# Grip removal



## Andrew Gorman (Apr 29, 2015)

I tried a new (to me) method that has worked very well,  Just soak the grip in a container of very hot tap water for about 5 minutes.  By then it has softened, and the water has crept in to act as a lube.  The grips twist right off!  I've been doing this with a bunch of bars that have been sitting in a garage for 20+ years and have had no problems.  Worked for me, and is a lot easier than other methods I have tried. It's worked on 1960s plasticy grips and 1930s rubber grips.


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## vincev (Apr 29, 2015)

Sounds good but wont Dave get ticked off because you waste water?


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## Boris (Apr 29, 2015)

vincev said:


> Wont Dave get ticked off because you waste water?




Not if you reuse it in the next cup of tea or coffee.


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## Hobo Bill (Apr 30, 2015)

could the tea or coffee come with half and half


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## willswares1220 (May 2, 2015)

That very hot water method does work for those rubber grips. I've used it quite a few times and it softens them up for easier removal.
Wear a pair of gloves so you don't chew your hands up by the twisting action.


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## SirMike1983 (May 2, 2015)

Thanks for this. I hate trying to pull stuck grips. Next time I will try this hot water method.


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## spoker (May 2, 2015)

i make my girlfriend do it!!!!!!!! saves my hands and she feels involved


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## Andrew Gorman (May 2, 2015)

Old cork grips were usually stuck on with shellac- play a heat gun over the bars and they will come off, with some stringy residue.  What are your ferrules made of?


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## willswares1220 (May 3, 2015)

Thanks, I'll have to try that heat gun method.


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## fatbike (Oct 20, 2015)

I like the heat gun method for all stuck grips of amytipe or situation. Haven't had an issue hurting, splitting, or tearing grips from the bar. Way better then water. Retains the heat and softness longer to break them loose.


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## the tinker (Oct 20, 2015)

A true story:
At my pals house[fellow bike nut] and he had set 4 or 5 complete  26 inch. 1970s Schwinns out on the curb for the junkers.  Noticing they all had nice grips on them I asked him," Not saving anything, not even the grips?"
Nice green, gold and black ones. His reply was that he just did not have the time to be messing with them.
I asked him for a 7/8ths. open end wrench and a hammer... maybe it took 5 seconds per bike.. two hits  maybe three and they are off. I put a little tape on the open end of my wrench so I don't scratch the bars on a bike I care about.
In all these years I have only damaged one grip, and it was really old and stuck.
Yes there are safer ways and by all means use them, but when you are in a hurry with no hot water, no air compressor......and you don't feel like carting home another junker...
My pal looked at me and said "holy ----!


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## Jeff54 (Oct 20, 2015)

Rubbing alcohol. get it open a little with small screw driver and squirt a little in, wait a few minutes and presto! They'll slip right off. Also useful for getting tough ones on because, the alcohol will evaporate.


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## Andrew Gorman (Oct 20, 2015)

Tinker, I've done the same thing.  Smite it a mighty blow and it's done.  Field stripping bikes on junk day and out in the woods I have chipped and split some grips.


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## cadillacbike (Oct 25, 2015)

Done same thing what Jeff54 done, but with wd40 it works great each time.


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## whizzer_motorbike_fan (Oct 25, 2015)

------------------


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## whizzer_motorbike_fan (Oct 25, 2015)

Andrew Gorman said:


> I tried a new (to me) method that has worked very well,  Just soak the grip in a container of very hot tap water for about 5 minutes.  By then it has softened, and the water has crept in to act as a lube.  The grips twist right off!  I've been doing this with a bunch of bars that have been sitting in a garage for 20+ years and have had no problems.  Worked for me, and is a lot easier than other methods I have tried. It's worked on 1960s plasticy grips and 1930s rubber grips.




I always tend to use the hot water method!


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 5, 2016)

*hello*

i have a pieec of  2x4 about  2x2  and  put irt on one side  gently tap it  put it on the other side   tap it  alittle harder  thenext time  swat it   good off it  comes  never messed up a grip yet
 chucksoldbikes 
 on the cab e


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## partsguy (Jan 5, 2016)

I try boiling water.


