Campagnolo Proton

Price Paid:  $400.00 at online

Favorite Ride:
Kettle Moraine

Bike Setup:
Colnago, 80s vintage steel club racer updated w/ mostly chorus group -10 speed.

Summary:
I only have about 1000 miles on these since my kids have cut down my weekend rides, and I'm not a racer, but I ride +-3000 miles a year and these wheels are fast! I previously rode this frame with Bontrager Race Lites and these wheels are clearly a big cut above the Bontragers. I don't have a lot of experience with very high end wheels but these are a much better value, I think, than the Mavics I was considering.

Strengths:
Acceleration, smoothness.

Weaknesses:
None so far.

Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Race Lites

Price Paid:  $200.00 at ebay

Summary:
I have had my protons 3 years, ride about 3000 miles per year and they remain perfectly true. They are bullet proof and pretty fast.

Strengths:
No upkeep - remain true no matter what

Weaknesses:
Very difficult tire change

Price Paid:  $250.00 at Lussatti Figline Val

Favorite Ride:
Reggello - Valombrosa Tuscany

Bike Setup:
LUSSATTI custom made frame, full campy chorus

Summary:
I bought the first generation Protons 6 years ago and one week ago the first spoke broke, before that NO PROBLEMS whatsoever! I need to add that i am 6'4", used to way 200lbs raising (due to grad school) to 230lbs and i put on this wheelset over 50.000km with Potholes, jumping curbs until last week the first spoke broke. I am building up a new bike and guess what, it will be again a full campy with a proton wheelset!

Strengths:
Stiff and light. If you are heavy and still want a wheelset, that is light and stiff and can deal with your power go with the protons. If you are a light rider you probably can ride them until you feel you need to tune up your bike with some new rims.

Weaknesses:
If you need to true them you need to take of the tire, however, so far (6 years and 50 000km ) i had not to do anything to the wheelset except replacing the casette.

Similar Products Used:
Maviv Krysium, HED Alps

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Jenson USA

Favorite Ride:
Roller road in the woods

Bike Setup:
Look KG361 with Chorus/Centaur 10 speed mix. USE Carbon Alien post (a masterpiece of engineering), Richie Comp bar and stem.

Summary:
This is an update. 2008 will be my forth year on my Protons. I'm 171 pounds and even after 10K+ miles, these wheels HAVE NOT changed from the first time I rode them. They're straight, round and quick to react to climbs and accelerations. They also still provide a menacing appearance with my matte black Look frame. One of the truely great purchases in 35 years of cycling. Protons are the definition of "bang for the buck".

Strengths:
Put them on and go ride...for years.

Weaknesses:
Have reservations about using them in cold weather as fixing a flat with cold hands would not be fun. Tire changes are bad enough in my basement.

Similar Products Used:
Velocity Aeroheads on Record 8 speed hubs which I still have on my "week long beer and food ride" steel Bianchi. 10 years old and have been trued only once. Its all about who build the wheel.

Price Paid:  $250.00

Favorite Ride:
anywhere with a tail wind

Bike Setup:
Tifosi frame/Record groupset

Summary:
I've done 4 seasons on these Protons. They are still as true as the day I bought them. They've been used for summer training and road races, hit plenty of potholes but they shrug it all off. Looking a bit tatty now - might try the Neutrons as a replacement.

Strengths:
Take a beating and still come out true

Weaknesses:
4 years on they are a little heavy comepare to some of the alternatives.
The stickers are a bit cheap, and soon look tatty.

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Open Pro/chorus
Campag Omega V/chorus