HED Ardennes SL Plus rims--insanely hard to change a flat.
 

I've brought this topic up before. I'm bringing it up again after reading this thread...

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/1105132-how-hard-change-tire-hed-belgium-ardennes-plus.html

Seems like people are having mixed results with these rims. I know how to properly change tires on tubeless rims. I know about the drop channel. It's been the same way with three different types of tires, Conti 5k, Conti 4 Season, and Vittoria Terreno. I have also tried two different types of tubeless tape. I have another set of wheels with H Plus Son Hydra rims which are also tubeless ready, and I don't have any problems with them.

Anyway, I have been left stranded twice because I couldn't get the tire off on the road. Yesterday, I was 20 miles from home in 115 degree heat and I had to call my wife to rescue me. I could not, with all my strength, get the tire bead to budge. Strangely enough, I actually changed a flat on the rear just last week. It was tough, but I got it done. Yesterday, this tire was stuck. It would not budge.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...182d9b3bd6.jpg
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​​​I'm about to give up on these rims, which sucks, because I really like them in every other way. But, I literally can't ride them. I can't trust that I'll be able to get home if I get a flat.

So, my question is, do you all think it's possible that my rims are "defective"? Like, maybe the manufacturer's tolerances aren't good, and mine are a mm or so too large in diameter? Enough to cause these problems?

Why not carry a bead jack like the KoolStop or VAR? Even a Crank Bros Speedier Lever might be enough. Beyond curiosity, knowing why your rims are difficult won't change anything.

​​​​​​A bead jack or VAR wouldn't help in this case. I couldn't even break the bead free.

You're right about knowing why won't change anything, but it may make me inclined to complain to HED. I've been watching Hambini videos and now I'm skeptical about the quality of all my parts.

I’ve never had a tire that I couldn’t pop off using the toes of my shoes, with the rim on the ground. Just the tip of the toes pushing down on the sidewall to get the bead worked loose.

I never had that happen when I ran Hed + rims, but I have some Reynolds rims that hold onto the bead really tightly and needed some encouragement.

Rim ETRTO + And tire bead ETRTO minus ? perhaps ?

I brought it to my mechanic. I watched him fight with it. It was pretty validating to see him struggle with it. He ended up using his feet to get it off.

Conti tires are known to be a tight fit. Those rims are known to run large. Bad combo. If you want to stick with the rims, why not change to an easier to mount tire like the Vittorias? Perhaps go to your local bike shop and ask a mechanic what tires mount the easiest? (This is a moving target. Different batches of the same tire could be slightly different. The mechanic spends all day doing this, He knows.)

Maybe Tufo Tubular- Clinchers ? https://www.tufo.com/en/tubular-clincher/

HED tires are way too difficult to deal with. I am also giving up on them. I have had to be "saved" too many times with a flat out on the road.

I never had tire issues with HED, I have a bent axel on a set, but the tires went on and off the same as most. I've had issue with Ambrosio Elite rims the first couple of times. Some times I use a couple of tire pry like 4-5" apart simultaneously instead of one, other times of difficulty I put on gloves.