Removing Grips

bill_gates

I plan to change my grips on my bars soon. What techniques will help me get the old ones off and new ones on easily?

Do I need to use something like washing-up liquid to help lubricate or will this cause problems with holding water close to the bars underneath?

I'm going to buy some nice lockable grips and hopefully will be able to get these on and also still have my bar ends as well.

blakef111

i slide a flat head screw driver (carefully) under the bar and spray in whatever is closest, lynx or other body spray works well or gt85 with a straw in the can may be better, clean the bar let it dry then slide the new grips on

bill_gates

OK, I've got some GT85 which I can use.

Do I put the new ones on when the bars are dry, i.e should I avoid liquid or lube being under the grips?

Slow Downcp

Don't use lube (or washing up liquid) to put the new ones on - use hairspray. Helps them slide on when wet, but when it dries it keeps them from turning or sliding

downfader

Slow Downcp wrote:

Don't use lube (or washing up liquid) to put the new ones on - use hairspray. Helps them slide on when wet, but when it dries it keeps them from turning or sliding

Good idea.

I removed my old ones by squeezing washing up liquid in and working it around with my finger. Then I washed off the bars.

blakef111

Unfortuneatly slow downcp is just a little wrong hairspray is water soluble so first drop of rain will cause your grips to slip all over the place, you can buy lock on grips which will just make evrerything easier or I have found that aerosol shoe protected works amazingly clarks do one cheap and my grips on my fixie have stayed still for months of wet weather now, best of luck

the_hundredth_idiot

Get a bottle of surgical spirit from your local Boots. Peel back the grips and put a few drops underneath (I use a teat pippette from a bottle of liquic vitamins I had). Work the grips backwards and forwards a little. They'll soon slide off.

Do the same when putting new grips on. The surgical spirit evaporates so within a few minutes the new grips are nice and firm.

bill_gates

Would isopropyl alcohol be any use for this technique?

Slow Downcp

blakef111 wrote:

Unfortuneatly slow downcp is just a little wrong hairspray is water soluble so first drop of rain will cause your grips to slip all over the place, you can buy lock on grips which will just make evrerything easier or I have found that aerosol shoe protected works amazingly clarks do one cheap and my grips on my fixie have stayed still for months of wet weather now, best of luck

Never had a problem using hairsrpay (use it on seatposts as well to stop carbon posts slipping)

the_hundredth_idiot

Bill Gates wrote:

Would isopropyl alcohol be any use for this technique?

Isn't it the same thing? (Darn you for showing up the huge gaps in my chemistry. )

I know the americans call surgical spirit "rubbing alcohol" which confused me for a while (as the tip was on an american website).

I guess it just needs to be slippery but evaporate after a short time.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the problem with using hairspray is that it locks on tight when it dries - you ge tthe grips on nice and firm but they won't come off again. Never tried it, though, so could be nonsense.

unscarred

Washing up liquid and a pair of butter knives to get them off - work the knives in from either end, or in opposite directions from the same end. Use a little bit of washing up liquid to ease the movement, it will then wash off completely with warm water. Use the bluntest knives or equivalent you have to avoid scratches.

I've never had much trouble getting them on as long as they're dry and clean, I'll defer to others on that.

I have however used the open grips of bar ends and the flat of my hand to persuade them to go on further than the end of the handlebar.

Gussio

A Stanley knife to cut the old grips off, unless you are keen to keep them.

I have never had a problem with hairspray as a fixative. With a good, tight fit it is unlikely that water will get in to queer the pitch.