Friday fun: Is Campagnolo Athena a girls groupset?
DonDaddyD
Posts: 12,689
Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
It is the name, Athena, that makes me struggle to accept it as a groupset I'd use. It's like buying a car. I like the Fiesta XR2 but it was called Fiesta Flower Power, Fiesta Poppet Rocket or Cookie-dough I certainly wouldn't like it as much. For the very same reasons I wouldn't by a Wilier Mimosa but always would buy the Izoard. Whether we like it or not we are sometimes driven by the names of products. For that reason Athena puts me off.
Yes this is shallow marketing and materialism and there are certainly those that don't mind the model of thier bikes being called sh*t (in a reverse psychology of quality kind of way). But there are some of us that do care what our products are called. More on this;
The name of a product symbolises our expectations from that product, the name itself may exude the Company's values. 'Big Mac' wasn't just named so by chance.
Athena is just some bird going to war, that is not me.
If it was called Campagnolo Ares, I'd be all over it.
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
It is the name, Athena, that makes me struggle to accept it as a groupset I'd use. It's like buying a car. I like the Fiesta XR2 but it was called Fiesta Flower Power, Fiesta Poppet Rocket or Cookie-dough I certainly wouldn't like it as much. For the very same reasons I wouldn't by a Wilier Mimosa but always would buy the Izoard. Whether we like it or not we are sometimes driven by the names of products. For that reason Athena puts me off.
Yes this is shallow marketing and materialism and there are certainly those that don't mind the model of thier bikes being called sh*t (in a reverse psychology of quality kind of way). But there are some of us that do care what our products are called. More on this;
The name of a product symbolises our expectations from that product, the name itself may exude the Company's values. 'Big Mac' wasn't just named so by chance.
Athena is just some bird going to war, that is not me.
If it was called Campagnolo Ares, I'd be all over it.
Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
0
Comments
-
In this case it really is just you.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0
-
DonDaddyD wrote:Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, like Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
It is the name, Athena, that makes me struggle to accept it as a groupset I'd use. It's like buying a car. I like the Fiesta XR2 but it was called Fiesta Flower Power, Fiesta Poppet Rocket or Cookie-dough i certainly wouldn't like it as much.
Yes this is shallow marketing and materialism and there are certainly those that don't mind the model of thier bikes being called sh*t (in a reverse psychology of quality kind of way). But there are some of us that do care what our products are called.
The name of a product symbolises our expectations from that product, the name itself may exude the Company's values. 'Big Mac' wasn't just named so by chance.
Athena is just some bird going to war, that is not me. I can't warm to it.
I go into a shop, I could by perfume, but I will always buy aftershave. Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, like Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
It is the name, Athena, that makes me struggle to accept it as a groupset I'd use. It's like buying a car, it could be a DB7, Diablo, Datona even the Fiesta XR2 but if any of those were called Flowe, Poppet, Cookie-dough would I want it. No.
More on this; I could buy a Wilier Mimosa but always will buy the Izoard. Whether we like it or not we are sometimes driven by the names of products. For that reason Athena puts me off.
Yes this is shallow marketing and materialism and there are certainly those that don't mind the model of their bikes being called sh*t but there are some of us that do. The name of a product symbolises our expectations from that product
Athena is just some bird going to war, that is not me.
If it was called Campagnolo Ares, I'd be all over it.
Wait. Did you just manage a double post in a single post? That's impressive!0 -
JonGinge wrote:
ExcellentNow I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war
Exactly the real war makers worship Ares!!! :twisted:Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
JonGinge wrote:
ExcellentNow I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war
I'm loving the other random double post info in it too!Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
UndercoverElephant wrote:
Wait. Did you just manage a double post in a single post? That's impressive! Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
What's a Dura-Ace? and Ultegra sounds like Allegro, and I'm not buying a groupset named after a dodgy 70's car.
It's campag or SRAM for me, after much deliberation I went for SRAM Force over Athena cos it's loads lighter, nothing to do with the name. (even though it makes me feel all manly and junk).
I voted yes by the way.
The irony of a man refusing to use a groupset called Athena whilst riding around on a bike known by the moniker Karen has, I'm sure, already been addressed.
Why did you buy a bike called a Kharma, are you a hippy or summink? All you need now are some Mavic Action Sandal wheels and a Shimano Scraggly Beard groupset.Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur0 -
Poor Asian translation is why Shimano's groupsets have such bizarre names...
Well that's what I was told....Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
If it was called Campagnolo Ares, I'd be all over it.
But Ares is a trivial anagram of Arse
I wouldn't want the campag arse groupset0 -
vorsprung wrote:DonDaddyD wrote:Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
If it was called Campagnolo Ares, I'd be all over it.
But Ares is a trivial anagram of Arse
I wouldn't want the campag arse groupset
You're right, and "Ultegra SL" is an anagram of "Large Slut", so I don't want that, either.0 -
The thread title asks if it is a girls groupset. The question then asked in the post is whether the respondent would buy it regardless. Confusing.
Anyway, from the manufacturerers themselves...
In the past season Campagnolo decided to ramp up the development of the drivetrain and present the new 11 speed groupsets. This technology was developed by racing pros and for racing pros and for the most demanding amateurs. The 11-speed groupset has revealed itself to be something totally new in every aspect. This is because Campagnolo did not simply add a speed, but made a clean sweep of the past and designed all the components from scratch, improving each individual part to create the perfect groupset.
Now, just one year later, Campagnolo has decided to expand the family of 11s groupsets, introducing the Athena 11s, the first 11-speed groupset in alu-style. The objective is to make the undeniable performance features of the 11s project accessible to the largest number of people. Athena 11s, in fact, is an extension of the 11s project. The design and technical solutions are the same as those of the other three 11s groupsets: Super Record, Record, and Chorus.
