The following is a review done in November 2009 in ‘BentRider Online…

Reverse Gear Recumbent Jerseys

by Larry Varney
Co-Editor, ‘BentRider Online

It’s that season when many of us begin to ride less. Let’s face it, it’s getting cold out there! So, do we forget about biking? No, this is when we shift our focus to how to make our riding better next season. We upgrade our bikes and trikes, we consider tours to go on, and we evaluate our wardrobe. New shorts and tights? Yes, put them on the list. Jerseys? Oh, possibly - they don’t wear out as fast as shorts. But we sure could use some that are recumbent-specific, with pockets on the front if possible, and definitely not on the rear. And if they can be steed-specific, all the better. And here we have just the thing, to subtly hint to your relatives, partners, co-workers, etc., for that gift you’ve always wanted: a jersey from Reverse Gear.

If you are like me, you’ve been on enough organized rides that you have more than enough bicycling-related t-shirts. Too many, in fact. I hate getting rid of them, because they remind me of events, of people that I met, of bikes and trikes that I rode. But each year I resolve to stop: no more new bicycling-related t-shirts. But: jerseys are a different matter altogether. For practical reasons, a jersey is in some ways better than a t-shirt. Such as: they wick better, they dry quicker, and they tend to have more pockets than a t-shirt. Usually those pockets are in the “wrong” place for many of us - on recumbents, we feel immediately when something is carried in those pockets on our back.  Move them to the sides or the front - make the jersey recumbent-friendly - and we’ll be happy. And that’s what the folks at Reverse Gear have done.

I have to admit, when I visited their website, I expected to see nothing but jerseys for sale - but they have shorts as well, along with unexpected items such as illuminated reflective strips, as well as socks and shorts.  For those of us lucky enough to be in range of dealers that carry their products, great. Otherwise, a shopper-friendly website is a great find.

And that’s how I felt about the jersey I have been reviewing over the past few weeks.  While I am not one of those who wear replica team jerseys, I do like to occasionally “accessorize” with clothing that let others know what I’m riding. So, when I saw that Reverse Gear had a Greenspeed jersey, I decided I wanted to review it.

I really think that other manufacturers are missing a great chance to make their products more “visible” by having clothing with their logos produced.  I suspect that people who see someone having a good time on a bike or trike will notice the brand-specific clothing the rider is wearing, and that makes it likely they will look more closely at that bike or trike.  I can’t say for sure if this is why Greenspeed opted to have Reverse Gear produce this jersey, but I would not be surprised.

Reviewing clothing is difficult in one respect: what can you say about them? Are they comfortable? Do they fit as you expected? Do the colors face in the wash? How about shrinkage?  I am happy to say that the Reverse Gear jersey has performed well in all these tests.  I had been warned that the sizing is more “fitted” than some (they do have a line that is more “casual”), so for those of us who aren’t quite as tapered as we would like to be, go for a size larger. I did, and this jersey fits great.

I have been wearing the jersey in both warm and chilly conditions, as the only top garment and as a part of a layer, and the wicking as been as I want in a quality jersey. Laundering it (as you would expect of polyester, in cool water, and air dry) has shown it to be color-fast and non-shrinking.  The orange is as bright and the fit is as good as the day I unpacked it.

What more can be said about this jersey? It works, it looks nice, and now you can keep those keys in your pocket without jabbing yourself in the back when you ride.  Visit their website, see if a dealer you visit is on the list (if not, suggest to your LBS that they consider it), and see what this Canadian company has that will make your cycling even better.

Reverse Gear Recumbent Jersey

Pros: Pockets in the front, wicks and dries better than a t-shirt
Cons: More expensive than a t-shirt
Price: $99.95 (other jerseys they carry differ in price)
For More Information: http://www.ReversegearInc.com

PS. About the cap: Men Out Riding On Nice Seats.  I am an honorary member. My wife took one look at it, and said it was redundant.

We plan to feature stories about ‘bents and riders, and tips to make the ‘bent experience better. If you want to share a story or tip with us, send it along to Judi.

Here’s a useful tip for bicycle grease!

To remove grease, from skin or from your clothing, rub in a dab of toothpaste. Rinse immediately to prevent bleaching. Works wonders!

If you get grease on multiple clothes and need a product for the laundry cycle, we can recommend Caeran stain remover. Judi has been using their products on tough stains for three generations now.

