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Shimano Ultegra or Campy Athena

RichTLRichTL Posts: 133
edited May 2013 in Road buying advice
Does anyone have any thoughts about the adantages/disadvantages of Ultegra v Athena groupsets?
Buying a new bike, have decided which one but not sure which group set to go with.

Posts

  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    If you put anything but Campy on a Colnago, Bianchi or De Rosa, God with personally come down and kick you in the nuts.
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    On a serious note, Shimano would be cheaper and you can always swap out components with SRAM if you want to. Campagnolo I feel are more robust and gears changes feel slicker. I also prefer the thumb changers to Shimanos twin flappy paddle as with thick gloves on its hard to change up or down without catching both levers at the same time.
  • LegendLustLegendLust Posts: 1,022
    Why do people insist on shortening Campagnolo to that bloody awful 'campy' but never shorten Shimano?

    Why don't people write 'Shimmy' or 'Shim' or 'Shite'?
    Selling my Legend frame
    http://owningalegend.wordpress.com/2014 ... ced-price/
  • Wirral_paulWirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    +1 to ^^^^. "Campy" is only for lazy Americans - and I for one am resisting becoming Americanised for as long as possible! :)
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    LegendLust wrote:
    Why do people insist on shortening Campagnolo to that bloody awful 'campy' but never shorten Shimano?

    Why don't people write 'Shimmy' or 'Shim' or 'Shite'?


    I do shorten Shimano to Shite!!! :wink:
  • cyclecliniccycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Athena is 11 speed ultegra is 10 speed. Athena is lighter than ultegra by a little bit (veloce is the same weight!) Athena use power-torque BB which are not DIY friendly so you will a good shop with the correct tools. Shimano BB system is easy for the home mechanic. Athena gives the option of very sexy carbon cranks, ultegra does not.
    Athena and all campag groupsets look perfect, ultegra looks O.K .

    Otherwise both shift well. Oh campag groupsets shift well even after riding in lots of wet weather for a long time if set up well. I am not so sure if shimano groupsets hold up so well.

    Use campagnolo shifter cable sets only with campagnolo groupsets they perform better with them.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • FransJacquesFransJacques Posts: 2,148
    SmoggySteve wrote:
    If you put anything but Campy on a Colnago, Bianchi or De Rosa, God with personally come down and kick you in the nuts.
    Both Sven Nys and Niels Albert run Shimano on their Colnagos. But I hear they are both very good Catholics (and reasonably good riders) so God has taken mercy on their souls.

    Campy and Shimano are both great. Decide what you like the look of better and importantly which hood feel you like better. Face it, you spend more time on the hoods than actually shifting gears and comfort is very important.

    Good thing about both Campy and SHimano is they both offer silver and black cranks to match your bike, but the carbon Athena is WAAY prettier than Ultegra. I cannot wait until 6900 comes out. Hope it's nicer than 6700.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • Pigeons in flightPigeons in flight Posts: 282
    I have had both....and used to prefer Campagnolo. As much as anything... because I liked the feel of the hoods compared to Shimano.

    I do however think the current Ultegra groupset is excellent..and would be hard pressed to decide if I was in the market for a new build.

    I think, like most things, try before you buy..
    Never mistake motion for action
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  • daveyruthersdaveyruthers Posts: 129
    Campagnolo every time. Looks better and feels better.
    Bianchi Via Nirone
    Focus Izalco Pro 2.0
  • frenchfighterfrenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I am buying a new bike and the one available only has Shimano components. I was originally going to get Athena with a Canyon but all sold out and I cannot wait until the new stock comes in at the end of the year.

    Can someone who has ridden with both the new style campag and ultegra shifters let me know whether there is a large difference in how they feel? I used to ride campag and like the feel a lot. I rode Shimano once but didnt like how it was (but that was entry level Sora some years back). The Ultegra levers looks significantly worse than campag so if the feel isnt as good as well then I wont be buying the bike.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • BozmanBozman Posts: 2,518
    I've been a Shimano man for 20 years but it's Campagnolo on my next frame, apart from the new Dura-ace 9000 the latest generation of Shimano looks shite, plus the shifting is poor compared to the older generations of Shimano.
  • mikeneticmikenetic Posts: 486
    Got to disagree with that comment on shifting quality. Ultegra 6700 is fantastic. I do wish they had a less bulky-looking chainset though.
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