All bikers, whether they ride Mountain Bikes or Road Bikes, are aware of how fickle our bikes can be. It’s easy to notice something out of place on your bike while you’re speeding down a mountain bike route or a city street.
Unfortunately, many riders’ handlebar grips are a typical source of frustration. Bike handlebar grips, whether new or old, are susceptible to slipping. But don’t worry, it’s fully avoidable and pretty simple to fix.
We’ll show you how to permanently stop your bike handlebar grips from slipping.
Getting to Know Your Handlebar Grip
Knowing a to z is one of the best methods to learn how to troubleshoot a problem. Slide-on grips and Lock-on grips are the two types of bike handlebar grips.
Slide-on Grips
Slide-on grips are the most common and come as standard on most bikes. Generally, they are made from rubber or silicone sponge material. They hold onto the handlebar by their own tension and need to stretch a bit before they’re safe to ride on.
Lock-on Grips
Lock-on grips are quite secure. They are made up of two components: a plastic core and a fine-textured rubber grip surface. One or two screws secure the plastic core to the handlebar. The screw grips firmly enough to keep it from slipping. If it still slips, there’s something wrong with it.
What Causes Handlebar Grips to Slip?
Handlebar grips can start to slip for a variety of reasons. The majority of these are about slide-on grips. Once you’ve figured out what’s wrong, you can either prevent it from happening again or just fix it. The following is a list of plausible causes for all of this:
Water
The majority of handlebar grips, at least the high-end and expensive ones, work flawlessly in wet conditions. On the market, however, there are always a few black sheep. They start twisting as they become wet in the rain. Not every material adheres to the handlebar in the same way and even some materials, such as rubber, have vastly varying characteristics depending on the manufacturer.
Conditions are muddy.
If you fall from your bike and a handlebar land in the dirt, you must clean it immediately. Any dirty muck that gets lodged between the handlebar and the grips scrapes the surface. Carbon handlebars are particularly vulnerable to sand-like particles. Not only will your grips begin to twist and slide sooner or later, but this movement can also cause damage.
Grease
The worst thing you can have is grease on your handlebar grips. It will completely eliminate your grips’ ability to stick in place. While repairing your bike, it’s easy to get it somewhere you don’t want it. Some people even make the mistake of installing slide-on grips with oily products. They can be difficult to set up at times.
Grips from the past
Yes, if your grips are too old, they may begin to slide. Rubber, in particular, stiffens with age and transforms into a plastic-like material with low adhesive qualities. If this is the case, it is preferable to replace them.
Grips that have been damaged
Slide-on grips might be destroyed if you strain them with a tool during installation. By damaged, I mean permanently stretched to the point where they can’t grip the handlebar securely.
Not entirely inserted
Both slide-on and lock-on grips are susceptible to this issue. They won’t stay in place for long if you don’t fully insert them. This occurs when you switch to longer grips and forget to relocate the brake and shift levers to make room for the new grips. Not only will they slip, but you will be able to break the plush ends because there is no handlebar to support them.
Not entirely secure
If the lock-on grips are not completely secured with a bolt, they can slide. Usually, because the bolt thread has worn out, they arrive from the factory not tightened sufficiently. It’s something I’ve noticed a lot on Trek bikes with lock-on grips.
How to Prevent Slipping and Twisting of Handlebar Grips
There are five alternative techniques to keep your handlebar grips from slipping. Not every option will always be viable. It depends on the nature of the problem with your handlebar grips.
1. Handlebar and Grips should be clean.
As previously stated, the contact surfaces may be dirty or greasy, your grips may be sliding on the handlebar. Cleaning them could be the answer to keeping your handlebar grips from slipping. Because cleaning simply one contact surface is ineffective, you must clean both the handlebar and the grips from the inside. It’s preferable to use a degreaser to clean them. It also works with rubbing alcohol. After that, simply reinstall them and you’ll be ready to go.
2. Glue the Grips to the Handlebar using an Adhesive
If the handlebar and grips are clean but still won’t stay in place, use the adhesive. Hair spray, for example, is what is preferable to use. It’s fantastic when it’s wet since it makes the surface slick, making it easier to apply the grips. It then gets sticky and secures the grips in place as it dries. Other materials can be used, such as Muc-Off Carbon Gripper, a carbon assembly paste. If your grips slide just a little, you’ll get good results.
3. On the inside end, use zip ties
It may appear a little shabby, but it works wonders. A zip tie can be made very tight adjacent to the brake clamp and will not get in the way of your hand. Rubber slide-on grips hold it perfectly, however, silicone sponge grips tend to wear out over time.
4. Scrape the inside of the handlebar grips
I scrape the smooth interior surface with a metal pick. It makes a big difference whether we’re talking about slide-on or lock-on grips. Unless you make severe cuts, you won’t harm the grips by doing this. It is possible to increase friction and prevent grips from shifting by scratching the material with microscopic scratches. It’s a good option because it’s easy to do and the damage isn’t visible once they’re put back together.
5. Invest in a Good Pair of Lock-on Handlebar Grips
In every sense, lock-on grips are superior. If they start to twist, they can always be tightened more. Depending on how much vibration your hands can withstand, dampening may or may not be required. The nicest part is that they are reasonably ergonomic, allowing you to utilize them on any sort of bike.
How to Prevent Slipping Handlebar Grips in the Future
Manufacturers fight to deliver the best grip and make their grips as pleasant as possible, which is the fundamental problem in producing handlebar grips. They’ve never really focused on developing non-moving slide-on grips as long as handlebar grips have existed. Lock-on grips were designed specifically for this purpose.
I’ll give you some pointers on how to keep them in good operating order in the future.
Proper Installation
The key to getting your handlebar grips to perform for a long time is to properly install them. Cleaning the handlebar and properly installing the grips are simply two aspects of the appropriate installation. In actuality, it is determined by the location of your brake and shift levers. If they aren’t in the right spot, your hand will naturally be in the wrong place on the grip, and it will start to slide after a while. Make sure there is no grease, grime, or other liquid that won’t dry off on the surface and that it is fully clean. When installing them for the first time, use an adhesive such as hair spray.
Conclusion
I believe that cycling with your grips moving is pretty unsafe. To summarize, there are numerous techniques to keep them from moving that I discussed in the essay, but the best choice is to acquire a pair of lock-on grips.
Tip
Make sure you have high-quality grips on your dirt bike to prevent them from sliding.
FAQs
How can I get my motorcycle grips to stay in place?
Hairspray is an excellent way to keep motorcycle grips from slipping and sliding on the handlebar. Simply spray the inside of the grips and the handlebar with the spray, slide the grips on while they’re still wet, and leave them on overnight.
What is handlebar grip glue, and how does it work?
Renthal Quick Bond Grip Glue is a chemically developed liquid glue that bonds Renthal grips to all handlebars in minutes.
Are all lock-on grips created equal?
The most significant distinction between all of the grips available is, of course, their design and construction. The majority of lock-on grips use two separate rubber compositions, one for the base and one for the outside of the grip.
Are handlebar grips compatible with all bikes?
No. Though the internal diameter size has been standardized to fit almost every mountain bike handlebar (the current standard is 22mm), grips are available in a variety of lengths and outside diameters to provide a more customized fit tailored to the rider’s choice.
How can I figure out what size bike grip I have?
Begin by measuring the distance between the tip of your middle finger, which is your longest finger, and the point where your palm joins your wrist. This will ensure that your grip on the bike handle covers the entire outer diameter of the grip comfortably.