Bicycle Mechanics - Best way to remove grips without compressed air or cutting them?

All,

So back when I had a compressor, getting handlebar grips off handlebars was a snap. But now I'd like to remove a set of grips without cutting them off, and I don't have a compressor any more.

What clever tips can the forums offer to get these grips off?

Thanks,
Warr

rubber grips?? put some oil under it.

Now that you've taken the two best ways off the table, we're down to the dregs.

My favorite way to remove grips that can't be blown off is to open an adjustable wrench to span the bar, and push the grip off from the front.

If you're not worried about scratching your bars, or have something softer (like a wooden skewer), get it under the grip while adding a little water. Rotate the grip slightly with your hand while working the device deeper in. Eventually it'll just plop off.

I find alcohol works best. Try to lift a bit of the grip with a stick and pour in a little rubbing alcohol. It's best to tip the bar to let the alcohol flow into the grip & bar interface. Start twisting and the grips will slide right off. This is also how I install grips, too.

i use soapwater and a screwdriver.

If you're not worried about scratching your bars, or have something softer (like a wooden skewer),

I like taking thick bamboo skewers for shishkabobs, inserting one under the grip, spraying alcohol in the gap then twisting. Sometimes take-out chopsticks are good for this too.

If I don't care about the bars much I'll just grab an old spoke from the junkbox and use that instead, saves a trip to the kitchen.

Water or denatured alcohol from a cooking syringe. Doesn't make a mess or leave a residue on the inside of the grip.

chopstick and fabreze.

Chopstick and a spray of 409 cleaner.

Windex works nicely also.

I gotta try the syringe method. I've a syringe for refilling printer cartridges that should work well.

Use your hand pump , maybe chuck up a ball inflation needle ,
in the schrader valve head.

cover the hole in the other grip end with your finger.
once that grip is off cover the bare end and the nearside grip should pump off..

I like to ease a small screwdriver under the grip and then use the thin plastic "straw" attachment to spray WD-40 under the grip. It's about the only thing I use WD-40 for in bike work.

I find alcohol works best. Try to lift a bit of the grip with a stick and pour in a little rubbing alcohol. It's best to tip the bar to let the alcohol flow into the grip & bar interface. Start twisting and the grips will slide right off. This is also how I install grips, too.

This. Hairspray works brilliantly.

rubber grips?? put some oil under it.


I like to ease a small screwdriver under the grip and then use the thin plastic "straw" attachment to spray WD-40 under the grip. It's about the only thing I use WD-40 for in bike work.

There are many good ways of removing grips without air or cutting them off and many are given here. Using an oil based method isn't one of them. If you are going to use oils, just cut them off because they aren't going to be usable afterwards.

Alcohol, water (with or without soap) or anything non-oil based will work. I use a basting syringe and insert the needle through the grip to inject liquid...water usually...under the grip. A small screwdriver and a spray bottle works almost as well.

There are many good ways of removing grips without air or cutting them off and many are given here. Using an oil based method isn't one of them. If you are going to use oils, just cut them off because they aren't going to be usable afterwards.

Alcohol, water (with or without soap) or anything non-oil based will work. I use a basting syringe and insert the needle through the grip to inject liquid...water usually...under the grip. A small screwdriver and a spray bottle works almost as well.


Right! DO NOT use oil! Oil and rubber aren't the best of buddies.

Water or alcohol, using a method of prying up one side of the grip (I use a screwdriver) then pour/spray in the water.

Work it until the water gets around the grip and slide off.

To install, I use hairspray (my wife's, so don't tell her). Hairspray will then dry, making the grip adhere to the bar but still easy to get off later.

To install, I use hairspray (my wife's, so don't tell her). Hairspray will then dry, making the grip adhere to the bar but still easy to get off later.

Buy yourself a bottle of Aquanet ($3) at the local drugstore and quit using your wife's expensive toiletries. Wives get testy when you do that!

A pump spray bottle of Aquanet will last you roughly 50 years. I bought a bottle back in the 80's and I still have most of it left.

Buy yourself a bottle of Aquanet ($3) at the local drugstore and quit using your wife's expensive toiletries. Wives get testy when you do that!

A pump spray bottle of Aquanet will last you roughly 50 years. I bought a bottle back in the 80's and I still have most of it left.

Oh no, it's an expensive bike and I only use salon purchased hairspray.

Oh no, it's an expensive bike and I only use salon purchased hairspray.

...at your own peril;)

I have used the WD40 and screwdriver method on 40 year old Raleigh grips with success. Just make sure you wash them off good to remove the residue WD40.
I used windex to put them back on and position them. Good as new and tight as ever.

