How To Clean Sticky Handlebar Grips

Sticky residue on old grips

#12015-02-26 6:33am

Sticky residue on old grips

Recently I picked up a couple of handle bars out of a old garage and both had Oakley grips that are not blown out on the ends but for some reason the ends are really sticky and soft and kind of want to crumble or fall apart. Any suggestions on how I can save them and take care of the sticky areas?

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#22015-02-26 4:06pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

Carefully clean them with simple green and a toothbrush. That is quite common what you are describing.

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#32015-02-26 4:17pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

^^what he said, have done it before many times^^

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#42015-02-26 5:22pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

Will the stickiness dry up or go away?

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#52015-02-26 6:30pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

da missile wrote:

Will the stickiness dry up or go away?

Did a light cleaning with Simple Green and they look much better but one end is still mushy and sticky and wants to crumble when I mess with it. Maybe I will let dry and see if they are better.

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#62015-02-28 11:57am

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

Been a couple of days and the one grip is still tacky on the end. These are blue Oakley 1 grips so I really want to save them. Any additional suggestions would be awesome. Thanks butlerglc and 80sbikedude for the help so far.

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#72015-02-28 12:01pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

They are not any good.They will work if its a carpet queen and never ridden.But soon as you ride them and your hands warm them up they will be a nasty sticky gooey mess all over your hands.The rubber has broken down and will not go back to ridable shape,they will always stay sticky.Ive got a killer set of grips in the same shape. sad

Last edited by LIVE TO RIDE (2015-02-28 12:03pm)

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#82015-02-28 1:08pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

da missile wrote:

Been a couple of days and the one grip is still tacky on the end. These are blue Oakley 1 grips so I really want to save them. Any additional suggestions would be awesome. Thanks butlerglc and 80sbikedude for the help so far.

Try putting a little gas on a rag and wiping it off. I use gas to clean old stickers off frames, etc. Just be careful and light. Gas is pretty potent.

Last edited by ChristianHetheMurray (2015-02-28 1:10pm)

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#92015-02-28 2:14pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

The rubber has chemically broken down, nothing you can do.

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#102015-02-28 6:42pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

ChristianHetheMurray wrote:

da missile wrote:

Been a couple of days and the one grip is still tacky on the end. These are blue Oakley 1 grips so I really want to save them. Any additional suggestions would be awesome. Thanks butlerglc and 80sbikedude for the help so far.

Try putting a little gas on a rag and wiping it off. I use gas to clean old stickers off frames, etc. Just be careful and light. Gas is pretty potent.

I WOULD USE PAINT THINNER BEFORE USING GAS.

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#112015-02-28 6:54pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

I have a pair of oakley is the same condition.

Dam broken down rubber.......................... yikes

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#122015-03-01 11:26am

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions. The bum grip is clean and only the end is giving me issues. I dusted it with some baby powder to see if I can draw some of the sticky moister out. Seems to help so far. If I can get it to dry up maybe I can try to repair any of the areas that are cracked and falling apart. Mill post how its going.

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#132015-03-01 1:07pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

I have some grips with this issue and used gas to clean it off. It seemed to work but keep n mind that you are removing some material. Like was already mentioned, the stickiness is the rubber that has broken down.
I can tell the design is definitely not as sharp where I wiped off the "stickiness"

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#142015-03-01 6:38pm

Re: Sticky residue on old grips

Used a little acetone on the area where I applied the baby powder and now its back to being a little sticky and mushy. Will give it a few days and see if it dries out anymore. Thanks again for all the suggestions!

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