It appears that Campagnolo's Athena will return next year ... and it will come in 11-speed. Several sharp-eyed readers pointed out that installation instructions on Campagnolo's web site make reference to an 11-speed Athena gruppo (read them here).Athena will join Super Record, Record, and Chorus, which currently come in 11-speed.
Heck yeah! My first campy groupset was '96 Athena. I was in college and on my own for the first time. The groupset is still going, but mow on someone else's bike. As long as Carbon brake blades and cranks are available, I'm there!
ReplyDeleteDitto! It was my first exit from ShimaNo. I always wanted Ergo but couldn't afford it at the time. I think I had a friend's Suntour indexed shifters on the downtube...they mostly worked.
ReplyDeleteSorry to tell you guys looks like it's going to be an all aluminum 11 speed groupo. They're going for a retro look.
ReplyDeleteWhat? I missed the all-silver detail! Oh be still my heart! That's worth a downgrade right there! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, more people will be happy with a vintage look than a carbon one. I'm pretty much alone on that one.
ReplyDeleteActually lots of people hate plastic (Carbon) parts on their bikes. The industrial look that carbon fiber parts have (at best) is just ugly.
ReplyDeleteCampagnolo may find that this is their best selling group
Someone please educate me - where does Athena fit in the line, above or below Centaur?
ReplyDeleteMy guess would be that Campy is planning to go all carbon all the time with most of their groups. Thus, Athena might be the top of the line non-carbon fiber group.
ReplyDeleteNate, Athena = Centaur. Athena became Daytona, then Centaur, and now it looks like we're back to Athena again... but the group just under Chorus by any name will still shift as sweet. (My apologies to the Bard.)
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