I have used the WD40 and screwdriver method on 40 year old Raleigh grips with success. Just make sure you wash them off good to remove the residue WD40.
I used windex to put them back on and position them. Good as new and tight as ever.

If you use Windex to take them off, there's no need to clean them before you put them back on. Why add an unnecessary step?

windex and a small tire lever do wonders, especially if you have a strong grip and a nice pair of work gloves to give the grip a nice firm set of twists in between applying the windex.

I find alcohol works best. Try to lift a bit of the grip with a stick and pour in a little rubbing alcohol. It's best to tip the bar to let the alcohol flow into the grip & bar interface. Start twisting and the grips will slide right off. This is also how I install grips, too.

+1. Alcohol evaporates quickly and doesn't leave residue.

Cyccommute,
The extra step is no biggie. These grips were on for almost 40 years at the time. I did not want to damage them. I asked the same question some time ago and this is how I was told to do it.
It worked, no problem. Just make sure you use a small thin flatblade screw driver and take your time. No damage to the bar or grip. No special tools required. Came right off.

a long thin phillips screwdiver (those sold as 'precision' screwdrivers) dip it in a mix of water and washing up liquid, 'screw' it up the grip then put pressure on the grip with the other hand so that as you screw the driver it makes its way all around the grip, grip slides off without damage in about 20 seconds.

grip slides off without damage in about 20 seconds.

Well, bar will likely get scratched by screwdriver, if that's something you care about.

Well, bar will likely get scratched by screwdriver, if that's something you care about.

Just had to remove a set of grips myself from the bike I PMed you about, I used a screwdriver very carefully to open up the end sprayed in some windex and with 3 twists it popped right off. However I was very diligent with the screw driver and it already had a slightly angled shaft that played in my favor.

If you use Windex to take them off, there's no need to clean them before you put them back on. Why add an unnecessary step?

that's why i stopped using oil and switched to soap water. if you doing something quick, like swapping handlebars around, you can just slide them off and stick them back without having to wipe down the bar and trying to get a rag in the grip to get the oil out. plus the soap will have a little tackiness to it once it dries.

here recently i've also used windsheild washer fluid (it was where i was working. i guess it could be comparable to windex). not sure if it has any tackiness once it dries, but it worked as well for removal.

Well, bar will likely get scratched by screwdriver, if that's something you care about.

no it doesnt, if you use the right screwdriver as mentioned.

This. Hairspray works brilliantly.

agreed!!, I keep cheap can around just for this and cleaing rims and brake pads, not only gets grips off ir acts like glue after drying to keep grips in place

Just had to remove a set of grips myself from the bike I PMed you about, I used a screwdriver very carefully to open up the end sprayed in some windex and with 3 twists it popped right off. However I was very diligent with the screw driver and it already had a slightly angled shaft that played in my favor.

If you have peened, matte finish silver grip area then a screwdriver will often leave no trace of having been there. If you have black bars or polished silver bars there's a pretty good chance (maybe 25% for black peened bars - 70% for polished bars) you'll leave a mark, no matter how careful you are. It's not something that matters to me because, hey, it's always under the grip, but for some people...

Probably want to keep screwdrivers away from carbon bars as well.

No drivers on anodized bars either. If you score some NOS of these, chopsticks or bamboo skewers only!

http://fotos.mtb-news.de/img/photos/4/5/7/7/9/_/large/100_5123.JPG

^ what he said. I've been able to pull grips off with just elbow grease.

ROGER THAT ULTRA!!! I used some Remington Wonderlube spray to juice up a brake cable the next day "I must have over sprayed a little" because as I was taking off I hear "SLOOP" it came off with minimal effort. The thing is I wasn't expecting it to come off and ended up ass up and over the bars on the ground, still & only holding the grip wondering WTF just happened to me "I didn't even get out the gate!!" . ...Yes a bit of oil works very well

Slip in a pop-sickle stick, spray in a shot of Windex, slip them off.

Took longer to type this than to get them off.....

WD40 always works for me. The best part is that it comes with a little red tube that will slide into the grip.

WD40 is a petroleum product, I believe, but it'll dry and keep the grip tight on the bar after it dries.

WD40 always works for me. The best part is that it comes with a little red tube that will slide into the grip.

WD40 is a petroleum product, I believe, but it'll dry and keep the grip tight on the bar after it dries.

I've read that WD-40 is made from fish oil.

I try to use power tools whenever justified. Try WD-40, then inject compressed air from a standard shop or gas station air compressor. You might try a needle injector - the type used to air up basketballs and footballs.

