How to Remove and Install BMX Grips | Lock-On vs Slip-On

BMX grips come off by removing the bar ends first, then either loosening the lock-on clamp bolts or breaking a slip-on grip’s seal with lubricant and a twist.

For the full breakdown, see our best BMX Grips guide.

A stuck grip can stall a whole build. The good news is that every BMX grip on the market falls into one of two designs, and each has its own removal trick — get the design right and the job takes minutes, not an afternoon.

Below are the exact steps for both types, the torque numbers that keep clamp bolts from cracking, and the mistakes that turn a five-minute swap into a cut-off-and-replace situation.

Which Grip Type Do You Have?

Lock-on grips have metal collars with visible hex bolts at one or both ends of the grip; slip-on grips are a plain rubber or foam sleeve with no hardware. If you see clamp bolts, you have lock-on grips — and that changes everything about removal.

Lock-on grips are the easier of the two to work with. They’re held in place mechanically, so nothing glues them to the bar and nothing has to be cut. Slip-on grips rely on friction, and some riders install them with grip glue or hairspray, which means removal can require a bit more persuasion.

Both types mount on flat BMX-style handlebars, and both need the bar ends or plugs pulled out before you start. That’s the first step every time, and skipping it is the single most common reason people get stuck.

How to Remove BMX Grips

Removal starts with the bar ends, then splits by grip type: lock-on grips slide off after their clamp bolts are loosened, while slip-on grips need the seal between rubber and bar broken before they’ll move.

Lock-on removal:

1. Pull out both bar-end plugs.
2. Loosen the clamp bolts with the correct hex key — Park Tool notes lock-on clamps typically use 2.5, 3, or 4 mm hex bolts.
3. Slide the grip straight off the bar end.

Slip-on removal:

1. Remove the bar-end plugs.
2. Gently lift one edge of the grip with a blunt flat tool.
3. Spray WD-40 or rubbing alcohol under the grip, as Source BMX’s guide describes.
4. Twist the grip to break the seal, then pull it off.

Park Tool lists compressed air as another route — a nozzle shot under the grip edge inflates it slightly and it slides free. If a slip-on grip was installed with grip glue, cutting it off is the realistic option, so have replacements on hand before you start.

Whichever route you take, work the grip off the bar end rather than yanking from the middle. Twisting while pulling does most of the work; force alone just tears foam.

How to Install BMX Grips

Installation is the removal in reverse, with one addition: the bar must be clean and completely dry before the new grip goes on, because any leftover oil, adhesive, or dirt lets the grip spin under load.

Clean the bar with rubbing alcohol and let it dry fully.

Lock-on installation:

1. Check for left/right markings — some grips are handed and won’t sit correctly on the wrong side.
2. Slide the grip fully home onto the bar, clamps facing you.
3. Rotate it so the clamp bolts sit at the bottom edge of the bar, where your palm won’t catch them.
4. Tighten the bolts to your grip maker’s torque spec.

Slip-on installation: lightly spray the inside of the new grip and the bar, push and twist the grip onto the bar until it’s fully seated against the end, then reinstall the bar ends. Let the grips dry until they no longer move at all — riding on a wet grip is how it ends up rotating under your hand on the first hard landing.

Torque is where lock-on installs go wrong. The bolt sizes vary by brand, so check your grip’s own instructions rather than assuming. Overtightening cracks collars and rounds bolt heads, and a rounded hex bolt is a much bigger problem than a slightly loose one. Riders comparing options before buying can browse this tested roundup of the best BMX grips to match a set to their bar and riding style.

Every grip on the market is one of these two designs, and the whole job comes down to six decisions:

The core rules: bar ends off first, clean and dry bars before install, grips fully seated with correct left/right orientation, and lock-on bolts tightened to the maker’s number — never past it. Follow those four and both grip types come off and go back on cleanly.

For the official step-by-step from the toolmaker itself, see Park Tool’s flat-bar grip installation guide.