Campy Athena 11 question - compared to older Record 8-speed...
 

How is the finish and overall quality of new Athena, compared to 10-year-old Record? I love the aluminum look and finish of my 8-speed Record group, but it's getting old and I've always heard that Campy passes older Record specs along down the line to lower groups. Is the old Record way nicer, or is new Athena just as good, even better/lighter?

I love new drivetrains, but can't stand black carbon (or any black hardware) compared to the classic look of aluminum.

I haven't seen the new Athena in person, but I was perfectly happy with the finish on my alloy Centaur 10sp gear.

The finish of the Athena group is very good, and I think Athena 11 is an excellent group with a classic look...and not too heavy, either. The Record group has always been very nicely finished, but I'd wager that Athena 11 would function way, way better than Record 8.