Ritchey Protocol WCS

 

The Skinny: Both front and rear Protocols have a somewhat aero profile and straight, bladed spokes. Nothing too radical, but eyeball the rear rim and it'll look warped away from the drive side. Ritchey calls this Off Center Rim technology, and it lets Ritchey use even spoke lengths on both the drive- and non-drive sides, with nearly symmetrical spoke tension as well--both of which, the company claims, creates wheels that aren't as prone to spoke breakage. Black magic or not, we tested the Protocols in winter, where potholes were the norm, and even with scant, 23c rubber between us and harsh macadam, the Protocols proved both fast accelerators and exceptionally tough. Over several weeks and a lot of cracked pavement neither rim came out of true. The sole misgiving for some might be that the Protocols ride like race wheels: fast, not plush. But for price-to-weight,
they're tough to top.

Price: $660

Weight: 1,457 grams (3.2 lb.) per pair (not including skewers)

Paris Hilton: Resilient; snappy road feel and sharp acceleration

Paris , Texas : One rider's "snappy road feel" is another's "harshness"

Contact: 650/368-4018; www.ritcheylogic.com