C.A.E.R.A.N Caring And Environmentally Responsible And Nurturing is 100% Canadian. To see their full line of products, please visit www.caeran.com Please reference “Consultant ID# 10-0100-1076″ under special instructions at the Check-out.

If you have any questions about the products, or to place an order directly, e-mail Judi’s daughter 

REVERSE Gear^TM has been selling on the web and in recumbent shops since 2008. The market has responded well to our products. We now have satisfied customers on every continent except Antarctica. This is what some of them have to say about REVERSE Gear^TM

• Gotta tell you, [the Baobab jersey] it’s by far the BEST and I do mean BEST jersey that I have ever worn… the pockets in the front are a most wanted addition for us ‘bent riders.
  JW - PA
• The pink top you were wearing at the Bent-up rally was a sure sell on me. I’ve enjoyed the fit and design. I look forward to sport’n my pink and black coordinates when the warm weather rolls around again.
  LZ - CA
• I love the [Baobab] jersey [won at the Michigan HPV rally 2008] - I wore it during my first Ironman Triathlon last summer (Ironman Louisville - during the bike and run). Very handy to have pockets in the front even when not riding a recumbent!
  SF - MI
• … It’s great to do business with folks who make a quality product and care about their customers.
  DN - ID
• Just wanted to tell you how great the Sport-Tec lightweight socks were. 8 days non-stop over 800 km. Feet felt great! Can’t wait to try the rest of your gear.
  RH - ON
• We are all impressed with the quality of the clothes. Thanks for shipping so promptly.
  JS & JMM – Aube, France
• Many thanks for the follow-up. I ordered [the Baobab jersey] after the review / mention on Bentrider online (”the nicest I’ve ever seen”). Plus I’ve been losing stuff from my non-zipped pockets.
  NT – DC
• Thanks for great customer service!
  DC – NY

Tell us what you think of REVERSE Gear^TM recumbent cycle clothing.

Also see the reviews of individual items in the shopping cart… and add your own.

At REVERSE Gear Inc. we began designing specific clothing to improve function, fit and fashion for this unique recumbent-cycling position. We of course are not the only ones who think that cycling gear is better when it has been redesigned and purpose-built for recumbent riders. See below for what others say about recumbent-specific clothing.

Wayne Estes has toured over 6,000 miles on a recumbent bicycle. Wayne describes some of the different needs and benefits of recumbent touring, including this description of clothing requirements…

Clothing considerations when touring on a recumbent bike:

• Padded gloves aren’t needed for comfort, but many recumbent riders wear gloves for crash protection.
• Padded shorts aren’t needed for comfort, but many recumbent riders wear spandex shorts to prevent bees and wasps from flying inside their pants. (RG spandex shorts have the padding replaced with a unique RG liner to absorb sweat and prevent chafing.)
• Rear jersey pockets are useless. Front pockets would be useful, though. (Hmmm - he hasn’t heard about RG yet!)
• A recumbent rider is more likely to want a sun visor due to the “heads up” position.
• Recumbent riders get more sun exposure on the “front side” and less sun exposure on the “back side” (you need to apply sunscreen in different places!)
• Recumbent riders don’t need a cycling-specific jacket with a long tail because they aren’t hunched over forward. (Long tails, when sat on, can actually pull on your neck. Note RG tops don’t have any.)
• Rain capes don’t work well on a recumbent.
• Pedal reflectors are useless on a recumbent because they face down.

Source: www.bicycletouring101.com/BikeUprightVersusRecumbent.htm

We didn’t realize that recumbent riders wear form-fitting spandex for the bees and wasps. We just thought they were more modest in a recumbent position and we knew that Lycra has benefits for keeping muscles warmer and hence more supple while riding. But Bill Cook’s story here confirms the need for cycling shorts (or you could just carry his bee-sting solution – in a handy Reverse Gear front pocket, where you can reach it fast when you need it):

In my pre-Lycra recumbent days, I sustained two different bees-up-the-pant leg episodes, both on long-distance rides. Ever since, I’ve worn tight-fitting shorts.

I was stung both times. The swelling and itch lasted a week or more the first time. Since then, I’ve always carried the universal bee-sting remedy: Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer. Make a paste, put on sting, cover with bandage. You’ll barely feel the sting by next day.

