# Athena Brakes . . .



## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

Thinking of picking up a set for a build. For those who have used these, what are your thoughts? I have heard that they don't brake well. True or not? 

A Delta grouppo is a possibility as well (4th or 5th gen). 

Athena's are neither Record nor Chorus correct? They are Athena alone true? Seems they appeared in 1991 according to the Campy Only site. I posted this in Teh Lounge by mistake; thought it would get more quality views here. 

Thanks.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Those look like the Chorus Monoplanar calipers to me rather than Athena. AFAIK the Athena did not have the adjustable double tension nuts on the front pivot, they have just a single nut. Chorus has the two nuts, the pointy one in front and the flat one right behind it. I have set of Chorus on my Tommasini with the original 1993 brake shoes and they are not stunning but they work fine, just not quite like more modern brake shoes.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

One more thought, I think they are about the most beautiful calipers ever made, IMO even better looking than Delta's.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I think some questions were addressed in the other thread.

In this era Campy produced some beautiful bits, and there's a good example.

I have not used these personally. I have used SR from just before these. My impressions are that you can feel the brake arms flexing as you apply the brakes. So, there is still braking it's not as "firm" as a modern brake, but it's still braking.

The Athena's look to me to be more robust than those old SR's, so I'd think they would fit somewhere in between as far as a "firm" feel goes.

Next, is the issue of brake pads. I'd not be using old pads. They harden over time. In using any old brakes I'd want to fit new pads. Sometimes you can find a pad to fit the old holder, and sometimes it's easier to just substitute a new holder and pad. There was a thread somewhere I read where someone was looking for a pad to fit his Athena holders because he was anal about using them. You might have to find a modern pad of the right width and shorten it to do that.

Lastly, I think some of the knocks against Deltas come from people who have never used the last generations. When properly set up, and with modern pads, they are extremely powerful, perhaps even more so than modern brakes.


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## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

They are not monoplanar brakes; they're just a standard side-pull system. They look nice and polish up well perhaps but they're not much more than speed controllers.
Those levers have a long reach to them so hopefully you don't have small hands.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

BLUE BOY said:


> They are not monoplaner brakes; they're just a standard side-pull system. They look nice and polish up well perhaps but they're not much more than speed controllers.
> Those levers have a long reach to them so hopefully you don't have small hands.


OP didn't say anything about monoplanar.

It would seem as usual with Campy that sometimes bits are hard to identify precisely without some further digging. There were years when Chorus and Athena were pretty similar apparently.


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## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

bikerjulio said:


> OP didn't say anything about monoplanar.


Your right, OP did not; davcruz did.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Well what are Monoplanar then? If you search for Monoplanar calipers, those come up...

Julio, that was me that had the thread on the pads...I guess I am anal.


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## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

davcruz said:


> Well what are Monoplanar then? If you search for Monoplanar calipers, those come up...


On the monoplanar one caliper arm fits through a slot in the other caliper arm.
It's still a single pivot, sidepull operation, and I'm not sure if this arrangement made
for a more powerful brake or not; I'm sure there's probably someone here that can answer that question.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I see it now! Now I have to wait until I am home later in the week to see which version I have! Thanks for the education!


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## Big-foot (Dec 14, 2002)

This is a Chorus brake. Note how one brake arm passes through the other. The OP's are Athena. I have Athenas on my '86 Fuso.


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

BLUE BOY said:


> They are not monoplanar brakes; they're just a standard side-pull system. They look nice and polish up well perhaps but they're not much more than speed controllers.
> Those levers have a long reach to them so hopefully you don't have small hands.


Crap. I DO have small hands. Are all long reach like this??


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

What about these? What "are they?" Looks like Athena. Are these long reach as well? These are on ebay for $600.00! BTW, good banter here! Thanks, I'm learning quite a bit.

Campagnolo C Record Era Athena Brakeset | eBay


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

JetSpeed said:


> What about these? What "are they?" Looks like Athena. Are these long reach as well? These are on ebay for $600.00! BTW, good banter here! Thanks, I'm learning quite a bit.
> 
> Campagnolo C Record Era Athena Brakeset | eBay


No reason to think they are not Athena. Regular reach.

The problem with buying any NOS parts of the C Record era is that they have become quite collectible and increasingly expensive but lose 1/3 of their value or more as soon as you use them. They have become a showcase or investment item.

So, personally, when I was looking for parts for my build, I concentrated on minty used.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

JetSpeed said:


> These are on ebay for $600.00


That seller always has a ridiculous price but takes offers. That's just his selling strategy. His "Buy it Now" prices have no relation to reality.


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

How do I determine which is long or regular reach? Can anyone tell what reach these are for sure form the pics? I can't tell the difference unless it's general knowledge that these types of levers are long reach. 


Campagnolo Record Athena Monoplanar Brakes Levers Set Vintage 90&apos;s Aero VCG | eBay


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

JetSpeed said:


> How do I determine which is long or regular reach? Can anyone tell what reach these are for sure form the pics? I can't tell the difference unless it's general knowledge that these types of levers are long reach.
> 
> 
> Campagnolo Record Athena Monoplanar Brakes Levers Set Vintage 90's Aero VCG | eBay


I thought you were referring to the brakes (which can be "long reach"), not the levers.

I'm looking at catalogs and not seeing an option for the brake levers, and I've never heard of "long reach" levers.


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

BLUEBOY previously posted about the levers having a long reach in this thread. Sounded odd, but that's why I'm reaching-out to the old pros here.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

JetSpeed said:


> BLUEBOY previously posted about the levers having a long reach in this thread. Sounded odd, but that's why I'm reaching-out to the old pros here.


Well Blueboy will have to explain himself.

He wasn't saying there were 2 options, just that he thought these levers were longer reach. Longer than what I don't know. Does not really make a lot of sense since these were extensively used by the cyclists of the day, and I don't believe that average hand size has shrunk in the past 20 years.


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## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

Oh yeah! Thank you for showing the side view of those brake levers. The levers shown should be fine I would think. I have small hands as well and at one time I was using the Campy levers that came with the older C Record groupo and, what was known as, the cobalto brakes. Those levers sat further out from the handlebar and I
could use them, but mainly from the tops of the hoods, not too well from the drops.
These levers you are showing came out after that and are more user friendly for us folks with smaller hands. Good luck with that build JetSpeed and have fun!


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

Ooookkk. We're all clear here then; scary for me for a while though! I think I may make an offer on the group and see where we go from $600.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

JetSpeed said:


> Ooookkk. We're all clear here then; scary for me for a while though! I think I may make an offer on the group and see where we go from $600.


I trust that you are smart enough to have a look at completed listings in eBay first..........................

I'm seeing an NOS set of brakes that sold for $132, another minty for $72. Minty levers at $40


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

Uhh, yea!


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## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

JetSpeed said:


> Ooookkk. We're all clear here then; scary for me for a while though!


Sorry about that; I will admit that I'm not above missing something now and then.
Those levers from the front look alot like the old cobalto levers, but if I would have thought about a bit more I would have realized the time line gap between cobalto levers and the Athena calipers shown is pretty substantial. Anyway, have fun with this build; let us know how it goes.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Big-foot said:


> This is a Chorus brake. Note how one brake arm passes through the other. The OP's are Athena. I have Athenas on my '86 Fuso.


Pics of the Fuso?


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## pro from dover (Jul 5, 2010)

athena 1989 vintage


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## pro from dover (Jul 5, 2010)

another view


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## pro from dover (Jul 5, 2010)

all athena groupo 1989


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## JetSpeed (Nov 18, 2002)

Pretty.


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