# Advice on removing foam grips without destroying? Can it be done?



## ryan123 (Jun 15, 2004)

Have installed some Ritchey WCS foam grips lately. Just soaked em in meth spirits and twisted on. It evapourated and they have remain stuck. However, I am updating my brakes, and will need to take them off. Any ideas without killing em?


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## bike_freak (Dec 24, 2003)

WD40 and a screwdriver works nicely.. 

Slip a thin screw drive under the grip and slid it in as far as possible without scratching your bar OR ripping the grip - then get WD40 or similiar with a hose nozzle (that little plastic straw thingy) and slip it in where the screw driver is. Repeat for other side - Done. 

You may want to resoak grip in something to clean it from the WD40 after as it will make it possibly make it slip in the future. 

Patients is the key


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## Baulz (Sep 16, 2005)

Hair spray works as well. I use an old piece of housing instead of a screwdriver to avoid the chance of scratching the bar.


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## Duckman (Jan 12, 2004)

Air compressor with a blow nozzle. 

Comes off in about 3 seconds. I've swapped out WCS grips countless times and have never damaged one. Couldn't imagine using anything else.


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## consolidated (Jan 29, 2004)

If you don't have a compressor I've found a bamboo chopstick is safer than a screwdriver to loosen the grip and get a lubricant underneath, like water or rubbing alcohol.


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## Jesseg (Aug 27, 2005)

ryan123 said:


> Have installed some Ritchey WCS foam grips lately. Just soaked em in meth spirits and twisted on. It evapourated and they have remain stuck. However, I am updating my brakes, and will need to take them off. Any ideas without killing em?


When people say meth in Utah, they don't mean what you're talking about. (Big meth problem around Salt Lake where I live.) I've never heard of this, and am genuinely wondering if you're talking about methyl alcohol--everclear? (I've forgotten if it's methyl or ethyl that you drink.) I guess isoproply would work as well, and then it just evaporates after you've gotten it on and you're ready to go? I always take my bike to a shop and get everything ready to go in advance and just have them blow the grips off and/or on while I wait.


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## ryan123 (Jun 15, 2004)

Yeah, better clear that up! Methylated spirits is a clear alchohol based liquid. I suppose it like ispropyl?? It has a strong alcohol content and therefore has poison added to it to stop people drinking it!!


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## chrism (Jan 27, 2004)

ryan123 said:


> Yeah, better clear that up! Methylated spirits is a clear alchohol based liquid. I suppose it like ispropyl?? It has a strong alcohol content and therefore has poison added to it to stop people drinking it!!


To be more precise methylated spirit is largely ethanol (which is what you drink - commonly called alcohol) with methanol (which is poisonous) added to stop people drinking it (but some desperate ones still do, hence I suspect this is the same thing as what there is a problem with around SLC). In the UK it is actually generally purple coloured too rather than clear. Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) is something different again - I wouldn't recommend drinking it - but is a very good solvent and cleaner. Better than meths in general as it doesn't leave a residue, which you get with meths due to the additives.


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## top_ring (Feb 9, 2004)

I like the chop stick idea, but I have used Isopropyl alcohol successfully by sliding a small screwdriver down the length of the grip and pouring it in. The alcohol loosens it up immediately.


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## madhatter (Apr 15, 2005)

I`ve used a syringe (with needle) to inject water through and under the grips (wcs) and they loosen up very nicely and can be removed with ease.


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## mpap89 (Mar 10, 2005)

Don't use WD40. Just use hairspray. It goes on slippery then dries sticky. slip some under the grips to get off, then put some more on when you slide them back on. just did this yesterday.
Michael


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

A solvent like Clean Streak works well. Insert a thin flathead under the control side of the grip, put the hose under the grip, and spray. It'll come loose. A solvent also works better for securing grips but it's harder to get on. If it's a really tough fit I resort to hairspray but I tend to stick with solvent.

The air compresser trick works well to get 'em off if you've got access to one.


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## sodade (Jan 28, 2004)

I use both a compressor and rubbing alchohol - works great, but I keep breaking those flimsy air needles...


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*What if....*

You glued them on with carpenter's glue. That was the only way I could keep them from spinning. Now I find I need to trim my carbon bars a tad.

Soak the end of the bars in hot water, maybe? Or, maybe I'll stop being a cheapskate and just buy new grips.


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