do you get them back on with a full non-swivel grip capability?

Yes, i’ve washed them, dried them, they – and the bar – are squeakly clean, but they won’t go back on and hold position.

Grrr!

Options:

1 – apply some hairspray to the bars. Slippy when wet, sticky when dry
2 – use WD40 to get them on. It will evaporate leaving the grips in position.
3 – buy lock on grips.

I’ve never been able to refit grips, they’re always too loose. You can always use a zip tie at each end to tighten them up on the bar, or as per number 3 above, buy some lock on grips.

assuming the bars are alloy; try to thread in end of a spoke or similar object (eg kebab skewer) between grip and bar, and then gently spray WD40 or similar using the tube nozzle into gap formed by skewer / spoke. Try to rottae grip gently and sooner or later it will come off. To reapply clean inside grip, apply some soap, slip back on. DO NOT use above method for carbon bars btw 🙁

as with many mysteries of the universe, WD40 is the answer

push em don’t pull em (on and off)

spit to put them on.

Cheers all.

I’ve avoided using WD40 as I’d expect it would make everything too slippy. Hairspray.. I’ll have to go and procure some of that 😉

Thanks for the pointers on carbon bars… of course, the next question is: what to do with my carbon bars when inevitable I have to remove the grips on those?

I have successfully shoved the little red tube that comes with WD40 between the bars and grips. I would have thought that method would work with carbon bars without scratching / damaging them.

buy lock on grips, that was my solution to carbon bar grip removal !

Loc ons people, LOC ONS!

I use a chop-stick to form the gap between grip and bar, smooth so no risk of damage. Then, as above, GT85 or similar to loosen the grip.

To re-fit, clean ALL the lube off using solvent, meths is great.

Then liberally spray inside of grip with hair spray, it starts slippy so you can get the grip on. and then evaporates to leave a sticky residue, holding the grip in place.

Hope that helps,

APF

See the little hole in the end of the grip? It’s for your compressed air line (assuming you have a compressor). Float them on and off using a lovely cushion of air.

PS Never tried this , but I’m aware of the theory. I thought everyone used lock-ons, these days?

Slide Cable ties lengthways between grips and bars for putting on then just pull out cableties when grips in position (usually need 4), also use hairspray for stick. Not sure if you can get the cable ties back in for removal though.

Given that you can buy lock on grips these days for less than a tenner it’s going to be a moot point really…

…but that doesn’t help you with the job in hand.

My preferred method of removal and reinstallation is as follows:

1. Pull and twist whilst repeating “Let go of the bar you ####!”

2. Berate world for the futility of task in hand. Wipe sweat from forehead and kick nearest four legged mammal.

3. Utter “You complete #######!” and slowly peel back the end of the grip nearest the brakes while applying constant force to the grips.

4. Apologise to the now wary four legged mammal and offer concilliatory treat.

5. The grips will loosen and release with a sudden “Pop!” causing your hand to fly sideways and smack your knuckles on something.

6. Apologise to cat/child/wife etc or rinse grit from wound on knuckles, or apply cold pressure to your new black eye depending on who or what you’ve just struck.

7. Fit new bars to bike and attempt to push old grips back on 1/3 of way. Slap forehead.

8. Realise you have a can of spraypaint nearby, so remove grips again and spray inside before refitting.

9. Wipe excess spray from bike/furniture/cat/wife etc.

10. Viola! Leave for twelve hours for paint to set and you should now have grippy grips again.

This method served me well until I bought lock ons, now all I have to contend with is the rounded bolt conundrum which means I have to break out saws and or drills each time….

For all the different rubber grips we have in the house, soaking them in hot water softens them up, then they go on (or come off) without too much effort.

@PJM1974 – That’s my method that is 🙂

And I’m sure I’ll encounter the rounded bolt conundrum one day, but sorting out those is a different ‘mystery of the universe’ for another day.

Gone back to old fashioned grips (Race Face- Good n Evil) after a few years with lock-ons. Never liked the hard metal bits, found them uncomfortable. And they rattle as they get older.
Anyway, squirt of GT85 or WD40 to the bars is my preferred method. Sounds wrong but works well!

you can fit and remove grips using a track pump…

Hairspray is good, but you can use any spray which starts out slippy,
but gets sticky as it dries

You need to push them off. If you pull it is like a chinese finger trap. Loosen your brake lever clamp bolts a little and use the clamp to push the grip off. Works really well with rubbery grips, not tried it on foam yet.

Squirt a bit of GT85 under corner of grip and push off as stuart says above. Maybe with a bit of a wiggle.

Spray GT85 inside grip before re-fitting.

I find normal grips fitted like this are more secure than lock-ons.

The trick to making sure they go back on nice and tight is to put them in the wasnig machine with you kit. They’ll be very clean and shrunk back to their factory size.

Lube spray to get them off, use the straw to poke under grip, spray, wiggle pull off.
Clean handlebar of all lube.
Spray inside of grip with car paint (any colour!) wiggle and slip on quickly. Paint dries and grip is on tight.

Be careful of the small hole at the other and as you can drop wet paint onto your bike if your not careful.

Or buy lock on grips

Care to elaborate how one uses a track pump to fit/remove grips?

In the past I’ve used wd40 to get grips both on and off, and not bothered with hairspray – pretty much stay where they’ve been put.

WD40/GT85 to get them off, 3M spray mount (from an art shop) to stick them on here.

buzz-lightyear – Member
Care to elaborate how one uses a track pump to fit/remove grips?

it’s a secret…

same as a compressor!

depending on what grip?

if they have a sealed end, they normally have a small hole, attach tp to the hole. fit open end of grip to end of bar, and then pump. grip expand a little, slides/burps on/off on a cushion of air. remember to block the other end of the bar.
on grips with an open end put the head of tp into the grip. squeeze hand around grip and head to make a seal. the rest is the same as above

does that make any sense?