Repair guides › Cockpit

Replace grips

Rubber grips pushed onto the bar ends. Held by friction. Can twist when wet or worn.

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Tools

• Ball-end hex key set (1.5–10 mm): Park Tool HXS-1.2 Professional L-Shaped Hex Set ($$)
• JIS #2 screwdriver: Vessel Megadora JIS screwdriver #2 ($)
• Isopropyl alcohol 91%+: isopropyl alcohol 91% ($)

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Steps

1. Lift the grip edge with a thin screwdriver and squirt isopropyl alcohol under it; twist off.
2. Clean the bar.
3. Wet the new grip inside with alcohol and push on with a twisting motion; it sets dry in 10 minutes.
4. Lock-on grips: slide on, tighten the clamp bolts to 2–4 Nm.
5. Install bar-end plugs; an open bar end can core you in a crash.

Signs it needs doing

• Grip twists or slides off
• Torn rubber
• Numb hands on long rides

Problems this fixes

• Numb hands or sore wrists

Articles about this job

• The best first upgrades for a cheap bike (and what to skip): what I found as a beginner