Bike brands that used Campy D500 Athena Brake calipers
09-14-24, 11:58 PM
#1
Bike brands that used Campy D500 Athena Brake calipers
Hello Friends, Came across this Lygie road bike (facebook Market place) from research looks maybe circa '88-90 vintage . In any event, other than a couple Suntour components , still retained most of its Campagnolo group set. Sadly I didn't discover this Facebook find soon enough. I love the look of these D500 Athena brake calipers .My first mid range (1300.00) purchased new in '87 Atala was equipped with this same group set. So, I would love finding any brand road bike which used these Campy components. Any one know other brands which may have used the Athena line from the same era? Aren't these beautiful? Any info is seriously appreciated
it still had most of it's Campagnolo group set in tact. Other than the rear suntour derailleur and friction shifter pieces
it still had most of it's Campagnolo group set in tact. Other than the rear suntour derailleur and friction shifter pieces
Last edited by jzr756; 09-15-24 at 12:14 AM.
09-15-24, 12:19 AM
#2
Cannondale had a Athena bike in '90.
What bike are you referring to that is mostly a Campy group except for Suntour derailleurs? The white bike is a mish mash of parts from several eras and Shimano derailleurs.
What bike are you referring to that is mostly a Campy group except for Suntour derailleurs? The white bike is a mish mash of parts from several eras and Shimano derailleurs.
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09-15-24, 01:13 AM
#3
Thanks Kontact! I'll ck out Cannondale! Any others come to mind? Looks to me the crankset is Campy along with the front derailleur and brake calipers that's at least somewhat the bulk of the group set if you will.? Did mention the rear derailleur as Suntour and the friction shifter looks cobbled together with Campy levers Suntour mounting bracket? Not sure about the rims?
Last edited by jzr756; 09-15-24 at 01:19 AM.
09-15-24, 01:45 AM
#5
Senior Member
Campy Record rear derailleurs, while durable, came to be known to be inferior to Suntour's, thanks to the latter's slant-parallelogram design. Hence many riders would replace their Campy rear mechs, as the British say, with Suntour. That's probably what happened with that Lygie.
The presence of the Ritchey lower race confirms that the bike had at least a few components switched out by one or the other of its previous owners.
09-15-24, 03:05 AM
#6
Kontact was pointing out that that bike would very likely not have been supplied from the factory with a mix of Campagnolo and Suntour components. Once Campagnolo had pioneered the all-inclusive component group in the mid-1960's (versus the previous practice of sourcing components from a variety of manufacturers), cheaper brakes were the only components usually substituted (e.g., Weinmann or Universal centerpulls) on an otherwise all-Campy bike.
Campy Record rear derailleurs, while durable, came to be known to be inferior to Suntour's, thanks to the latter's slant-parallelogram design. Hence many riders would replace their Campy rear mechs, as the British say, with Suntour. That's probably what happened with that Lygie.
The presence of the Ritchey lower race confirms that the bike had at least a few components switched out by one or the other of its previous owners.
Campy Record rear derailleurs, while durable, came to be known to be inferior to Suntour's, thanks to the latter's slant-parallelogram design. Hence many riders would replace their Campy rear mechs, as the British say, with Suntour. That's probably what happened with that Lygie.
The presence of the Ritchey lower race confirms that the bike had at least a few components switched out by one or the other of its previous owners.
Last edited by jzr756; 09-15-24 at 03:09 AM.
09-15-24, 04:52 AM
#7
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I have a Guerciotti built up with Athena. I am the original owner from 1988. I am so old! Anyway, Athena groups were mostly used to build up bare frames. One of the most beautiful groups of parts of all time!
09-15-24, 11:06 AM
#9
I don’t think any of those parts are original to the Lygie other than maybe the shifters. I think it’s closer to 1970 than 1990. I have a 1973. The cranks have been modified to triple, there is a drop hanger pivot bolt on both your picture and mine.
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09-15-24, 11:35 AM
#10
Thanks Kontact! I'll ck out Cannondale! Any others come to mind? Looks to me the crankset is Campy along with the front derailleur and brake calipers that's at least somewhat the bulk of the group set if you will.? Did mention the rear derailleur as Suntour and the friction shifter looks cobbled together with Campy levers Suntour mounting bracket? Not sure about the rims?
Campy Athena is from an era when Campy was generally not sold as factory equipment. Most bikes you'll find with it were "build kits" where an imported Italian frame or high end US frame like a Litespeed would be offered with Athena as an optional alternative to Ultegra, Chorus, Superbe, etc. Campy didn't really become common on production bikes until all those Bianchi's with lower cost Veloce groups came out in the mid-90s.
BTW, that Athena brake was one of my favorites. Stiff, great looking. Probably the best brake caliper of the '80s Campy choices, except that it was heavy.
09-15-24, 12:16 PM
#11
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Not to state the obviously, but the brake calipers are one of the 'Mono-planer' (¿sp?) style. Love 'em. 
Not sure every one's thinking but what pops into my head is = I could (should?) build a very nice classic around that (those) components!
Not sure every one's thinking but what pops into my head is = I could (should?) build a very nice classic around that (those) components!
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
09-15-24, 12:30 PM
#12
Those aren't the monoplaners. Monoplaners have the barrel adjuster arm pass through the brake pad arm.
09-15-24, 06:27 PM
#14
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‘89 Bianchi Giro was sold with Athena. They took the same SLX tubed frame, put Chorus on it and called Superleggera, C-Record and called it Mondiale.
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09-15-24, 06:28 PM
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My 1989 Bianchi Giro is an Athena bike.
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09-16-24, 12:33 PM
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that bike has parts from a few different decades on it... it's also very rare now.... it's like the fourth Lygie i've ever seen, including mine, which was stolen from me in 1969.
oops, make that 5.. just spotted Mr.66's brown bike...
i still hope to some day find my blue lygie....it was my first road bike.
Last edited by maddog34; 09-16-24 at 12:51 PM.
09-16-24, 11:25 PM
#18
This came with Athena when I bought it.
Genius tubing, awesome ride but I hate 8 speed Campagnolo, so had to upgrade
Temporarily with carbon fork and ahead set and stem until I ream out the stuck stem in the steel fork.
Genius tubing, awesome ride but I hate 8 speed Campagnolo, so had to upgrade
Temporarily with carbon fork and ahead set and stem until I ream out the stuck stem in the steel fork.
09-16-24, 11:41 PM
#19
Senior Member
OP I'm thinking that bike is probably a 1970's model, not much about the frame says 1989 or 1990 to me, but I'm also not very familiar with the marque.
