I have had no success with either. The gips go on easily, but never bite once the liquid evaporates. I tried Windex, and....it's like they are welded on. Maybe it's the ammonia? I'm sure varying rubber compounds and bar material and surface texture play a role though.

Actually we used clear lacquer on grips when we really wanted them to stay on.

Puff of compressed air makes putting on and taking off grips very easy. I'm using it on regular rubber types and even Ritchey foam ones, with great success. I treat some more stubborn ones with little bit of water to make it even easier.
I'm against using ethanol or isopropyl based fluids when it comes to rubber or even some plastics. I believe it makes it easier to slide the grips on, and keep them on, because it's melting the material. I have no experience using it on grips, but I imagine it's not that easy to take the grips off after treating it with rubbing alcohol.

Dollar bill makes a good tire boot. I always carry a couple for ice cream or tire problems.

I've used Windex, 409, etc and compressed air too to get grips on and off. Some methods work better with some grips. I've ever used a razor knife to get some grips off, they didn't go back on though.

I was hoping someone else would add this.

A pencil or ballpoint pen inserted into the pantograph of a front derailleur will hold it out against the spring, making it easier to pull the slack out when attaching a cable. Folks who use this technique often know which pen or pencil is just right and can quickly hit the right tension every time.

BTW- if you work on Campy fronts and switch bodies, the pen in pantograph makes it easier.

Sisal twine is great for "flossing" the gunk/grime out of your cassette.
Only a couple of dollars for a roll and its texture really grabs the goo.

http://factorydirectcraft.com/pimage...rope_twine.jpg

Hey that sounds like a really good idea, and I've had a huge spool of sisal knocking around for like ten years!

Not so much an everyday item, but I have needles and syringes readily available. I have injected stubborn grips with windex to get them to slide off. Works great. I also keep a syringe filed with Tri Flow for targeted oiling.

This may be more bike-specific than intended but a refillable Dualco grease gun like this: Bike Tools Etc. - 1000's of bicycle tools and parts for the home mechanic! is great for metering grease into tight places like hub races and for general grease dispensing without wasting it. It lets you buy grease in larger, more economical tubs and keeps dirty fingers out of the major grease supply.

I use an old kitchen strainer, with the with the ears and handle that sit on a sauce pan, to dip parts in and out of OMS for shaking 'em clean.

Baby wipes are great for removing grease from hands and bike. If they dry out from old age just add water. Unscented wipes are available if you can't stand the smell of the regular wipes (I can't).

Baby Wipes are a good investment.

No, spelling it $ex is an attempt to get past the forum filters for bad language / naughty posts. Sorta like referring to a file as a "mill b@stard".

Are mill bastards the progeny of illicit file sex?

Don't answer, it's a filter test.

you mean filtering out people who know nothing about Metal files at all?


or just those that don't live near a Mill Town working 3 shifts around the clock ? :innocent:

very good....


I hadn't considered the question of mill town adultery.

Old file joke. (older than either of us)

A couple in their late 60's are retired and bored to death. The husband comes in one evening and announces that they can own their very own business, the owner of the local hardware store was selling out. They had more than enough saved to buy it. So buy it they did. Pa took care of the inventory and Ma ran the front and the register.

One day a man comes in and says he needs a file. Now Pa was at lunch and Ma didn't know a lot about hardware, but she took him to the tool section and took a file ,
"Will this do?" she asked.
" No, I need a half round Bastard"

Well now Ma was upset, and made sure to let Pa know the type of foul mouthed clientele they had. Pa just laughed and and explained file terminology.

Some time later a logger comes in for a file-
"you mean a half-round bastard?' Ma asks.
"Naw the logger says,"just give me that flat ........... over there.

Also works to inject grease into cable housings.

Safe file sex:

Always use a handle.

I carry a used brake pad. When the front derailleur cable wire breaks I insert it between the seat tube and front derailleur to hold the FD over the middle chainring; otherwise I have to ride home on my 24-tooth chainring. The handle makes it easy to use, the rubber protects the bicycle. It serves the same purpose when installing the new cable wire.