Are the silver groupsets all gone?

outfox

Working on a bike restoration project at the moment. I aim to put on modern running gear. A silver groupset would look best. But there don't seem to be any higher end Shimano or Campag groupsets in silver. Dura Ace 9000 has some silver, but is mostly black. Chorus and Record are all black.
Am I missing something? Ideas would be appreciated. I'm looking for 10 or 11 speed mechanical, rim brakes, STI shifters, hidden cables. SRAM is out of the question.

Lumen

What's wrong with silver 11sp Athena?

Pinch Flat

I'm finding a replacement Athena crankset in silver hard to source for my own bike. In saying that, there's good value on entire Athena groupsets at the moment.

OleRodrigo

Am doing the same at the moment and went with Veloce. Its perfectly fine for what wasn't going to be the lightest of builds anyway, but with a decent set of wheels should come in at about 8/ 8.5 kilos ( and not much above 1000 euro )

It also looks really nice in the flesh and cant fault it mechanically.

Aside from that and Athena, am pretty sure Ultegra 6800 is available in silver.

Eamonnator

A couple of years ago, I restored an old Peugeot 653.
I used all new parts, including a carbon fork.
I put a silver 10 speed Campagnolo Veloce group set on it.
I think, that it worked out quite well.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92151264

If I were to do it again, I probably would spend the extra and put an Athena group set on it. However the Veloce stuff works flawlessly.
As Ole Rodrigo says, my bike weighs 8.25 kgs.

outfox

Thanks guys. Athena looks like a good option. But it sits quite low in the Campag line up, so I'm worried it might be a bit heavy. The bike will probably be used on a Pyrenees trip next year, and I'm looking to shave weight where possible. The new Potenza is also available in silver, and seems to be about the same price as Athena.
Would it be a travesty to be put a 11-32 on a vintage bike?

Lumen

outfox wrote: »

Thanks guys. Athena looks like a good option. But it sits quite low in the Campag line up, so I'm worried it might be a bit heavy.

Sure, but the more expensive stuff uses carbon fibre and you don't want that. Shimano are the leaders in forged metal but their stuff is modern looking (dark grey/black) not silver. So until you can persuade Shimano to shiny up Dura Ace you're out of luck.

Maybe use the money saved on lighter wheels.

outfox wrote: »

Would it be a travesty to be put a 11-32 on a vintage bike?

Yes, you must run an 11-23 with 53-42 chainrings or cycle in the dark. :pac:

OleRodrigo

Eamonnator wrote: »

A couple of years ago, I restored an old Peugeot 653.
I used all new parts, including a carbon fork.
I put a silver 10 speed Campagnolo Veloce group set on it.
I think, that it worked out quite well.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92151264

If I were to do it again, I probably would spend the extra and put an Athena group set on it. However the Veloce stuff works flawlessly.
As Ole Rodrigo says, my bike weighs 8.25 kgs.

Looks great Eamonnator, nice job. Incidentally, why would you have gone with Athena in retrospect?

Like Lumen said, I saved money on the groupset to spend on the wheels, but was considering Athena at the time.

outfox

Interesting that Eamonnator and OR managed to get the weight down to 8.25 kg. That's impressive. Did you spend big money on wheels to get it down to that? Any idea what weight your wheelsets are?

halvis

Complete Athena isn't too bad weight wise, lighter than 105 I think.

The skeleton brakes look great!

Athena is still in the 2016 catalogue, but I guess it might be at risk of being replaced by Potenza next year.

I would be surprised though, as you still see Athena as the go to groupset for a traditional steel build.

Eamonnator

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Looks great Eamonnator, nice job. Incidentally, why would you have gone with Athena in retrospect?

Like Lumen said, I saved money on the groupset to spend on the wheels, but was considering Athena at the time.

I would have gone for Athena: 11 speed, lighter and the brake callipers are prettier.

