Originally Posted by
gaucho777
Not sure which version you are looking at. According to velobase.com,
the first Athena (not slant parallelogram) design came out in 1988, followed by a couple slant parallelogram versions in
1992 (link) and
1993 (link). All of these versions seem to be around 250 grams--about 50 grams heavier than the C-record and NR RDs, and 70 grams heavier than the SR RD. A price you pay for smoother shifting and greater cog range, I suppose. The slant parallelogram versions look very similar to the original Chorus RD (though without the B adjuster screw). Not sure how the performance of the Athena compares, but I'm very happy with my Chorus RD.
(Thanks velobase.com!)
It does not seem to match exactly what is posted on Velobase. Not sure when the Athena first came out, but it seems to have a date stamp on the inner surface of the inner parallelogram arm saying "96", so maybe it's the mid or later version? It does have the fully windowed inner and outer jockey pulley cages and the H L adjusting screws at the bottom of the front parallelogram arms. It also has a crudish looking, bent metal top pivot limiting plate, which I thought think was replaced with a pressed steel chromed part in later Athenas. Otherwise the rest of the RD seems to be well made with nicely finished alumunum front, top and bottom pieces with almost no casting seams of flash present.
I do see something on it that might have been done better. the cable stop at the top pivot does not swing to line up with the cable anchor bolt like on most other derailleurs do, so the cable has to bend at the tip of the stop nipple as the lower pivot goes through its full arc while shifitng. It's cable stress/friction that I think should have been avoided.
I'll post a pic of the RD tonight. for you guys to maybe give comments on.
Chombi