Campag Athena

kmcd21

Anyone using this on their bike ? I would like to hear good or bad tks

Squillinossett

Never ridden it, but has a long look at it when I was in racescene, very sexy, but then isnt all campag kit.

Anonymous

Only heard good things about it. For 500 quid it looks to be excellent!

magliaceleste

I've been running it on my winter bike for a couple of months, upgraded from Centaur.

Shifting, particularly front ring (it's a compact) is really good, better than 2008 Record/Super Record (new chainring improvements in 2011). Everything else works just as well you would expect. The multi-shift action (ratchet) isn't there on Athena unlike Chorus or above which is a pity, single shifts only. However on the plus side the movement is really light. Cranks are dead easy to fit, although disassembly could be trickier.

dcj

i am considering it for my next bike. i am also considering super record.

from an operational point of view, there is little difference except weight and looks but it shows how good athena really is.

when they went to 11 speed, the engineering challenges were huge and as a result even athena is very precisely and accurately made.

Wheelie Bin

NapoleonD wrote:

Only heard good things about it. For 500 quid it looks to be excellent!

Well here's the first 'bad' thing.

First though, I LOVE the look of the chainset - a gorgeous piece of almost retro-looking engineering. BUT, running it alongside Veloce, I'd have to say I see no need for 11 speed - the constant tweaking to keep it tuned is a pain, it's hardly any slicker than Veloce and it doesn't offer a wider range of gears. Plus, the latest Veloce hoods offer the same high quality ergonomics. Maybe I'm getting old, but I just can't see the point.

Lillywhite

kmcd21 wrote:

Anyone using this on their bike ?

I've been using the Athena 11 speed groupset on my bike since last May. First time I've used a compact 50/34 chainset and I'm finding that I'm riding in the big ring a lot more. A really excellent groupset in my view.

APIII

I've found the shifting to be noticeably lighter and more positive than 10 speed record. The other major plus is the fact that you can run up to a 29 on the back without having to change the rear derailleur (assuming you've got enough slack in the chain). It was sometimes possible on a short cage rear mech on 10 speed depending on who you talked to, but with 11 speed Campag actually endorse it.
Also, I haven't noticed any significant difference to super record, so I'd say Athena is excellent value.

flanners1

Wheelie Bin wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Only heard good things about it. For 500 quid it looks to be excellent!

Well here's the first 'bad' thing.

First though, I LOVE the look of the chainset - a gorgeous piece of almost retro-looking engineering. BUT, running it alongside Veloce, I'd have to say I see no need for 11 speed - the constant tweaking to keep it tuned is a pain, it's hardly any slicker than Veloce and it doesn't offer a wider range of gears. Plus, the latest Veloce hoods offer the same high quality ergonomics. Maybe I'm getting old, but I just can't see the point.

I agree. Pound for pound (weight) and performance the advantages for a top of the range groupset just aren't worth it IMO. If you have the dough hey why not, but better off with losing a few kg's and buying better wheels

darren H

I've been looking at the eleven speed Athena. But it's now power torque isn't it. This looks okay but how much is the bloody puller to get the left side crank off.
I run chorus ultra torque and vie purchased the bloody tools for that Inc the bearing puller.

I presume now you will need a large Allen key to loosen the nut, then yet another puller to remove the crank. Frustrating indeed.

But it looks a better system than the ultra torque.

Oh and another question, what about eleven speed chains, campag ones can be hard to locate at times and the bloody chain tool, don't get me started.

Can you get alternatives, with a power link connector.

Lots to think about here

fleshtuxedo

darren H wrote:

Oh and another question, what about eleven speed chains, campag ones can be hard to locate at times and the bloody chain tool, don't get me started.

Can you get alternatives, with a power link connector.

Lots to think about here

KMC do 11 speed chains with a tool-less quick link

whyamihere

2011 Athena has changed from Ultrashift to Powershift. What this means is that you have 1 click on the thumb paddle rather than 3 as there is on Chorus, Record and Super Record, and was on 2010 Athena, Centaur and Veloce. Ribble still have 2010 Ultrashift levers in, they're a bit more expensive than 2010, but worth it I reckon.

rolf_f

whyamihere wrote:

2011 Athena has changed from Ultrashift to Powershift. What this means is that you have 1 click on the thumb paddle rather than 3 as there is on Chorus, Record and Super Record, and was on 2010 Athena, Centaur and Veloce. Ribble still have 2010 Ultrashift levers in, they're a bit more expensive than 2010, but worth it I reckon.

Indeed! When I went to pick up my 2010 Centaur specc'd Gran Fondo, it had 2011 levers on it (and front mech). I had them take the 2010 levers off the Sportive Racing they still had in the showroom (everything else having been cleared out to go to the bike show) - I preferred 2010 off a demo bike to 2011 fresh from the box. The old levers look better too!

Actually, I really hope Campagnolo sort themselves out on this. I don't mind them downgrading parts of the range (probably a good idea in business terms because there wasn't much functional difference across the entire range last year aside from number of gears) but now you can't get an all alloy Ultrashift mech nor a 10 speed Ultrashift mech. And the powershift systems all look really ugly now! Campagnolo stuff really does have to look good!

giant_man

2010 Athena with ultra shift is still available at certain places .....

wicked

giant mancp wrote:

2010 Athena with ultra shift is still available at certain places .....

Indeed. I bought 2010 Athena from Planet X with carbon chainset for 500 notes which is a bargain IMO. I moved quickly as soon as I heard about the 2011 version being downgraded on the shifters and chainset.

cal_stewart

got mine from merlin 3weeks back in the sale. 2009/2010 kit me thnks