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(Image credit: Campa)

If SRAM is the performance-value leader and Shimano is what others are measured against, Campagnolo can always be depended on to be the most classy component group on road, no matter the category. It’s newest Athena group, which serves as the entry point to 11-speed, is no exception.

Any Campag-phile will be absolutely tickled with the performance and aesthetic of the new Athena. Whether it’s an update to a vintage bike, picked by the connoisseur on a budget, or for a winter bike as supplement to the new Super Record race package, the rider preferring Campagnolo will not be disappointed. Athena’s performance in the latter case for someone with two bikes and a higher-level 11-speed group is possibly its most impressive feat, as it generally performs as well as any of Campy’s other 11-speed groups.

The following performance statements can blanket all of Campagnolo 11-speed groups and hold true for Athena. The ErgoPower lever shape paired with Campy’s dual compound hood is the most comfortable lever on the market, though some may not prefer the thumb operated cable release lever. Small hands seem to have a particular problem reaching the lever. Campy accomidates extra-large hands through the use of a body shim that increases lever reach by 8-degrees.

What the Campy single-pivot rear brakeset lacks in power, however, it makes up with some of the best modulation on the market. Newer riders will particularly benefit from the single-pivot rear brake’s aversion to locking even under panic stopping. The attributes will definitely also benefit those up through the professional ranks in wet conditions, especially. It should be noted that the latest Ergopower lever design does offer more power to the dual pivot front and single pivot rear calipers, should you be upgrading from the older style lever. Ultimately with a choice of a single- or dual-pivot brake in 2011, riders will have to decide which suits their riding style and conditions best. As an example, we expect the new dual-pivot brakes to be used in the mountainous grand tours, while the single-pivot brakes surely make sense for the slippery cobbled classics.

There’s no getting around the fact that 11-speed is more finicky to precise adjustment than Campy’s previous 10-speed groups and much more testy than Shimano or SRAM’s offerings, with the latter seeming the most robust in our experience. After our experiences on the road — the group requires weekly fine-tuning and attention to stay in top working condition — we cannot recommend 11-speed for cyclo-cross. This is despite the benefits the lever’s shape and function would have off-road. Campy makes the Centaur and Veloce groups with the same lever shape in 10-speed, thus making them prime options for off-road use in the autumn.

We’ve already mentioned the superb ergonomics of Campagnolo’s ErgoPower levers, and the excellent modulation offered by the brakes. The final - big deal - performance attribute worth calling attention to that’s found in the Athena group is Campy’s Ultra-Torque semi-axle crank and bottom bracket design. While the forged aluminium Athena crankarms are noticeably more flexible than most of the carbon, and just about all of the hollow aluminium options on the market, they’re also some of the narrowest - with external BB cups - on the market, as the Q-Factor measures just 145.5mm.

Our test rider weighs 150lbs and can be classified as an all-round rider — neither a wispy climber, nor a ring-bending sprinter — and while the crankarms comparative lack of stiffness was noticeable, it wasn’t a huge negative blemish on the group. Given the option between maximal stiffness and a narrow Q (with adequate stiffness) we’d pick the latter and that seems to be right where Athena falls. The crank’s shifting performance and overall stiffness is aided by the high-quality 3.5mm-thick machined chainrings, though nothing currently on the market can compare to the stiffness of Shimano’s two-piece Dura-Ace and Ultegra large chainrings.

We tested Athena with its optional carbon wrapped levers, which adds around £25 to the all-alloy group price, but without the carbon crank, which saves £150. A full 8-piece alloy group costs in the region of £800 and the carbon group (with carbon wrapped levers and carbon crankset costs £975: both group prices can vary by £50 due to front derailleur, dual- or single-pivot rear brake, bottom bracket size and cassette options.