# Problem changing tires on WH-6700 Tubeless Wheelset



## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

I have about 300 miles on a set of Ultegra 6700 wheels and I really like them except for one thing. I've never had a wheelset that was so hard to change tires with. I'm not running tubeless tires so I'm running with tubes and the tires I usually use are Tricomp's or GP 4000's. Every tire change turns into a 30-60 minute cuss-fest and I've broken 3 tire levers so far. I use soapy water to help with the process but it still is a real pain. FWIW I've been riding for over 20 years and can usually change most wheels / tires with just my hands.
Please let me know if you have any tips that would help with this.
Thanks!


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## SteveV0983 (Dec 9, 2008)

You are not alone. I bought a set of those wheels because they seemed like a great deal for what you got. As soon as I opened the box, I saw the big tag that said not to use tire levers. I called Shimano and they gave me some line about getting the bead into the deep well of the rim, blah, blah, blah. I tried mounting a set of Vredestein TriComps that came off a set of Mavic OpenPro rims and tried without levers until I actually bled under one of my fingernails. So I used some Pedros levers and got it on. On my second ride, I got a flat and it was the worst tire change of my life. I have since grown to hate the wheels because I found them front very twitchy, the spokes rattled on anything but perfect pavement, and I had to true them twice in 200 miles. In reality, maybe I had no business being on them because I weigh 180, but Shimano insisted there was no weight limit.
Anyway, sent them back to where I bought them. But to answer your original post, I have no idea what to tell you except that I had luck with Pedros levers, but it was a real fight. They are brutal to get a tire on and off. Enough so that even had I liked the wheels, I would have returned them just due to the tire mounting problem.


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## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

*Update!*

After wrestling with the 6700 / tricomp's I called my LBS for tips and they told me to come on down.
After hearing my complaint I watched the bike mechanic literally install the tube / tire on the 6700, without levers, in less than 60 seconds!
He told me two very important things;
1) put 15 pounds or so in the tube and make sure that the tube is placed in the grove of the rim and NOT in the tire. Otherwise given the tighter tolerances of the tubeless wheel you end up trying to roll the tire over the tube and rim instead of just the rim.
2) as always start installing the tire from the valve but when it starts to get difficult at the other end go back to the valve area and make sure the tire is still in the middle grove of the rim by working your way back to the problem area. it will probably take 3-5 times to make sure there's enough slack to slip the remaining part of the tire but it will happen.
After watching the mechanic and practicing for 10-15 minutes I was able to finally roll the tire over without levers. I then did it again at home just for fun as was able to change the tire in less than 10 minutes. I'm never going to be as quick as the pros but it's nice not living in fear of getting a flat on the road!
One other thing, maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm a little over 200 and spend a fair amount of time in the gym and the wheels are plenty stiff for me. The look great, roll nice and I have around 300 miles on them (not much I know) and so far I love the wheels (especially now since I know a couple tips for changing the tires).


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

good job, it's all about the technique which seem to have a pretty good grasp on now. i'd say the 6700 wheels are kinda snug, but not that tight w/ most tires. the hutchinson tubeless tires are probably the tightest, but if you know how to do it correctly they'll go on no problem. 
i know people always say 'i've been riding for XXyears and know how to mount tires...etc, etc, etc) but when i watch them in the shop or on the road it's obvious they don't know all the tricks. using the 'well' in the middle of the rim is key when dealing w/ tight fitting tires.


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## dekindy (Jul 7, 2006)

The most important 3 points of installing bicycle tires are technique, technique, technique.

Amother option is to put the tires in the dryer or warm Sun before installing so that they are as soft and supple as possible.


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## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

cxwrench said:


> i know people always say 'i've been riding for XXyears and know how to mount tires...etc, etc, etc) but when i watch them in the shop or on the road it's obvious they don't know all the tricks.


I know I was confusing years of experience for expertise!


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

UpHillCrawler said:


> After wrestling with the 6700 / tricomp's I called my LBS for tips and they told me to come on down.
> After hearing my complaint I watched the bike mechanic literally install the tube / tire on the 6700, without levers, in less than 60 seconds!
> He told me two very important things;
> 1) put 15 pounds or so in the tube and make sure that the tube is placed in the grove of the rim and NOT in the tire. Otherwise given the tighter tolerances of the tubeless wheel you end up trying to roll the tire over the tube and rim instead of just the rim.
> ...


Thanks for the update. I've done about 4000kms on a set of these 6700s and like you have not been able to install tyres without the aid of tyre levers. I kind of disregarded the warning saying not to use the levers. I'll try your method but my question is: How do you actually take the tyre *off *without tyre levers??? It's one thing putting it on but taking it off without the levers seems next to impossible.


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## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

I'm still using regular tubes and clinchers on the wheels so I haven't had to worry about getting the tires off without levers (I imagine it's a real b!tch though...)


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## DonDenver (May 30, 2007)

Double post deleted


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## DonDenver (May 30, 2007)

*Lever needed for me...*

Don't think I've ever been able to get carbon bead (TL) tires off my 7900 c24 TL hoops...for that matter, know I can't get kevlar bead gp4Ks off without a small pry start with my round stub park tool lever.

Nevertheless, props to OP UHCrawler for the "how to" installation. I had to learn the hard way...but found by accident how getting the tube low in channel made for happy hands and less time on the sidelines.


