Which Groupset?

Ok good to know, I didn't really think it through, but that all makes sense. I will try to perfect my technique.

I will say this about Athena: I used to find gears annoying, but a good groupset like this makes the bike a joy to ride

Its basically a full shifter movement up or down. My SR responds instantly to a front shift. Make it a positive movement, and you'll get a positive response.