WD40 always works for me. The best part is that it comes with a little red tube that will slide into the grip.

WD40 is a petroleum product, I believe, but it'll dry and keep the grip tight on the bar after it dries.

I've read that WD-40 is made from fish oil.

I try to use power tools whenever justified. Try WD-40, then inject compressed air from a standard shop or gas station air compressor. You might try a needle injector - the type used to air up basketballs and footballs.

agreed!!, I keep cheap can around just for this and cleaing rims and brake pads, not only gets grips off it acts like glue after drying to keep grips in place

Yep. There really is no need to use anything else. Particularly, WD40 seems like a waste of time and effort given that you have to use some sort of alcohol-based substance to remount anyway. Just my £0.02.

Slip in a pop-sickle stick, spray in a shot of Windex, slip them off.

Took longer to type this than to get them off.....

That sounds like the best possible non-marking tool! I never thought about that cuz I never have popsicles in the house. I'm gonna have to grab a handful the next time in the coffee shop, though! Should be way easier than chopsticks. I'm kinda worried about their strength, but...

You can use oil if you like, but wash the grips in hot soapy water straight away after getting them off. Silicon spray lube might be good if you have it - wiggle the straw in under the grip if poss.

I've read that WD-40 is made from fish oil.

I try to use power tools whenever justified. Try WD-40, then inject compressed air from a standard shop or gas station air compressor. You might try a needle injector - the type used to air up basketballs and footballs.


WD40 always works for me. The best part is that it comes with a little red tube that will slide into the grip.

WD40 is a petroleum product, I believe, but it'll dry and keep the grip tight on the bar after it dries.

WD40 is a petroleum product...not fish oil...but so is motor oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, wax and, for that matter, carbon fiber. Just because the material is a petroleum product doesn't mean that it will eventually evaporate at room temperature or even at temperatures that we humans find slightly uncomfortable.

The flash point of WD-40 is 122 F (50C) and the boiling point is around 365F (185C). With that high a flash point and that high a boiling point, there's not going to be much evaporation at ambient temperatures. WD-40 also contains mineral oil that has an even higher flash point and boiling point. If you pour the stuff out and wait around for it to evaporate, it's going to take a very, very long time as it would under the grips of a handlebar. It will probably oxidize and polymerize before it will evaporate. I...and I might speak for many here...would rather not have my grips spinning around like tops while I wait for the WD40 components to polymerize.

WD40 is just silly and messy when it comes to handlebar grips. It might take them off lickety split but so will a knife. If you want to keep the grips, use water, windex or alcohol.

WD40 is a petroleum product...not fish oil...but so is motor oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, wax and, for that matter, carbon fiber. Just because the material is a petroleum product doesn't mean that it will eventually evaporate at room temperature or even at temperatures that we humans find slightly uncomfortable.

The flash point of WD-40 is 122 F (50C) and the boiling point is around 365F (185C). With that high a flash point and that high a boiling point, there's not going to be much evaporation at ambient temperatures. WD-40 also contains mineral oil that has an even higher flash point and boiling point. If you pour the stuff out and wait around for it to evaporate, it's going to take a very, very long time as it would under the grips of a handlebar. It will probably oxidize and polymerize before it will evaporate. I...and I might speak for many here...would rather not have my grips spinning around like tops while I wait for the WD40 components to polymerize.

WD40 is just silly and messy when it comes to handlebar grips. It might take them off lickety split but so will a knife. If you want to keep the grips, use water, windex or alcohol.

Amen.

Have you actually tried WD40? No, huh? I have used it many many times and after a day, the grip is on tighter than you could imagine. I wasn't implying that being a petroleum product makes it dry quicker. Quite the contrary, I was stating that it may damage some rubber grips, but it always works just fine for me.

Please tell me you for some reason knew the flash point and boiling point of WD40 before posting that. I can't imagine someone would go to the trouble of trying to prove a person wrong by researching and stating irrelevant facts. Go ahead, try it, your grips will be bone dry and stuck to your bar lightly.

EDIT: you ever notice that puddles of water will evaporate even when it's near freezing? That's a desirable property since it's not often close to the boiling point of water in Chicago during fall/winter.

Yep. There really is no need to use anything else. Particularly, WD40 seems like a waste of time and effort given that you have to use some sort of alcohol-based substance to remount anyway. Just my £0.02.

Hmm, have you tried it? Like I said, I have and it requires no washing. Contrary to popular believe, WD40 WILL evaporate and leave a slightly sticky residue that is perfect to keep the grips from spinning.

