# Athena 11 speed help



## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I was just getting ready to wrap my bars when I noticed my RD cable is frayed. Switching out brake cable is very easy but I can't figure out how to remove/replace the RD cable. does the shifter need to come off the bars? I read something about shifting to the highest or lowest gear but I cannot see the cable end at the shifter no matter what gear it is in.

And - My 25mm tire rubs on the bottom of the athena brake. can the clearance be adjusted? I would not think a 25mm would really be taller than a 23 but I don't see any way around the rub. the bike is a 2012 de Rosa Neo Primato with campy shamal wheels 

thank you!


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

No you do not remove the shifter.

Undo the RD cable, and remove from casing all the way back to the shifter.

Using the thumb button shift to the smallest sprocket.

Looking at the right side of the shifter from below, you will see a slot and right in front of you should be the head of the cable visible. If you push on the cable, it should come out. This is providing a Campy (or compatible) cable was used. If someone used a non-compatible cable you may have a problem. Let's hope not.

In reinstalling a new cable, be careful not to lose the tiny washer that the housing butts up to in the shifter body.

The brake clearance issue is related to the frame. I believe the 2015 brakes were redesigned for a little more clearance.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Regarding brakes... The skeleton brakes change their clearance based on how much you tighten the center adjustment scree on the calipers... For maximum clearance, back the screw out all the way and just use the clamp bolt


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

Donn12 said:


> ...
> And - My 25mm tire rubs on the bottom of the athena brake. can the clearance be adjusted? I would not think a 25mm would really be taller than a 23 but I don't see any way around the rub...


I barely have clearance for a 23mm tire with my front Record 11 caliper. I'll try backing out the centering screw. 

I thought I read that the brakes did not change for 2015. I'll try to check that out.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I got the RD cable - thank you. as far as the brake clearance it looks a little tougher!


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Donn12 said:


> I got the RD cable - thank you. as far as the brake clearance it looks a little tougher!


This thread discusses the changes to the brakes for 2015, with photos. There's a few mm of increased clearance. There is obviously significant difference between frames, location of brake bridge, for instance, and ultimately the frame becomes the limiting factor. Campagnolo mechanical 2015 (Mix & Match) - Weight Weenies

I personally have several bikes running 28 mm, or effectively 28 mm tires, with pre-2015 Campy brakes with no clearance problems.


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks. I believe that only applies to 2015 Chorus brakes. Check page 5 of the technical manual.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

steve530 said:


> Thanks. I believe that only applies to 2015 Chorus brakes. Check page 5 of the technical manual.


I don't see that in the tech manual. According to the thread I posted, P2


> the 2015 Chorus brakes have the same design as the non-series Campagnolo Brakes (Skeleton) which have replaced Athena and Centaur:
> 
> http://www.campagnolo.com/US/en/Compone ... olo_brakes
> 
> There are a few minor differences and mainly in the brake shoe which has orbital adjustment, the "special pad compound" introduced a few years ago and the brake shoe cutouts and clip ("exclusive brake pad coupling/uncoupling system").


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

Right, nothing there says the new Chorus brakes have more clearance. And nothing in the WW thread says the 2015 Record or Super Record calipers are are different from the earlier Record 11 or Super Record 11 calipers. 

There are different instructions for centering the 2015 Chorus and earlier Chorus calipers in the technical manual. My assumption is that the 2015 Chorus calipers are different, but the Record or Super Record are unchanged

BTW, I was thinking about building wheels with wider rims, like HED C2 or PL23, but when I checked the clearance, I realized I probably can't run those rims. So I searched for solutions and found several threads in different forums complaining of lack of clearance. 

It could just be a fork issue. I'll check the clearance with the calipers on another fork.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

steve530 said:


> Right, nothing there says the new Chorus brakes have more clearance. And nothing in the WW thread says the 2015 Record or Super Record calipers are are different from the earlier Record 11 or Super Record 11 calipers.
> 
> There are different instructions for centering the 2015 Chorus and earlier Chorus calipers in the technical manual. My assumption is that the 2015 Chorus calipers are different, but the Record or Super Record are unchanged
> 
> ...


For your choice it depends on your frame. Here's my 2015 non-group skeleton calipers with HED Belgium+ rims and Hutchinson Sectors 28mm tires (IRL measure 32mm)

The two pictures capture the changing brake clearance based on centering adjustment screw position

Screw out:
https://carousel.dropbox.com/photos/cc/HfKfgikVXUkfitQ

Screw most of the way in:
https://carousel.dropbox.com/photos/cc/ROC8hnlyrCkrlju

If I screwed the adjustment all the way in...and de-centered my brake bolt I can actually lock my rear wheel. On my Seven frameset front brake clearance is less of an issue.


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

That is a significant difference. I'll give it a try this evening. IIRC, I have plenty of clearance on the rear caliper, but almost none on the fork. This is on my Lynskey R230.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

steve530 said:


> Right, nothing there says the new Chorus brakes have more clearance. And nothing in the WW thread says the 2015 Record or Super Record calipers are are different from the earlier Record 11 or Super Record 11 calipers.
> 
> There are different instructions for centering the 2015 Chorus and earlier Chorus calipers in the technical manual. My assumption is that the 2015 Chorus calipers are different, but the Record or Super Record are unchanged
> 
> ...


Just as with rear brake bridges, with forks there appear to be no standard dimensions for the location of the brake hole. I seem to have been lucky with my bikes, but I know others have had clearance problems with some forks.

There at least 2 references to increased clearance in that thread from @beatnik who sounds like he knows what he is doing.



> In any case, there is a new 2015 Chorus brake (check the machining on the pivot) and it has more clearance along with the redesigned shoe which makes swapping pads super easy.





> More clearance and more recessed at pivot bolt on 2015


look carefully at the shape of the arm immediately below the center bolt on 2015 vs earlier. Look at how the lower part of the center bolt is obscured in 2015.








pre-2015


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

I agree the Chorus calipers changed for the 2015 models. Have not seen anything that indicates that the Record and Super Record calipers have changed?


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

steve530 said:


> I agree the Chorus calipers changed for the 2015 models. Have not seen anything that indicates that the Record and Super Record calipers have changed?


Agree that Record and SR for 2015 carry the older design. Perhaps Campy have changed their long-standing practice and are now following a trickle-up policy for design changes?


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## steve530 (Mar 31, 2011)

Marc said:


> ...
> The two pictures capture the changing brake clearance based on centering adjustment screw position
> 
> Screw out:
> ...


I finally got a chance to check the tire clearance on my bike with the caliper centering adjustment screw backed out. I can confirm that this gives more than adequate clearance for a GP4000S 25mm tire.


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