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## morgan1819 (Nov 22, 2005)

SteveV0983 said:


> You are not alone. I bought a set of those wheels because they seemed like a great deal for what you got. As soon as I opened the box, I saw the big tag that said not to use tire levers. I called Shimano and they gave me some line about getting the bead into the deep well of the rim, blah, blah, blah. I tried mounting a set of Vredestein TriComps that came off a set of Mavic OpenPro rims and tried without levers until I actually bled under one of my fingernails. So I used some Pedros levers and got it on. On my second ride, I got a flat and it was the worst tire change of my life. I have since grown to hate the wheels because I found them front very twitchy, the spokes rattled on anything but perfect pavement, and I had to true them twice in 200 miles. In reality, maybe I had no business being on them because I weigh 180, but Shimano insisted there was no weight limit.
> Anyway, sent them back to where I bought them. But to answer your original post, I have no idea what to tell you except that I had luck with Pedros levers, but it was a real fight. They are brutal to get a tire on and off. Enough so that even had I liked the wheels, I would have returned them just due to the tire mounting problem.


I run TriComps on my 6700's. The information Shimano gave you is valid ... you need to get the bead centered in the well of the rim. I also put a little soapy water on the bid/rim interface when installing, and it's quick and easy. I do use a little plastic lever to remove tires though, which I don't need to do on some other rims. 

Curious about your 'spoke rattle' issue. Care to elaborate?


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## SteveV0983 (Dec 9, 2008)

morgan1819 said:


> Curious about your 'spoke rattle' issue. Care to elaborate?


I was getting a vibrating sound whenever I went over any road that wasn't perfectly smooth and newly paved. It was driving me crazy because I like a totally silent bike. After tightening and shaking everything I could think of, I squeezed a few of the front spokes together and the sound went away. About 2 hours later, it was back. So when I got home, I tried to tighten a few of the spokes and many of them were very loose. Next ride started out with no noise, but after about an hour it was back. Anyway, I sent the wheels back and had a set of HED Belgium C2 rims built up with Wheelsmith spokes 32/28 3x laced to Velocity Race hubs and the ride is far superior. The new wheels are lighter, stiffer, dead quiet, spin up better, use stock spokes, are 23mm wide, and I can mount the same TriComps without any levers at all. The ride on the 23mm rims really is much more comfortable than the Shimanos were - and that's with the same tires at the same pressure on the same roads. When you lower the psi on the wider rims by 5-10 psi the ride even gets better. Just my opinion, but the Shimanos were not for me - and I'm an Ultegra groupie and have been for 25 years. By the way, the HEDs are obviously not tubeless ready, but I didn't care about that.


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## morgan1819 (Nov 22, 2005)

SteveV0983 said:


> I was getting a vibrating sound whenever I went over any road that wasn't perfectly smooth and newly paved. It was driving me crazy because I like a totally silent bike. After tightening and shaking everything I could think of, I squeezed a few of the front spokes together and the sound went away. About 2 hours later, it was back. So when I got home, I tried to tighten a few of the spokes and many of them were very loose. Next ride started out with no noise, but after about an hour it was back. Anyway, I sent the wheels back and had a set of HED Belgium C2 rims built up with Wheelsmith spokes 32/28 3x laced to Velocity Race hubs and the ride is far superior. The new wheels are lighter, stiffer, dead quiet, spin up better, use stock spokes, are 23mm wide, and I can mount the same TriComps without any levers at all. The ride on the 23mm rims really is much more comfortable than the Shimanos were - and that's with the same tires at the same pressure on the same roads. When you lower the psi on the wider rims by 5-10 psi the ride even gets better. Just my opinion, but the Shimanos were not for me - and I'm an Ultegra groupie and have been for 25 years. By the way, the HEDs are obviously not tubeless ready, but I didn't care about that.


Good to hear you like the HED's. I'm going to build a set of C2's this winter (assuming I can get the rims). Not expecting a huge difference, since I am going from a 21mm wide 6700 rim to a 23mm HED rim, but hey, you never know. 
The Ultegra 6700's feel very fast to me for some reason, and I am concerned about building a new set, and having it 'feel' slower. My wife needs wheels however, so the 6700's go to her when I finish building the HED C2's.


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## SteveV0983 (Dec 9, 2008)

morgan1819 said:


> Good to hear you like the HED's. I'm going to build a set of C2's this winter (assuming I can get the rims). Not expecting a huge difference, since I am going from a 21mm wide 6700 rim to a 23mm HED rim, but hey, you never know.
> The Ultegra 6700's feel very fast to me for some reason, and I am concerned about building a new set, and having it 'feel' slower. My wife needs wheels however, so the 6700's go to her when I finish building the HED C2's.


I didn't notice any difference as to one feeling faster than the other. Then again, I don't race or anything. FWIW, I weigh about 180 so maybe I had no business being on a 16/20 spoke set of wheels in the first place. But because the HEDs are stiffer (either due to the rim, the extra spokes, or both), I feel as though they corner much better than the Shimanos. I also feel as though the HEDs tamed the steering a little. The Shimanos were very twitchy feeling to me (I was coming from Open Pros with Ultegra hubs). I felt as though any little movement was constantly met with the feeling that the steering was skittish. The HEDs are much more stable feeling to me, but that's subjective. I wanted to like the Shimanos and still think they were a heck of a good deal for what you get - I had paid $399.00 for them. But despite Shimano saying there is no weight limit, there aren't too many wheelbuilders that would put someone weighing 180 on a 16 spoke front wheel, so maybe that was my problem. Either way, it worked out for the better because I like the HEDs much more even at the $600.00 price that I paid for them. And I personally like the cleaner look of the HEDs a little better, but that's just me. Good luck with whatever you do.


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## ddddd (Jul 27, 2014)

Been trying to get gatorskins on my new ultegra 6800 wheels.
Swearing on Christmas!
Then found this post.
Thanks uphillcrawler.


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