Removing handlebar tape residue
 

I just pulled the old handlebar tape off one of my bikes, as it was worn out, and it *really* didn't want to come off. It's left a lot of glue residue on the bars and there are quite a few chunks of tape that kind of peeled off as I unwound the tape. Before I try and remove it, I figured I'd ask those with more experience than me what the best way to go about cleaning it off would be. I assume some sort of solvent exists that'll help me get the glue off?

goo gone

mineral spirits


next time, use a hair dryer to help loosen it up

I've seen Goo Gone recommended for removing the marks left after removing decals and stuff too, I don't think it's available in the UK though. Is it an acetone-based solvent?

Goo Gone is not acetone-based. It's key ingredients are d-Limonene (i.e. citrus based) and tripropyleneglycol methyl ether.

Mineral Spirits, WD-40 (same thing but with a bit of oil) or Kerosene should all work. Acetone will detackify the adhesive and let you rub off the residue.

I have a bottle of nail polish remover which apparently contains acetone, I'll have a crack at it with that. Failing that, there's a very good hardware shop near me, the guy there ought to know what to use - there must be something available that's similar to Goo Gone.

And next time I'm taking tape off, I'll get the hair dryer on it first, thanks for the tips!

you may be able to find an adhesive, gum & graffiti remover at your local halfords

3M also makes an adhesive solvent.

Lifehacker has some DIY method to make Goo Gone.

I sprayed the bar to saturation with goo gone, wrapped it in a plastic bag, waited an hour, and it all came off with minimal fuss.

The Goo Gone bottle? Not so good. The pump never worked past the second squirt.

Sorry for the zombie bump.

Acetone has worked just fine for me in the past.

Threads given me a good tip to use a blow drier, removing the bar tape was fine, but underneath they completely wrapped it in sticky tape, strewth almighty

I'll throw my hat in the ring for Goo Gone. Awesome stuff.

I will peel off any chunks of tape with a thumbnail, but if I'm going to rewrap the bars I don't bother cleaning off the tape residue. For the same reason I don't clean off the old glue when I install new tubulars.

Old thread, but I always clean the bars with alcohol before installing new tape. I figure it's my best opportunity to remove built-up salt on the aluminum handlebars.

Careful with acetone. It goes right through your skin like it isn't there and takes anything dissolved in it to your liver. I lived a small hell for 30 years after building polyester fiberglass boats until I went through a liver cleansing. (A 90 day mini chemo.) I go to Supercuts for haircuts where many of the women working there used to make much more money in salons and can no longer because of that acetone.

Ben

The spray pump is my only complaint for Goo Gone. Everyone I have had works for a very short time. The product itself works fine.

I use a butane torch. Seriously works awesome. Do it outside and you don't need torch the bars but quick high heat and just rubs off with a towel after heated. I have used the wife's hairdryer too but the little torch is much quicker!

Wow, I had no idea the stuff comes in a spray bottle as well, that's odd. I just use the regular bottle, pouring a bit onto a folded-up paper towel.

I got some Cinelli 66 bars cheap on eBay a few years ago. I guess nobody was interested because of all the crud on them. I had some Rust-Oleum Aircraft Remover on hand and everything wiped away in seconds.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1a275386c.jpeg

Depending on where you live, if MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) is available, that's your problem-solver. Just be sure to use it outside and wear rubber gloves. I use it to strip gun stocks. Gets 'em clean down to the bare wood without all the elbow grease.
Jon

Skip the chemicals. Get all the stuff off the bars that you can with your fingernails, and then rewrap 'em. You will never know that there are little tape bits under the new stuff.

Lots of chemical suggestions.. Maybe its own thread topic, but is CF impervious to chemicals? I always had the layman impression that CF is some strong stuff held together by glue; goo/glue-gone.. it's not going to dissolve or weaken a set of CF bars?

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRPs) have carbon fibers (duh) and a resin matrix. The resin matrix can be one of several things. Epoxide, unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, and polyamide imide resins (Torlon(R) is a pretty cool example) are used. There can be additives such as rubber. Some of these matrices (e,g, epoxides) are pretty resistant to everything (excepting stuff like hyrdrobromic acid and other strong bases or acids). But without knowing, it's probably good to avoid stuff like acetone or methty-ethyl-ketone or gasoline.

On alloy bars, goo-gone followed by min spirits to rinse followed by soap and water. Let dry and wrap pristine bars.

On CF bars, golly. I think I'd try warm soap and water and a credit card to scrape the stuff ollf. Check with the mfr?

Does the solvent help a lot in removing aircraft?