I put Fulcrum Racing 3 wheels on mine . They are reasonably light at 1550 grammes. and I think the stainless steel spokes suit.
My carbon forks save quite a bit of weight and improve comfort and handling. I think they weigh about 400 grammes.
They are Columbus brand.

happytramp

outfox wrote: »

Thanks guys. Athena looks like a good option. But it sits quite low in the Campag line up, so I'm worried it might be a bit heavy. The bike will probably be used on a Pyrenees trip next year, and I'm looking to shave weight where possible. The new Potenza is also available in silver, and seems to be about the same price as Athena.
Would it be a travesty to be put a 11-32 on a vintage bike?

low in the Campagnolo equals middle to high in Shimano's... It's the equivalent of Ultegra in terms of weight and performance. Used to be lighter but I'm not sure anymore. My 10 speed Centaur (lower than Athena) was lighter than Ultegra of the same era (about 2012)

Lumen

These are nice wheels for a modernised classic.

http://ax-lightness.de/en/cycling/bike-components/laufraeder-rennrad-ultra/ultra-28c/

Don't look at the price. :pac:



https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=84541;menu=1000,4,123,30

OleRodrigo

outfox wrote: »

Interesting that Eamonnator and OR managed to get the weight down to 8.25 kg. That's impressive. Did you spend big money on wheels to get it down to that? Any idea what weight your wheelsets are?

Not yet finished but that's roughly what I'd expect. 320 euro on TB 14 rims, sapim race spokes on Novatec A171/F172 hubs, at about 1.7 kilos.

Kept the original steel forks (also a Peugeot late 80s frame from boards !), and fitted a quill stem with thinner bars, so still quite light.

Actually we might be talking 8.7 kilos, but I ain't bovvered

outfox

Lumen wrote: »

These are nice wheels for a modernised classic.

Nice! Might order a few pairs, seeing as they're so cheap at the moment.

At the risk of getting shot by l'eroica enthusiasts, I'm thinking of putting Campag deep rim clinchers on it, maybe 35 mm. For some reason, deep rim wheels look class on steel bikes.

happytramp

How about a picture of the frame?

outfox

I'll dig out a photo. The current colour is wacky to say the least.

Athena in silver seems to be out of stock everywhere. Does anyone know where I might find one?

magicbastarder

Why are most groupsets black anyway? Silver is better looking and doesn't show marks nearly as readily.

Eamonnator

Bike 24 have the Campagnolo Potenza group set in silver

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=176005;menu=1000,4,26

halvis

You could try contacting these guys - http://www.chickencyclekit.co.uk/contact.php

They are one of the main distributors of Campagnolo to the UK and Ireland. They will be able to advise of general availability.

outfox

Eamonnator wrote: »

Bike 24 have the Campagnolo Potenza group set in silver

Looks like Potenza is the only silver option. Pity that crankset is so ugly. There's also the risk that it will start appearing regularly as OEM on new bikes, making it a bit less classy than Athena. I'd be a bit p1ssed riding along in some sportive and seeing a few hundred Giants and Cubes with Potenza...

ford2600

Would you not consider a vgc used record or dura ace 10 speed groupset?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Gruppo-SHIMANO-DURA-ACE-7800-10v-groupset-bike-bici-vintage-/302100057128?hash=item4656910c28:g:rU4AAOSwCGVX-J8y

Exposed gear cables aren't a functional issue unless you use lights and the shifting will probably be better.

7800 & 7900 sold on subforum lately

halvis

This guy used to be able to get NOS group sets as well - http://thecycleclinic.co.uk/

Could be worth a call.

Pinch Flat

Just checked in myself at Evans cycles - they're doing pre-order on campag Athena in silver, expected back in stock end November.

OldBean

outfox wrote: »

Looks like Potenza is the only silver option. Pity that crankset is so ugly. There's also the risk that it will start appearing regularly as OEM on new bikes, making it a bit less classy than Athena. I'd be a bit p1ssed riding along in some sportive and seeing a few hundred Giants and Cubes with Potenza...

Between Velo Orange, Soma Fabrications and the Holdsworth bits on Planet X, there's some nice looking silver parts, especially cranksets about. Worth a browse.

happytramp

Campagnolo really mucked up their chainsets with the new design... I'd definitely look for a third party.

Also the Athena 11sp is far nicer than the new Potenza one. The derailleurs and chainset are more classy looking, and the shifter paddles are silver aluminium too.

halvis

This is nearly all silver, not Record or Chorus standard though - https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/294644/#comment13274319

outfox

@Ford2600
I'm the world's no 1 Shimano fan. Love the stuff. But it's an Italian bike, so I guess it's gotta be Campag.

outfox

Thanks for the various leads. Will follow up.

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Just checked in myself at Evans cycles - they're doing pre-order on campag Athena in silver, expected back in stock end November.

As far as I can see, it's just the chainset that will be available? Did you find a groupset in there somewhere?