The Athena 11s groupset is part of the 2010 range and will be available in the standard version or in the version with optional carbon fibre crankset, with an impressive weight of just 2.352 grams in the standard version and an even more amazing 2.239 grams in the optional version.Rules are for fools.0 -
Oh, and Tiagra Groupset is also an anagram of Teargas Pig Tour, and who'd want a groupset with those sorts of connotations?Rules are for fools.0
-
Why would anyone want a Tiagra groupset anyway? Poverty is not an acceptable excuse.0
-
-
DonDaddyD wrote:Ok functionality aside lets just focus on the name, Athena.
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
It is the name, Athena, that makes me struggle to accept it as a groupset I'd use. It's like buying a car. I like the Fiesta XR2 but it was called Fiesta Flower Power, Fiesta Poppet Rocket or Cookie-dough I certainly wouldn't like it as much. For the very same reasons I wouldn't by a Wilier Mimosa but always would buy the Izoard. Whether we like it or not we are sometimes driven by the names of products. For that reason Athena puts me off.
If all that is true, should you not have named Karen something a bit more butch and manly? Then you could say 'I'm going to ride Bruce to work today'....
You're not being consistent. Female bike but male components? Is Karen having the op?
Alternatively, give all the parts male names, and think of them that way....that'll sort it out for you
Dahon Speed Pro TT; Trek Portland
Viner Magnifica '08 ; Condor Squadra
LeJOG in aid of the Royal British Legion. Please sponsor me at http://www.bmycharity.com/stuaffleck20110 -
StuAff wrote:If all that is true, should you not have named Karen something a bit more butch and manly? Then you could say 'I'm going to ride Bruce to work today'....
You've probably answered your own question there Stu.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
TailWindHome wrote:StuAff wrote:If all that is true, should you not have named Karen something a bit more butch and manly? Then you could say 'I'm going to ride Bruce to work today'....
You've probably answered your own question there Stu. The Viner is just the Viner to me, anyway....! Dahon Speed Pro TT; Trek Portland
Viner Magnifica '08 ; Condor Squadra
LeJOG in aid of the Royal British Legion. Please sponsor me at http://www.bmycharity.com/stuaffleck20110 -
I'm probably going to buy an Athena groupset after winter, and I'm a bloke. So there.0
-
StuAff wrote:If all that is true, should you not have named Karen something a bit more butch and manly? Then you could say 'I'm going to ride Bruce to work today'....
You're not being consistent. Female bike but male components? Is Karen having the op?
Alternatively, give all the parts male names, and think of them that way....that'll sort it out for you
It wouldn't have mattered if DDD'd called the Kuota Lord Flasheart. Giving any inanimate object a name, however butch and manly, is fundamentally girly. Blokes call their stuff 'it' or 'that bludy heap of junk'. Faster than a tent.......0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:
Now I know Athena is the geek Goddess of war and other stuff, but she was still a Goddess worshipped by Women while Men worshipped the male equivalent God, Ares. So straight off the blocks the name doesn't work for me.
Wrong on multiple counts there. Athena was the goddess of war (etc), Ares, her brother though often generalised as another god of war, was more accurately slaughter personified (plus violence, manly courage and civil order). So Athena represents the disciplined, strategic side of war, Ares the brutal side. And Greeks didn't divide their gods on gender lines, so men worshipped Athena as much as women.Dahon Speed Pro TT; Trek Portland
Viner Magnifica '08 ; Condor Squadra
LeJOG in aid of the Royal British Legion. Please sponsor me at http://www.bmycharity.com/stuaffleck20110 -
Rolf F wrote:StuAff wrote:If all that is true, should you not have named Karen something a bit more butch and manly? Then you could say 'I'm going to ride Bruce to work today'....
You're not being consistent. Female bike but male components? Is Karen having the op?
Alternatively, give all the parts male names, and think of them that way....that'll sort it out for you
It wouldn't have mattered if DDD'd called the Kuota Lord Flasheart. Giving any inanimate object a name, however butch and manly, is fundamentally girly. Blokes call their stuff 'it' or 'that bludy heap of junk'.
This0 -
This post makes me smile because you wrote it!lost_in_thought wrote:Dura ace sounds like a condom.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
Explain to me why your Giant is called Donovan.
Oh, and you need to look into your Greek mythology and ancient history more - I'm fairly sure some of them thought that it was more manly to have a boyfriend than a girlfriend, preferably much younger than oneself.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
would you call your son Jane? I named my bikes as a way of expressing my affection towards them. Karen is my acknowledgement of the bikes beauty expressed through my sexuality. Donovan is a mate.rjsterry wrote:Explain to me why your Giant is called Donovan.
Oh, and you need to look into your Greek mythology and ancient history more - I'm fairly sure some of them thought that it was more manly to have a boyfriend than a girlfriend, preferably much younger than oneself.
Completely different to buying a product with a birds name. I can't name one thing I own that has. I'm subconciously driven not to and Athena challenges my norms.
If Kuota called the King of the Mountains (KOM) Queen of the mountains (QOM) I don't think it would have the same target Market or at least less males sales. This is my point about Athena and you're right I don't have much in the way of knowledge about Greek mythology, I have an interest that extends little further than the surface. But to a lay person who knows little about Greek Gods, lifestyle, culture Athena is a birds name and Zeus, Ares even Hermes I think would be more apppealing.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
Even if it is a girls' name, I don't see the problem. Bikes are, like boats and guitars, female. They can be sometimes temperamental, take a bit of looking after, but when everything's alright with them and you're having a good ride, it's incomparable...0