I understand the skepticism, but I HAVE TRIED IT and people are trying to prove how smart they are by pretending to know what happens when they haven't tried it. I just do not understand that mentality on a message board where we are trying to share tips and tricks.

Hmm, have you tried it? Like I said, I have and it requires no washing. Contrary to popular believe, WD40 WILL evaporate and leave a slightly sticky residue that is perfect to keep the grips from spinning.

I understand the skepticism, but I HAVE TRIED IT and people are trying to prove how smart they are by pretending to know what happens when they haven't tried it. I just do not understand that mentality on a message board where we are trying to share tips and tricks.

I have not, and your point is a valid one. Apologies if I misled you.

My point was that when you have found a substance that definitely works (for me, hairspray), why risk something that has a chance of not working?

How long does it take for WD40 to evaporate in this application?

Have you actually tried WD40? No, huh? I have used it many many times and after a day, the grip is on tighter than you could imagine. I wasn't implying that being a petroleum product makes it dry quicker. Quite the contrary, I was stating that it may damage some rubber grips, but it always works just fine for me.

Nope. I haven't tried WD40. But I haven't tried bearing grease, motor oil, Pam and anything else that is a lubricant. That's what WD-40 is...a lubricant with some solvent added. I wouldn't reach for a lubricant because I want the grips to stick to the bars, not rotate around them.

I've used alcohol and had the grips stick to the bars after 10 minutes because alcohol isn't a lubricant. I've used water and had it stick within a few minutes for the same reason. I've use hair spray and the grips are stuck in place after just a few minutes too. All of the above won't damage the grips which is a plus.


Please tell me you for some reason knew the flash point and boiling point of WD40 before posting that. I can't imagine someone would go to the trouble of trying to prove a person wrong by researching and stating irrelevant facts. Go ahead, try it, your grips will be bone dry and stuck to your bar lightly.

Look at my signature. I'm a chemist. I know lots of chemical things. Because it's the field of chemistry that I do a lot of work in, I just happen to know lots of stuff about fuel properties or know where to find them relatively quickly. The point of giving you the flash point and boiling point of kerosene is that it is much harder to evaporate than alcohol, acetone or even water. The harder a substance is to evaporate, the longer it persists and, in this application, the longer you are going to wait for the grips to stick in place.

You might be getting some grips to stick with WD-40 but that's only because you are damaging the grips. Since the question asked by wernst was how to remove the grips without damaging them, perhaps he would like to stick them back on the bars without damaging them.


EDIT: you ever notice that puddles of water will evaporate even when it's near freezing? That's a desirable property since it's not often close to the boiling point of water in Chicago during fall/winter.

Yep. But you can't accuse me of stating irrelevant facts and then stating some of your own.

Water is kind of different. But I suspect that if you really observed the evaporation of water a low temperatures, you'd see that there is wind involved. You don't have that with WD-40 under grips. Another irrelevant fact: Water can go from the solid form (ice and snow) to gaseous form (water vapor) without going through the liquid phase. It's called sublimation. But it also requires air movement or a good vacuum. Still has nothing to do with WD-40 used on grips.

I like to ease a small screwdriver under the grip and then use the thin plastic "straw" attachment to spray WD-40 under the grip. It's about the only thing I use WD-40 for in bike work.

+1 WD 40 work like a charm. It works great for installing rubber grips too, they slide right and then stick like crazy. Just use a small amount and it evaporates and leaves the rubber grips nice and tacky and they will never slide or twist. works best on oury grips.

it doesn't make a mess at all and it dries pretty quick.

I've removed and replaced grips 100's of times on motorcycles and bicycles for over 40 years using a chop stick (Wood or plastic) and Coleman fuel (A few drops). Takes but a few seconds and the grips stay put - and, yeah, yeah, I don't want to hear it...*

However, since their introdution I've switched to clamp-on grips, which is the best solution.

*I don't subscribe to threads, so I won't read it anyway.

Yesterday I had good luck with snow and a tire iron. I just scooped up some snow with a tire lever, inserted the end of the lever under the grip and let the snow melt and run down the lever under the grip. Voila.

(I was working in the parking lot of the local co-op at the time. Usually I'd just run to the sink and get some soapy water)

You know what's awesome though? You say you're a chemist and you think you know so much. But you are so wrong and that's really all that matters. I have done this many many times and within hours my grips are tight on my handlebars with no oxidation (steel, aluminum) and I repeated this many many many times in high school on my old trek and Schwinn.

I mean, do you think I'm making this up for fun? I tell you my grips stick right on yet you don't believe me? Lol.

As a scientist you should know that FACTS and EVIDENCE trump conjecture and hypothesis every time. LOL. Done.