Thursday, February 26, 2009

California Climbing Camp 2009 a Huge Success!




Big George







The 2009 California Climbing Camp crushed expectations! Not only was the camp OVERSOLD forcing Cadence to add an additional mechanic and an additional coach, but it OVEREXCEEDED all expectations. European peloton veteran and Liquigas pro Andrea Noe was flown in by Cannondale just for the Cadence event, and all campers were given the opportunity to ride Cannondale's SuperSix. Check out the pictures below, you'll note a few familiar faces!


Bobke and Crew







Liquigas pregame, stage 8






Johann

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Beccah Wassner Reports on First Race of Season & Podium Finish!


The 2009 season got off to a great start: a podium finish at the Desert Duathlon, outside of Scottsdale, Arizona. I finished second in my first official duathlon. I'm not ready to become a duathlete, but a run-bike-run is definitely a good workout. This race is a particularly good workout because it is almost all hills--my kind of race! I'd recommend the Desert Du to anyone training near Arizona. The runs are short and are mostly on desert trails. Twisty, hilly singletrack, one misstep and you're face to face with a cactus (I found that out the hard way). Coming from the east coast, it was hard to believe that so many people were racing and in top shape in February.


I'm not exactly in top shape yet, but it felt good to push myself again after months of not racing. I lost the lead in the second half of the bike, but felt strong the whole way. Kim Loeffler, a long distance triathlete training for next month's Ironman China, won the race. We've been doing some training together over the last few weeks in Tucson.


It's back to hard training now, we're trying to make the most of our last days in the warm sunshine. Today we did a 5k swim, right into an hour run. After a short nap we went up Mt. Lemmon to mile 14. Now we get to relax by the pool!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Pro Triathlete Rebeccah Wassner Spring Training in AZ

Posted by: Rebeccah Wassner, Cadence pro triathlete

As much as we love New York, the cold weather has forced us into some warm weather training. The location is Tucson, Arizona - where lots of pro cyclists and pro triathletes are training for the upcoming season. We're here with 2 other Cadence members for 3 weeks of hard workouts.

We've been starting each day with a 5k swim at an outdoor, heated pool. Today we did 26 x 100, coming in at 1:05 for each 100. That's about 1500 meter race pace for us and the pace we'll need to swim to make the first pack in a World Cup race. After swimming each day, we usually rest for an hour or so and then go out for a bike ride. Today we rode up Mt. Lemmon, the big climb in Tucson that is 26 miles long. We rode to Mile 10, saw the snow on the ground and then turned around. That was 1 hour of straight climbing. Laurel averaged 175 watts and I don't have a power meter, so I don't know my average, but I did manage to hold off a pro cyclist! All of those Cadence computrainer rides must be paying off!

After the run, we headed over to the desert trails for a 40 minute run. It wasn't easy to get the legs going after all that climbing on the bike, but the setting sun and perfect temperatures actually made the run very enjoyable. We've signed up for the Desert Duathlon in Scottsdale this weekend. This is a pre-season race for us, but the pro field should be a good one. Looking forward to getting back out on the race course!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

What brought me to Cadence…

Jack Braconnier
Age:22

What brought me to Cadence…

The first race I ever ran was an all out 100 meter sprint for St. Kevin’s grade school. My prerace activities included tying my shoes as tight as I could. Much has changed since then; I now take 30 minutes setting up my transition area and tread water for 3 minutes waiting for the gun. I am a runner turned triathlete that has been competing in triathlons for 3 years. I ran for Cardinal O’Hara high school competing for the cross county and track team mainly as a middle distance runner. I actually raced mostly as a quarter miler and even a sprinter at times. Never would I have thought that after college I would become an endurance athlete.

As an athlete for O’Hara I earned many honors competing on the track, the greatest being named All-American three times. After graduating from O’Hara I continued my running career as a University of Connecticut Husky competing in the Big East. I enjoyed greater success on the track then I ever had while running for UConn. After one cross country season with the Huskies I was bumped up to the 800m run on the track. My greatest honor while running for UConn was being named All-East in 2005.

During the summer of 2006 I was introduced to my first triathlon at the Jersey shore. I was so pumped to compete but I lacked some of the proper gear and training to actually say I was ready for my first tri. I had no wetsuit and the bike I was using was a road bike my grandfather gave me that was over 20 years old. I finished in 386th place for that first triathlon and absolutely loved it. I realized that in order to be able to compete with the leaders I was going to need to learn how to swim and I was going to need a new bike. I purchased a used tri bike and competed in a second tri a few weeks later having some greater success and taking 2nd place in my age group. After that race I became completely hooked on triathlons. My training completely changed to endurance work. Since that first summer of triathlons I have completed 4 marathons, one being Boston in 2:56 and I have been fortunate enough to go undefeated in my age group during my last tri season.