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## Barto (Jan 8, 2016)

Hmmm, I like the water, WD and alcohol method.  How about grips that are too large, how do you fix that (other than electrical tape).  I have set of grips where one fits perfect and the other is too large....but I like em!


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## how (Jan 8, 2016)

I use a small screw driver to make room to pour a little dish soap in,,,takes less than 30 seconds


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## bairdco (Jan 28, 2016)

I soaked a pair of see-thru orange hunt-wilde grips in hot water, and freaked out when they turned a dull brown. 

They stayed that way for about two hours, but finally cleared up again. Thought I ruined them.


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## Jeff54 (Jan 28, 2016)

cadillacbike said:


> Done same thing what Jeff54 done, but with wd40 it works great each time.




Personally, not liking the WD 40 option, not that it doesn't work because, it does. But, any oily substance is going to soak into the rubber which could make em slippery for some time. Rubbing alcohol evaporates in no time at all. . Great for getting em off or on without residue. can't recall how I did as a kid but, had some kind of method which I'd forgotten so,  I picked up the idea some years ago off the net.

However if you do go the WD option, good to know is: WD 40 dilutes or can be cleaned off with most any concentrated dish soap or degreaser. ,


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## bricycle (Jan 28, 2016)

Andrew Gorman said:


> I tried a new (to me) method that has worked very well,  Just soak the grip in a container of very hot tap water for about 5 minutes.  By then it has softened, and the water has crept in to act as a lube.  The grips twist right off!  I've been doing this with a bunch of bars that have been sitting in a garage for 20+ years and have had no problems.  Worked for me, and is a lot easier than other methods I have tried. It's worked on 1960s plasticy grips and 1930s rubber grips.




Tried this last nite..... didn't work, tried longer and hotter...didn't work....nearly ruined a perfect cork grip.


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## scooter_trasher (Jan 28, 2016)

I use a blow gun on the air compressor, block off one end of handlebar put the blowgun to the hole on the other grip , pops rite off


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## dave429 (Jan 28, 2016)

The air compressor method always worked for me too assuming the grips have holes in the ends. I guess out in the field I like the idea of the wrench and hammer method stated above if your not going to haul the whole bike home.


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## bikesnbuses (Jan 29, 2016)

Heres a tip for the opposite ..putting stubborn grips ON..my wife came up with this one.. Hand sanitizer ..put some on the bars and some in the grips and they slide right on(mine did) and it dries up and the grips I did ,STUCK!!!!!!!(sometimes it takes a little while if you go too crazy with the stuff)
Hope that helps anyone not removing,but installing new tight grips


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## scooter_trasher (Jan 30, 2016)

Sounds so much more sanitary than spit


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## TR6SC (Jun 27, 2016)

Compressed air.


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## bairdco (Jun 27, 2016)

I use clear spray paint to put grips on, and I put a nickel in each end to stop the bars from poking thru.

Used to use hair spray, but it can make some newer grips melt, and It's not 1985 anymore, so I don't have any hairspray.


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## Tino (Aug 4, 2016)

Any tips on TOC wooden grip removal?


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## bricycle (Aug 4, 2016)

Tino said:


> Any tips on TOC wooden grip removal?



sent pm


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## Tino (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks for your PM, here is a pic of the grip


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## Matthew Johnson (Jan 5, 2017)

Andrew Gorman said:


> I tried a new (to me) method that has worked very well,  Just soak the grip in a container of very hot tap water for about 5 minutes.  By then it has softened, and the water has crept in to act as a lube.  The grips twist right off!  I've been doing this with a bunch of bars that have been sitting in a garage for 20+ years and have had no problems.  Worked for me, and is a lot easier than other methods I have tried. It's worked on 1960s plasticy grips and 1930s rubber grips.




By golly ...

I am going to try this with my pre ww2 Shelby SafeTBike!
The rubber is dry and hardened


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## PCHiggin (Jan 5, 2017)

Compressed air,best way hands down.Does ZERO DAMAGE and the grips pop off in seconds


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## SJ_BIKER (Jan 5, 2017)

you can also try crescent wrench running along the bars while pushing and twisting gently...if you get a little pocket of air...sometimes flies of the bar end....been doing that for years


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