Removing hand grips
 

How does one go about removing some hand grips from a flat bar? These puppies are on pretty good. I'd rather not destroy them as they are not-so-cheap ergo grips. I have to pull at least one off as I have a shifter that needs to be replaced.

They are not fastened to the bar, but they were put on with dish soap. Yes, I can pull the plugs if that helps.

RK

Compressed air. Put an air nozzle against one side and put your thumb over the hole on the other grip. They'll pop right off.

OOPS... I just saw that you said you have the type with plugs. I'd try to slide the straw from WD-40 between the grip and bar and give it a squirt.

I just adjusted mine to add bar ends for my hybrid flat bars. Remove the end plugs, using a small ( long) flat screw driver inserted between the bar and grip pry just enough to pour a small amount of alcohol into the opening. Slowly rotate the grip until it loosens and remove. Use alcohol to install the same way. It gives you time to rotate and adjust the grip then the alcohol evaporates. Don't know if this will work for grips installed with soap but it works great with factory installed grips and much easier than it sound.

I use soapy water and a spare spoke to work the solution under the grip until it frees up and pulls right off.

I used the WD-40 method to pull them both off. I had to use a screwdriver to get the straw to go in. The dish soap made for a nice tacky glue that never really dried. I'll probably use alcohol to put it back on. Another trick I heard was hair spray to help it slide on and then lock it in place once it dries.

Bonus: The shifter is OK. I just had to give it an attitude adjustment.

Thank you to both you guys!!

This still works just remove plug put air hose in end wrap your hand around to seal is as best you can and is still comes off or you drill a small hole in the plug end and do as you mentioned.

"Use compressed air" is like the recipe for rabbit pie which starts "first you catch the rabbit ..."
This is oversimplifying a difficult thing - most people do not have a compressor. Compressed air is a shop trick.

If you're not over fussed about possible small scratches on the bars along where the new grips will go try this ...
Loosen brake/gear levers, move them inward along the bars so they're out of the road.
Adjust a pair of vice-grips (or mole-grips, or slip pliers) so that the jaw gap is just larger than the bar diameter, but still less than the grip diameter. Close jaws around the bar on the inside of the grip, then use the tool to push the grip off.

Admittedly this does assume you have a pair of vice grips or the like.

Compressed air is a shop method, not a trick. I would not use WD-40 or any other lubricant, but rubbing alcohol or soap.

My air gun has interchangeable tips. I put an inflator needle tip in it and slide that under the inboard end of the girp and can usually just float the grip off on a cushion of air. Reverse this to install grips. Get them on as far as possible by hand, insert needle, float grip on on a cushion of air.

LOL yes it helps to have an Air Compressor for this :)

I use Windex and a broken spoke with the end filed round. I used to have a spray bottle with 99% isopropyl in it, that worked well also.

Have also used chopsticks and bamboo skewers. Have used screwdrivers before but they scratch bars, if you care about that kinda thing.

As inexpensive as compressors are now, I would reccoment one to anyone. I use mine all the time from car tire inflates to bike tires, to installing grips, etc. I use the air gun to clean small parts, clean tools, etc.

You will be amazed at how many times you can use an pneumatic brad nailer or stapler for household uses.

I just used mine to install weather stripping around all the exterior doors of my house a few weeks ago. Huge difference in the drafts and the right tool made the job take about 5 minutes per door.

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardw...&storeId=10051

Lube them and push, not pull, them off. Think of Chinese finger traps.

For the really stubborn ones, heat it with a heat gun/hairdryer, and then push off using an open end/adjustable wrench of the right size (such as 7/8" for most handle bars).

I recommend against using WD40 or any other petroleum or silicone lubricant for this task. A little soapy water does the trick and can easily be washed off to leave no residue. I've seen lubricants soak into the grip making them slip at inopportune moments even if they seam OK when reinstalled.

Nitroglycerine.
Use a plastic syringe to inject a small amount of nitroglycerine under each grip.
Ride bike on a rough road.

(may also remove hands)

Use alcohol or window cleaner. The alcohol will evaporate leaving a nice, non-moving grip on your handlebars. Lubricant will leave a slippery residue ensuring that your grips will move around on the bars.

May?

Will second or third the warning not to use petroleum products to remove or install grips... this will cause them to slip at the most inopportune moment.

Preferred method is to use a compressor but know that not everyone has access to one.

An old trick I used to use was to put a little soapy water into an insulin syringe (with a needle) which can be inserted into the middle of a rubber grip, this does not damage the grip and you would be hard pressed to find a mark.

A tiny amount of soap injected into the middle of the grip will make it come off very easily when getting soap in through the ends was sometimes difficult.

As the others said; I use a long thin screwdriver with a little Simple Green sprayed on the shaft and turn the handle which will rotate the screw driver around the handlebar (in the opposite direction you are turning; a good analogy for bottom bracket bearings).

So, how do you like your voice recognition software? It is easier to use than hands?

Well, I pulled them off using WD-40 before I saw any warnings about it. So, I cleaned them real well with degreaser and re-installed using alcohol. If I crank hard on them, they now turn on the bar. :(

I may pull them off and re-install using dish soap. Last time that seemed to glue them in place pretty well.

RK

Install them using a liberal dose of hairspray.

I'm sure most if not all of the list I'll put in has been said but here goes.

1: Compressed air
2: Small flathead screwdriver and any lubricant, i.e. soapy water, windex etc, I personally tend to use a disinfectant as to clean my bars as well.
3: Heat! A warm day or a blow dryer, and you can begin twisting the grip at one end moving your way along until it begins to spin freely and will pull off.
4: This ones drastic, get a knife and begin slicing open the grips along the seam or make your own seam cutting.