In this quick, 3 minute repair I demonstrate how you can replace your handlebar grips. These grips need replacing when they start to fade. It’s a nice, cheap upgrade (£15 – £25) you can do yourself that will provide a more comfortable feel for your hands.
The repair is taken from the Bike Doctor App for the iPhone and Android that I co-created.
What you’ll need to replace handlebar grips:
Essentials:
- Allen key – should already have this!
- New grips – in the video I’m testing out the Ergon Grips which give a decent upgrade to your comfort and put less strain on your wrists.
Possibly:
- Hairspray which is used as glue for old handlebar grips
- WD-40 – if the handlebar grips can’t be loosened by hand
- Screwdriver – again only needed if the handlebar grips are struggling to come off
Why you may want to replace handlebar grips:
- If you fancy giving your bike a bit of a trendier look
- If your old grips are starting to crumble in your hands
- If you buy new handlebar grips that provide better comfort
Related bike repair instructions:
Once you’ve tackled replacing handlebar grips you may want to look at these:
Let me know how the Ergon grips go, I was considering a pair for my commute bike.
Will do – should have a review up in the next week or max two 😉
I changed the stem on my Pashley yesterday. To do this I had to remove one bar grip and one brake. I didn’t use WD40 to remove the grip. After loosening the brake lever I gently pulled it back to remove it and the grip came off as well (a tip from my local bike shop). To replace the grip, I put it into a bowl of hot water for a minute as it was a tight fit.
A friend has fitted the Ergon grips to her bike and is full of praise for them.
That’s right – the WD40 is only useful if it is being really stubborn and doesn’t want to be replaced! Thanks for comment RE: Ergon Grips – review soon!
Love the video! I’ve been lusting over those Ergon grips too. Loathed though to replace the grips on a brand new bike, even though the Brompton grips are (let’s face it) pretty cheap and nasty (which is a shame and a disappointment). I reckon they are only ridable with gloves, which is fine as I am never without my trusty Gore mitts!
Anyone have experience of replacing Brompton grips? They are basically just foam, so I guess it’s more of a strip-off job.
Thanks Philip – giving the HD cam a go! My early experiences with the Ergon Handlebar Grips are very good so I think I’ll be recommending them in the review.
you fitted the Ergon grips wrong! they need to point up from the horizontal not down.
http://www.ergon-bike.com/gb/en/ergontv/clips/view
dodgy earrings are not compulsory…
I have the Ergon GP1 fitted on my commuter. They are comfy but take a little bit of getting used to due to the shape. Also I bought the “large” size wheras i should have bought “medium”. My advice is to go to a LBS to try out the 2 different sizes to see which one suits you better.
Very easy to fit, as demonstrated by Andreas, however its worth spending some time setting up the angle of the grip correctly (Much like saddle setup). Its surprising how much difference a couple of degree’s “twist” on the grips makes to the feel and comfort of the grips in action.
The Ergon grips have a clamp which grips on to the handle bar and so will not twist in use. Its critical that the clamp is griping the handle bar and not thin air. The handle bar also needs to be compatible with clamp grips.
My only gripes
1) should have bought medium
2) should have bought bar end version
Both of these are my own fault though 🙁
Looking forward to the Andreas review.
Yep, I’ll be mentioning in the review the need for a few re-adjustments to get it just right.
… Duncster — thanks for pointing-out the Ergon website. Just now seen their GP1 BioKork grips. Object of desire, or what?
does anyone have a solution…
my hands are too bloody big for my handlebar grips (CHARGE Plug)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Charge_Plug_2010/5360039090/?referid=frogoog&source=googleps
I love the charge leather grip tape, and thus the brown bull bars so want to keep them.
is there any way to increase the girth of the handlebar grip – a friend suggested using loads of grip tape but that doesn;t seem a very elegant solution.
Thanks for this tutorial. Have just got a brand new Pashley Princess Sovereign and I bought some Brooks leather grips to replace the cheaper ones that came on the bike. Really easy to do, the hardest part was hunting for an allen key to tighten the grips as Brooks don’t supply one. Will be very happy to show my husband later that I did it myself!!
Ann
This tutorial could do with showing how to fit ordinary handlebar grip bar plugs as that’s the hardest part of the whole operation!
In case it helps anyone, sewing machine oil works very nicely for removing and adding handlebar grips. 🙂