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INTERBIKE 2009: ATHENA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT
Bob Sutton
September 22, 2009
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Campagnolo debuted their new Athena 11-speed group at the 2009 Interbike Outdoor Demo. They had a fleet of top-of-the-line bicycles equipped with Athena. There was always a line of people waiting their turn to ride the bikes on the closed roads or down the bike path to Lake Mead. With the addition of Athena, Campy now offers four 11-speed groups at differing price-points. The new Athena group falls below Chorus, Record and Super Record.
Tom Kattus, Campagnolo’s U. S. General Manager explained Campy’s view that all of their groups should perform at the same high level, with the only differences in groups being in finish and the use of carbon and titanium to lighten various components. We wanted to see for ourselves if we could tell any difference in performance, so we rode a Chorus 11-speed equipped Bianchi first. Then we exchanged it for a Cannondale equipped with the new Athena 11-Speed group.
While the Athena group used beautifully finished aluminum for it’s various components (with carbon levers), and the Chorus group had carbon cranks and levers, we couldn’t tell any difference in performance. Both groups worked flawlessly and carbon fans will be happy to know Athena will come with a carbon crank option.
The new Athena group’s ergonomically designed levers and hoods offer an extension of the top of the bars, allowing the rider to place their hands flat against the bar top or to grasp the hoods in the traditional manner, but also allowing the rider a third option - a somewhat modified aero position accomplished by positioning the hands higher on the hoods and placing the forearms along the top of the bars.
Our test bikes were equipped with Campy’s 12/29 cogset providing a very wide spread of gearing choices for the hills at Bootleg Canyon. Wide spread doesn’t mean large gaps between gears because of Campy’s exclusive eleven speed drive train. One click melted into the next and we were never wishing for tighter spacing.
Shifting was flawless and Athena, as well as Campy’s other 11 speed groups, allows a choice of a one, and up to five rear-cogset downshifts, with a single push of the lever, or an up shift choice of a one, and up to three, cog jumps, with one push of the lever.
Braking was very powerful from the hoods, or from the drops, and easily modulated. In addition, the brake levers can be position close to the bars for people with smaller hands.
Look for a long term test of Athena 11-Speed in the pages of Road Bike Action, but for now, rest assured the quality, craftsmanship and integrity that historically graces all Campagnolo groups, can be found in the lower price-point Athena 11-Speed group.
If price has been keeping you back from joining the Campagnolo revolution, you no longer have an excuse. The Athena 11-Speed group will be priced around $1400 with the carbon crank upgrade adding another $175 and shaving off 113-grams. The stated weight for Athena 11-Speed is 2352-grams.
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