ODI lockon grips seized on to the bar

[noahm]

I love my ODI lockons. But after 3 (4?) years, they're truly LOCKED ON! I've managed to remove the lock rings, but the grips themselves are completely seized on to the bar. At this point I'm carefully tapping on them with a dead-blow hammer, but they haven't budged yet. Anybody had to go through this process before? Got any tips?

[noahm]

Holy crap! After applying serious amounts of torque for far too long, I finally managed to get the grip removed. What I found beneath was amazing. Whatever crud had built up under there had basically turned to cement. Check it out:


http://web.morgul.net/~frodo/i/p3210067-med.jpg

Now back to my regularly scheduled shifter upgrade...

[GP-TJ]

I think and don't quote me on this but....

That looks like a bunch of sweat build up under there. I don't think the plastic from the grip will react with the bar to make oxidation. I have found stuff like that before and it cleaned off. Didn't have too much trouble getting the grips off like you did though.

GP

[noahm]

Yeah, the stuff was pretty well hardened. I took a scour pad from the kitchen and worked on it for a while and got most of it off. The grips were a whole lot easier going back on.

This was all so I could install a set of SRAM X.9 shifters to replace my old LX shifters. I just headed out around the block to try the new gear out, and thus far I'm finding the SRAM shifters and derailer to be pretty sweet! I can't wait to try them out on the trails!

[tozovr]

I think and don't quote me on this but....

That looks like a bunch of sweat build up under there. I don't think the plastic from the grip will react with the bar to make oxidation. I have found stuff like that before and it cleaned off. Didn't have too much trouble getting the grips off like you did though.

GP

that is exactly what it is; sweat. Moisten it up and take a whif...I dare you.

[bikerdom]

Could be sweat or oxidation or both. Air will cause untreated aluminum to oxidize. I've seen this on aluminum steerers many times before. When aluminum seizes to aluminum one way to break it free it is with ammonia. If you can get the ammonia to penetrate it works on stuck aluminum seatpost too.

[Boosted333]

Wow! Maybe its a good idea to put a layer of waterproof grease under the grip? (not where the rings go).

[tozovr]

Nothing bad is actually happening. You won't get a powdercoated surface to oxidize (unless the PC or paint is gone in that spot...that bar is nice and black still I bet)
The powder is just dried sweat. we see it all the time. In fact, my bike last summer started to stink between rides...like a hockey bag. Pulled the grips, sprayed the bars with windex and ran a cloth with windex through the grips...presto.

[noahm]

Yeah, I think the real lesson here, if any, is to at least remove your grips and clean them and the bars more frequently than I have. These had been on the bike for 3 or 4 years. It only takes a few minutes to remove the grips, normally, so there's no reason not to do it once a year or so.

[nirtiger]

Noahm, any relation to Israel?(asking because of the name)