New rider!

[Thelma]

Just purchased a Rad Runner and had it out for a couple of rides and I love it! Only complaint so far is that the Allen bolts are so tight . I got the console and the fenders but I can’t put them on .. any suggestions?

 

[AHicks]

It's critical when dealing with allen bolts that you use the correct wrench. It should fit really snug, with no slop at all (none, not even a little!). If you do manage to strip the center of one out (easily done using the wrong wrench), many times a set of vise grips can be used to remove that bolt - just don't reuse it once removed. Many good hardwares will have replacements.

Congrats on the new 'Runner!

 

[Sierratim]

Factory installed bolts can be difficult to remove. Was it Archimedes that said "give me a lever long enough and I can move the world"? That's more or less what I do with a stubborn bolt; use a longer wrench. My hex wrench set has a short/normal length bit and a long/extended length bit for each size.

By inserting the short bit in a stubborn bolt I can use the longer bit to convince just about every bolt to loosen. In rare cases I have added an even longer handle using a piece of tubing slid over the hex wrench long bit.

In one instance on my brake rotors none of this worked. I ended up using my electric impact driver to loosen those bolts. Worked like a charm, but it did need quite a bit of clearance around the bolts to get the impact driver to the bolts. No problem for a rotor, but YRMV.

 

[Thelma]

It's critical when dealing with allen bolts that you use the correct wrench. It should fit really snug, with no slop at all (none, not even a little!). If you do manage to strip the center of one out (easily done using the wrong wrench), many times a set of vise grips can be used to remove that bolt - just don't reuse it once removed. Many good hardwares will have replacements.

Congrats on the new 'Runner!

It was the correct wrench the bolts were way too tight

 

[Bruce Arnold]

A little WD40 might penetrate and loosen it up. I'd try that first. Or, like @Sierratim said, find an allen wrench with a longer shank.

And, welcome to ebikes and the EBR forum.

 

[Thelma]

A little WD40 might penetrate and loosen it up. I'd try that first. Or, like @Sierratim said, find an allen wrench with a longer shank.

And, welcome to ebikes and the EBR forum.

A little WD40 might penetrate and loosen it up. I'd try that first. Or, like @Sierratim said, find an allen wrench with a longer shank.

And, welcome to ebikes and the EBR forum.

So i took it to my mechanic cause bike shop wait is over a week understandably figuring he would have enough tools.. all the bolts had blue locking tape on them and so even trying to remove the back tire I had to wiggle them out with locked plyers first..

 

[indianajo]

When my allen wrench isn't long enough, I use the closed end of a combo wrench to make the lever longer.
My new schwinn in 1986, when I hit a pothole the wheel turned sideways while I held the handlebars straight. 8 stitches on my arm. So I'm highly in favor of bike assemblers tightening certain bolts as high as the torque limit chart allows.