This is what brings me to Cadence. Since my first few races as a triathlete I noticed many of the top finishers were Cadence athletes, proudly wearing their Cadence gear. I got the opportunity to meet many of Cadence’s top athletes working for Tancredi Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center and all of them spoke so highly of the staff and coaches at Cadence. I felt that to be able to reach the next level in the sport of triathlons Cadence would be the crew that would help get me there. They are clearly the premier triathlon facility in the Philadelphia area. I am so excited to be a part of the Cadence team and to be one of their athletes proudly wearing their gear.

Monday, February 2, 2009

In an Inaugural Year, Cadence Backs Two Winners: Wilier Cento Uno & Cannondale SuperSix

What is the perfect bike? Does it exist? Is the "perfect ride" something like the "perfect bottle of wine," namely, an ephemerally elusive and entirely subjective experience that transcends objective criteria?

Let's dissect this for a moment: for high-performance bikes--like great bottles of wine--we can all agree that there are fundamental objective criteria we look for in determining a better from a lesser ride. For instance, we know that bottom bracket stiffness and power transfer are absolutely critical qualities. In addition to this, head tube stiffness is essential for sure-footed handling. None of us would prefer to ride a bike that is wholly inefficient at transferring power or is unsafe on windy, high-speed descents.

Then there are the admittedly subjective criteria: ride quality and road feel are among them. A bike that feels "smooth and buttery" to one rider may feel "harsh and jarring" to another, and vice versa. Some riders prefer the solid, rugged feel of aluminum, others prefer the soft feel of titanium and steel, and still others like the snappiness and lightweight of carbon frames.

So here's the dilemma: given the hodge-podge of the objective criteria we can all agree upon and the subjective criteria we're likely to disagree upon, how do we all agree that one bike is the perfect bike? Surely this problem isn't as difficult as, say, sorting out whether or not a sub-atomic particle has a determinate state! We're talking bikes, after all!

Here's where we stand. For 2009 two bikes are standouts. In fact, these two bikes may just be the best damn bikes we've ever ridden. From an objective standpoint, both bikes are phenomenally stiff with lightening fast acceleration, and both have massively oversized and stiff head tubes for rock solid, precise, and confidence inspiring handling, sprinting, and cornering. As for subjective criteria, we have consensus on our side: those who have ridden both bikes sing effusive praises for the uncommonly smooth and solid feel of these framesets. So what bikes are we talking about? The 2009 Wilier Cento Uno and the 2009 Cannondale SuperSix.

These bikes are good. Amazingly good. Reports on the Cento Uno range from "as good as a bike gets" to "quite possibly the perfect ride;" ironically, reports on the SuperSix are nearly identical! The remarkable thing about both these bikes is that they are extremely light: the Cento Uno size medium just tips the scales at 1100 grams, but that includes its integrated seat mast which, on other super light frames, would add an additional half-pound of weight! Light as it is--light as both these bikes are--they ride with a weighty, confidence-inspiring assurance that one would only imagine possible on a steel or titanium frameset.

Where do these bikes differ? The Cento has a kind of plushness to its ride that is immediately belied by its uncanny willingness to jump to life as soon as you put power into the pedals. On a steep ascent where you want to accelerate, or just getting going off the start line, the Cento Uno will dumbfound you with its remarkable power transfer. Let off the reigns a bit, though, and the Wilier is as docile and comfortable as your grandfather's Cadillac. The Cento Uno seems a mix of conflicting qualities, but ride one and you're likely to agree. The Cannondale, on the other hand, may lack a bit of the Wilier's road-going finesse, but that's not to say it's any less of a bike. The ride may not float over bumps and macadam like the Wilier, but it eats up the road so fast, so solidly, and so confidently that you'll not want to ride home...ever. The Cannondale leaves no doubt that racing is in its blood, but it does so without the constant reminder in your jaw that you're on a thoroughbred. Like the Wilier, the SuperSix jumps to action at the slightest provocation, but if you think the SuperSix is harsh or rough, think again: it too provides a remarkably compliant, comfortable, and fatigue-staving ride--exactly what the pros on Liquigas need!

At the end of the day, choosing between these two bikes is a really difficult proposition. The Cento Uno provides a sublime ride with oodles of power; the Cannondale provides a race-inspired, solidly compliant ride with oodles of power. In a perfect world you could have both. It's not a perfect world, but at Cadence you have the chance to ride both in our demo program!