bike grip help

[rustysocket81]

Was wondering if anyone could give me a tip on how to get the finger grips off a set of bars. They have been on there for 30 yrs. Ive tryed to remove them and it didnt work.

 

[white trash]

Take a longer thin screwdriver and carefully insert it down between the grip and ars to make some room to squirt some WD40 in there. Having the bars and grips sit in the Sun for a while to soften them up a little is helpful. Once you squirt the WD40 inside remove the screwdriver then reinsert and remove again. That helps the oil penetrate further. Then the grip should twist off. Be careful not to stab through the grip and ruin it. Push the screwdriver slowly and carefully. You only need to get it down inside a couple inches.

This technique has worked for me on 50+ year old grips over and over. Every once in a while they are stubborn but they will come off. Make sure you wash the grips before putting them back on to get all the oil out of them. Good luck

 

[deorman]

I use soapy water instead of WD 40. You can also slide a 7/8" wrench over the bar and hit it with a mallet, but it can scar the bar or grip if it's really tight.

 

[Wildcat]

 

[HotRodJen]

ive taken so many cruddy gribs off of handle bars by using the method white trash said .. screwdriver to edge lift up a little and squirt w-40 .. i alwasy use brake clean b/c thats what i have handy . and start twisting you can even work the screw driver down some more if u need to .. never failed me yet

 

[rustysocket81]

Thanks all great tips.Gonna go try it now.

 

[Rattletrapz]

Same screwdriver trick but I use rubbing alcohol cause it evaporates and has no residue to clean up.

 

[raskal13]

If they are the hard rubber type (white Sturmey Archer type for example), pop the bars off the frame and put the end of the handlebar with the grip into a pot of boiling water for about a minute or so. The grip will soften up enough that you can pull them off easily (make sure you wrap a towel around the grip or use oven gloves as they will be hot). It also works for getting stubborn grips onto the bars without damaging them.

 

[harquahalas]

This is the way to do it if you don't want the grips slippery when you're done. You can also loosen the handle bars and pull them through so the neck stem pushes the grips off.

 

[Matt 732]

Tip from the trade, use the screwdriver (or bladed /hammered spoke) then use hairspray.

 

[Wonderbread]

I had a pair of grips so old they literally shattered off when trying to use the screwdriver method. I've also had to end up cutting off grips with box cutters. Heres a link to a site that can sell replacements.

http://www.memorylane-classics.com/

 

[clamdigger]

one more - Jet Dry , "makes water wetter" , used in dishwashers as a rinse agent. add one drop to a couple of ounces of water. pry open end of grip with thin straight blade screwdriver, apply liquid with a Q-tip. This stuff works great when trying to slide a long rubber tube over a pipe.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

razorblade haha

 

[yoothgeye]

If you have an air compressor, shoot air into the hole in the grip while covering the hole on the other grip, if the grips have no holes shoot the air between the grip and bar.

 

[rustysocket81]

Thanks guys for the tips. I went with lubrication trick and it worked well. Wife went for a ride and loved the new grips.