Campagnolo Athena 11s FD set up issues.

[Sillyoldman]

Have been running my new Athena for a few hundred miles now and the FD has been a bit tetchy. I have watched many You Tube videos and set it up in accordance with the Campy tech documentation.

Here is the issue.....I have the compact chainrings and changing from 34T to 50T I have set up nicely now. The 3 lever clicks moves the chain smoothly onto the large chainring. However, intermittently (but getting more frequent) when going back from large to small chainring one of two things happens. 1) the FD moves inboard a little but not enough to drop the chain onto the small ring or 2) the FD seems to hang after the small inboard movement and then 5 or more seconds later it moves over and drops the chain down ok.

It seems to happen most when I have been on the large chainring for some time. If I swap to and fro from small to large in a short timeframe it seems to work ok.

I suspected a sticky cable but when I disconnect it and move it by hand it feels fine. The cables and outers are brand new (Campagnolo). I checked the cable guide under the BB shell and cleaned it although it wasn't grimy.

I oiled all the pivot points on the FD mechanism and it feels to move smoothly by hand with no catching anywhere.

I am wondering if I have a sticking shifter button. Is it safe to squirt some GT85 in through the rubber hood slit?

Any other ideas gratefully received. I can take it back to the LBS but really want to try get to the bottom of this myself.

Thanks

 

[accountantpete]

I haven't dealt with post 2008 left hand ergo's but suspect that they use the old ratchet system so that the big lever has 3 clicks within one sweep to go up a ring.

In the old system the thumb shift should then take 3 clicks to go down a ring.

If you are getting the 3 clicks going down then the lever is ok.

The newer models seem to be generally designed to operate under optimal cable conditions and I would look there first.

Have you tried routing the gear cable for the mechs around the headtube?

 

[Sillyoldman]

Thanks, the latest Athena is 3 clicks up but only one down for both front and rear derailleurs. I think from Chorus and up it is three down as well. The cable routing is nice and smooth around the head tube but it does make sense that the cable may be snagging somewhere.

 

[accountantpete]

If there is only one click down then it sounds like the ratchet is on a spring and the thumb shift acts as a release.

In that case it might be an internal issue.

I don't think Campy use internal grease so a squirt of GT85 would not do any harm.

 

[Sillyoldman]

thanks accountantpete. Will have a try with the spray.

 

[Graeme_FK]

Avoid GT 85 or any other oil in the lever - it is not the answer and you may be causng more problems long-term than you fix short term.

If the shifter system is not behaving correctly and the cable system and FD itself have been eliminated, then it is likely a problem in the lever itself. It sounds as if it is still (if you are the 1st owner) under warranty (3 years), so get it back to the supplying retailer and they will initiate the warranty process.

Some oils and greases used long-term can damage the plastics used in the lever and we don't advise their use at all.

If you get stuck with the warranty, contact us directly.

HTH
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd - Campagnolo Main UK SC

 

[Sillyoldman]

Thanks Graeme. Yes I am the first owner and have only just had the Athena installed. Have only done a couple of hundred miles with it.

I have not put any lube into the mechanism of the shifter but I am pretty sure that I have found the cause. The left hand shift lever is fouling on the small rubberised pad on the back of the brake lever. I assume this pad is to prevent rattles. I noticed it by luck and now I can replicate the fault at will. Easing the shift lever over the disc and out to its normal resting point and the FD does what it should. The right hand shifter sits a few mm behind its brake lever and never fouls on the rubber pad. So it looks like the left shifter lever is sitting too far forward by a few mm. I am unsure if there is an adjustment or not and don't want to go any further so it's back to the shop time.

 

[Graeme_FK]

Hi again Sillyoldman ... no, the upshift lever shouldn't touch the back of the brake lever - nor is this an adjustable characteristic, so yep, back to the retailer.
The fix is a new LH lever body complete, EC-AT100, 200 or 300 depending on whether you have the composite, silver alloy or black alloy upshift lever, respectively.

Sorry to hear that you have had this problem - very rare in a new lever - we occasionally see something similar in levers that have been in heavy use for some time.

HTH
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd - Campagnolo Main UK SC

 

[Sillyoldman]

Thanks Graeme.
Will do. These things happen from time to time. It does not affect my impressions of the group set which is so positive. Love it both for its retro looks and performance even with this little hiccup.