At some point, you’ll likely want to add new grips to your BMX.
For example, if you have put pegs on your bike and have used the upside down bike method to remove the old ones, you might have accidentally dirtied your grips.
I would probably go straight to your local bike shop and buy a new set of grips. New grips feel amazing.
But remember, in order to put new grips on, you’ll need to learn how to take your old BMX grips off.
How to Put Grips on a BMX
Now someone may tell you to boil your grips to make them softer but forget what that old dude said as times have changed and you can buy grips that are soft now. Softer grips will feel great and will stick to your hands; they will also wear out pretty fast. Harder grips will last longer, but you will want to be wearing gloves when you put them on until that have worn in and become soft.
So, your new grips are in your hands, and you want to put them on. Well, pop your bike in a work stand or against a wall. Look at your old grips on the bars, do they have a Philips screwdriver pattern, an Allan key pattern, or just rounded plastic? If they have a Philips screwdriver pattern, grab a screwdriver and loosen that plug. If they have an Allan key slot, get the correct size Allan key and loosen that bolt.
If you have a rounded end cap, take a small flat head screwdriver and press it in between the gap between your grip and the cap. Wiggle it a little bit, and you should get a small gap. Now you can use your fingers to try and pull the cap off, it will take a little bit of work, but it will come out so persevere.
How to Take Grips off a BMX
Now you have your caps off you have two choices for removing old grips. If they are worn out, I would grab a Stanley blade and slice a line straight down the center of the grip and then peel it off your bars. If you fancy keeping the grips, find that screwdriver from above.
You can then place the screwdriver into the gap between the grip and the bar, spray some WD40, GT85 or even deodorant down there. Twist your grip and then it should pull straight off. To put a grip on take your deodorant or hairspray and spray a tiny amount inside the grip and you should be able to slip it on. Too much and you will have throttle grip forever.
If that happens to slide the grip off and rub the inside with a cloth. Put the grip back on; you want a little resistance as that means it is gripping. Then it just a case of doing that on the other side of your BMX.
Always put endcaps on
Putting the end caps on means, you will need to look at them and see what tool you need. You will find that the Phillips and Allan key endcaps are going the way of the dodo so you will very probably have a rounded endcap. You can generally line them up and press them in with your hand, if they need a little more pressure then use a rubber mallet and a couple of taps and you will be fine and dandy.
A little note, never skimp on putting your endcaps on to your bars. You will never realize what a great job they do until that day you have had a perfect circle cut into your body by your bars. It isn’t worth it so just fit them. No one thinks you are cool because you don’t have them; they think you are an idiot.
