INTERBIKE 2009 – Shimano has dropped Road Tubeless down to their Ultegra level, offering race-proven technology that’ll stand up to daily riding.  The WH-6700 wheelset is compatible with both tube clinchers and Road Tubeless tires.
The 20.8mm wide alloy rim uses an ultra-thin extrusion with a T-nut reinforcements at the nipple…in fact, it’s now the same rim extrusion as on the Dura-Ace set, except it’s aluminum rather than Scandium.  There are rim wear indicators to let you know when it’s time to replace it.
The hubs have wide flanges and the rims use an offset spoke bed to provide better spoke triangulation and create a stiffer wheel while using minimal spokes…just 16 front (radial) and 20 rear (2-cross).  The hubs have angular contact bearings with oversize 7075 alloy axles.
Hit ‘more’ to see a closeup of the rim profile, pricing and more specs, plus photos of Shimano’s new mini-flat SPD pedal we’ve dubbed the “halvsie”…
The alloy tubeless rims are 20.9mm wide. They’re 24mm deep in the front and 23mm in the rear.  More weight savings comes from getting a Titanium freehub body with quick engagement and 8/9/10 speed compatibility. The wheelset weighs in at 1492g/pair and retails for just $649/set.
Shimano also debuted a new pedal, the PD-A600 (top shown above, bottom is below).  It’s a one-sided SPD compatible pedal with about half a platform, thus our nickname: Halvsie.  It’s intended for road use and should find a good home with commuters and recreational riders, though it’s price and spec suggest it’s on par with Ultegra-level components.  The aluminum body spins on a Cromoly spindle with adjustable cartridge bearings.  Weight is 280g/pair and MSRP is $140.
