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NewsJune 4, '04It's a great pleasure to announce that Cadence FC units can now be purchased through WinTech Racing . Visit their website for more information or give them a call at 1 203 530 1331. |
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Cadence, Cadence FC, Cadence PL, and "What's your cadence?" are trademarks of Cadence Rowing Systems.
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Cadence FC Owner's Manual
| Contents |
Introduction. How Cadence FC Works.
The Cadence FC measures cadence (i.e. stroke rating) by detecting the feathering motion of the oar. It uses a mechanical tilt switch to detect when the oar changes from the squared position to the feathered position. The time interval between two consecutive feathers is recorded, and it is used to calculate the cadence. This method of measuring cadence in rowing is patent pending.
Installing Cadence FC onto the oar
The unit should be attached to the oar so that its display is facing
the rower when the oar is feathered and in the "hands away"
position. In other words, the display of the unit should be at a 45
degree angle to the blade of the oar. It should be mounted as close
as possible to the grip of the oar. Please see the figures 1 and 2
for details.
While rowing, it will be easiest to read the cadence when you are in the "hands away" position during recovery. In this position you can simply drop your gaze slightly to your oar to read the display.
The unit goes to sleep after 30 seconds of being idle. It wakes up and displays FC when it detects movements. It's estimated that the batteries can keep the unit running for over a year, so don't be concerned if it stays on while being carried around in your bag or pocket.
The unit has been made resistant to water using a few
o-rings. Opening the unit often might compromise the
quality of the o-rings. Please read the section on
replacing batteries carefully before opening the unit.
Figure 1.
This is a bird's eye view of how the cadence meter should be mounted
to the oar.
Figure 2.
This figure shows the cadence meter mounted to the shaft of the oar,
looking down the shaft of the oar toward the blade.
Equipment compatibility
Cadence FC will fit on any scull with diameter 1.37 to 1.77 inches (3.5cm to 4.5cm). It's been tested on Concept 2 (Dreissigacker), Dreher, and Charles Smith sculls.
As As of August 15, 2002 we are selling a 2 inch extension for the
strap on Cadence FC. Using this extension you will be able to attach
the unit onto a sweep oar as well as a scull.
Changing Batteries
To change the batteries you will need
to open the case using a phillips screwdriver. Be careful not to
loose the o-ring which is wedged between the top and bottom parts of
the enclosure. Each screw also as an o-ring under its head. Make sure
they stay there. Once you have opened the case, gently lift the
electronics from the case. Put the electronics on a steady
surface. The battery should be in plain sight slightly covered by the
LCD panel. Take out the old battery and put in a new one. The unit
uses a CR2032 battery. The button of the battery should be facing down
(away from the LCD). In other words you should see the + side
of the battery when it is its holder. Assemble the unit while paying
attention not to loose the o-rings!
Warranty
The unit is warranted against defects for 90 days
from date of purchase. Within this period, we will repair it without
charge for parts and labor. The warranty does not cover
transportation costs. Nor does it cover a product subjected to misuse
or accidental damage.
Training Suggestions
Dan Boyne's "Essential Sculling" book gives examples of training
schedules for sprint and head racing (pp. 103-105). Here is an
example of one of these workouts from page 103.
3 x 15 minutes 20 on, 10 off for the duration of each piece. This is a pyramid-style workout that can be done either alone or with a small group. The 20 strokes "on" are take at full pressure, to try to push the power and the stroke rating up above race pace (30 spm or better). The 10 of are taken easily, but not sloppily. After each 15-minute piece there is a 5-minute rest.
Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron (FISA) has a year round training schedule which includes cadence targets for each workout. The manual is available on their website, www.fisa.org. Click here to go directly to the FISA Training Manual.
Concept2 has a number of workouts for their ergometers, however they can just as well be done in a scull using the Cadence FC. Their website ( www.concept2.com) also has a suggestion for a workout of the day. Click here to go directly to the workout booklet.