Whether you ride Mountain Bikes or Road Bikes, all cyclists know how fickle our bikes can be.
When you’re speeding down a Mountain Bike trail or a city street, it is easy to feel when something is out of place on your bike.
Unfortunately, a common problem area for a lot of riders is their handlebar grips.
Regardless if they are new or old, bike handlebar grips can be prone to slipping.
But don’t worry, this is completely preventable and relatively easy to remedy.
In this article, we will help you learn how to stop your bike handlebar grips from slipping for good.
You can stop your handlebar grips from slipping by; cleaning them, using an adhesive to secure them, using a zip tie to tighten them down, or by upgrading to lock-on grips. Some methods work better than others and you may prefer to buy new handlebar grips if yours are severely damaged.
- Clean Them
- Tie Them Down
- Add Adhesive
- Upgrade to Lock-on Grips
To help you decide which method fits you best, we decided to give you a rundown of the different ways you can stop your grips from slipping, as well as some tips to help you decide if replacements are needed.
Understanding Your Handlebar Grips
One of the best ways to learn to troubleshoot an issue on your bike is to know how it works.
This is no different for bike handlebar grips.
To learn how to stop your handlebar grips from slipping, you should first know how they work.
There are two different types of bike handlebar grips, Slide-on grips and Lock-on grips.
Slide-on Grips – Slide-on grips, also known as push-on grips, are the most popular style of bike grips. As the name suggests, these grips simply slide onto your handlebars – although, they do take some patience and lubrication to get on. They secure to your handlebars with the tacky substances they are made with, along with the grips from their elasticity.
Lock-on Grips – Lock-on grips tend to be more secure, as they actually tighten to your handlebars by way of nut and bolt. They have a plastic core on the inside of the grip, which tightens around your handlebar by screwing the bolt at the ends.
Depending on the type of handlebar grips you’re using, there are different ways to stop them from slipping.
Why do Bike Handlebar Grips Slip?
Now that you know how your bike grips are supposed to work, you can learn why they sometimes don’t.
There are many ways that fail and start slipping.
And chances are, if you learn what makes them slip, you will already have a good idea as to how you can stop them from slipping.
Here are some of the most common reasons for your bike grips to start slipping.
Dirty – Even if you avoid laying your bike down on the ground, it is still possible to get dirt and grime caught between the grips and handlebars. This dirt not only acts as a barrier between the two surfaces, it also prevents your grips from fully securing to your handlebars. If there is enough dirt and grime making it hard for your grip to wrap around your handlebar, you will get slippage.
Wet – Although a quality set of bike grips should hold up in wet conditions, some handlebar grips will slip if they’re too wet. With too much moisture, worn or damaged grips will lose their adhesive properties, causing them to slide around your handlebars.
Greasy – One of the worst substances to get under your handlebar grips is grease, as this will completely remove your grips ability to stick to the handlebars. And with grease being such an important thing for cyclists, you are more prone to get grease under there than you think.
Loose/Worn – One of the most common causes for handlebar grips to slip, is when they are loose or too worn to function properly. This happens when you push them to their limits and is a good indication that they need to be replaced.
Damaged – Similarly, a relatively new pair of handlebar grips can start sliding if they get damaged. Since your handlebars are meant to work in a certain way, any interruption to this system can cause them to slip.
Not Fully Secured – Finally, no matter how new or old your grips are, they are prone to slide if they are not secured correctly to your handlebars. This can mean proper positioning if you have slide-ons or enough pressure if you have lock-ons.
Ways to Stop Handlebar Grips from Slipping or Moving
Although there are many reasons why your bike grips start slipping, it is actually really simple to get them to stop.
Here are 4 easy ways to stop your bike handlebar grips from slipping:
- Clean Them
Believe it or not, you can stop some grips from slipping by giving them a good cleaning. Like I mentioned before, your grips can start slipping if they get dirty or come in contact with grease. If they’re still in good shape, give them a good cleaning with a degreasing solution. Make sure you take the time to clean the handlebars as well, making sure to get all the residue off before reinstalling.
- Tie Them Down
If your bike grips are still slipping after you clean them, you can try tying them down to tighten them even more. Some riders swear by zip ties, however, this may not be the most secure option. As well, this is really only an option for slide-on grips.
- Add Adhesive
If you are certain that your bike grips are clean and properly positioned on the bike, you can add an adhesive to keep them in place. Other than lock-on grips, this is one of the best ways to stop your bike grips from slipping for good. While you can use a safe dissolvable glue, some riders recommend using a carbon paste to secure them.
- Upgrade to Lock-on Grips
Finally, if you have not already, upgrading to lock-on grips is the absolute best way to stop your bike grips from slipping. Not only are you able to apply as much tension as you need, but these grips will feel a lot stiffer overall. They secure to your handlebars by way of a plastic core and two end caps with adjustable tensioners. You can tighten them as much as you need to, but be careful not to damage your handlebars.
Tips for Preventing Your Handlebar Grips from Slipping
The good thing about bike grips is that they have been around for a long time.
Manufacturers have perfected the composites and made them some of the safest accessories cyclists have.
Just look at Mountain Bikers – a lot of us use slide-on grips without issue, even when we’re riding down some of the roughest trails out there.
But that’s not to say that they don’t fail. So you should always be aware of your grips and work to prevent them from slipping.
Luckily it doesn’t take too much to do just that, here are a few ways to keep your bike grips from slipping.
Proper Installation – One of the best ways you can prevent your bike grips from slipping, is by making sure they’re installed correctly. For slide-ons, this means making sure they are in the best position for your riding and that they were installed without contaminants. If you have dirt or grease inside the grips during installation, this could cause them to slip later down the road, especially when it gets hot out. Similarly, if they are not in the correct position for your riding, your natural grip on the bike will slowly cause them to move and slide around. For lock-ons, this is as simple as making sure they’re in the correct position and tightened to the correct amount of pressure.
Keep Them Clean – Another great way to keep your bike grips from slipping is by keeping them clean. This is especially true for Mountain Bikers, as you are always out on a trail. Dirt and grime can work their way under your bike grips, causing them to lose their adhesive properties and spin.
Prevent Damage – Finally, you should always try to avoid damaging your bike handlebar grips. Bike grips are really secure; however, they will lose functionality if they get damaged. Your handlebar grips are meant to wrap completely around your handlebars, applying specific amounts of pressure at each point. If anything damages them to the point where they can’t function properly, you may see some slippage.
When to know it’s time to buy new Bike Handlebar Grips
While there are many ways you can stop your handlebar grips from slipping, it can be dangerous to ride around with failing grips.
For this reason, you should think about buying a new pair of grips if you can’t get them to stop moving with the methods mentioned in this article.
As well, if you feel unsafe with your current grips, think about upgrading to a set of lock-ons.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many ways to stop your bike handlebar grips from slipping.
From adding an adhesive to upgrading to lock-ons, you won’t have to deal with slipping grips for long.
Good luck and safe riding!