Bill Cook, Barcroft Cycles, Falls Church, VA

Since mid-December we have been cycling and visiting bike shops in Florida. This has been our first real opportunity to share with some of the recumbent community why we developed REVERSE Gear and what we have learned in our firt 1.5 years of manufacturing. So far the feedback has been very postive from retailers and cyclists that we have met.

This has also been our first ever chance to cycle Florida in the winter.  There are some days when we think we picked the wrong winter. Florida has had some of its coldest weather in several decades. In fact it was so cold in mid-January that the water-pipes to the RV froze.  Needless to say it slowed us down.

You kinda wonder why two people who cycled in Canada with goggles and face masks and long underwear would let a little frost on the oranges discourage them. Well it’s probaly psychological more than anything else. It’s difficult to pull out the winter gear to go for a ride when you think you should be in shorts. You think: “Maybe we can just wait until tomorrow and it will get better”. 

When we did finally get the courage to get out there, we were in Mulga and Wilga instead of Banksia or Belah.

When the weather finally turned to Florida-normal, we have had some awesome experiences cycling:

• Delray Beach
• LOST - Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail
• Fort Myers and Sanibel Island
• Longboat Key and Ana Maria Island
• Pinellas Trail.

In the meantime we have settled for walking beaches and a lot of reading.

Six months without cycling is starting to feel like withdrawal from an addiction now. For many good reasons, we have been off the trikes since we returned to Toronto from what turned out to be our half-cross-Canada excursion.

When we seperated from the Blind Guy Biking (BGB) tour we decided to spend a few weeks with Judi’s family in Winnipeg. We helped her dad sell his home and have a long-time-coming garage sale. As a result of the tour, Judi got the travel bug and she decided that we should buy an RV. In fact, she thought that if we bought it in Winnipeg we could use it to get home. We were unsuccessful however in our first bid so we left instead in a Dodge Caravan borrowed from Judi’s sister to get us home. It was a great vehicle for us because the two trikes fit in the back nicely.

Once back in Toronto the gypsy blood did not stop flowing. We continued to look for the perfect RV to suit our needs. The most important one was the ability to carry the two tricycles in the `basement`underneath. At the beginning of August we found a used 38-foot diesel pusher and thus started the next Judi & Len adventure.

We would sell the downtown Toronto condo and take to the road full-time - with the two folding GT3 trikes safely tucked underneath along side the golf clubs and with the Greenspeed tandem trike (GTT) perched on the roof of the  Caravan, which we could now tow behind. The Caravan would also serve as storage for the REVERSE Gear sample inventory which we could take with us to show retailers and cyclists - wherever we ventured.

The first trip took us to Interbike 2009 in Las Vegas in September to promote our new 2010 product line, and meet retailers and recumbent manufacturers. We received an encouraging reception.

During the Vegas trip, we discovered that the RV required a few repairs (covered under warranty). However waiting for the parts to do the repairs delayed our departure from Canada until mid-November.

 It`s now mid-December and we have now arrived in Florida where we have started our tour of the local recumbent retailers - finally!    

Suddenly, the withdrawal symptoms are having their effect. We are both keen to get back on the trikes. And the warmer weather is urging us on. 

We will update the RG blog periodically to share:

• what we learn from this new nomadic lifestyle;
• where we are or have been cycling - just in case we can join you; and
• who we are talking to about REVERSE Gear along the way.

We will occasionally also post to Twitter to tell you where we are or plan to be.

If you have any tips on where we should cycle, please share them with us by email to judi at reversegearinc.com or give us a call at 910-599-3939 (our new USA cell). We hope to see you ‘on the road’.

It’s usually a novel that has a “surprise ending” but sometimes unpredictable events happen in real life too. The REVERSE Gear team is no longer cycling with the Blind Guy Biking Tour.

Day 30 - Monday, July 6, 2009
Len, Aaron and Richard set out on the TCH to reach Portage La Prairie MB on Monday morning. Anna, Don and I drove the trailer on to Winnipeg MB (my home town) where we went to visit my sister and sit by her pool on a beautiful sunny afternoon. The unexpected then happened - a difference of opinion between Richard and Len - one more time. But Len decided it was one time too many, and that his cross-country cycling and recumbent equipment expertise was no longer required by the Blind Guy Biking Tour. Winnipeg is a fortuitous stopping point for us. We are currently planning the return to Toronto and the remainder of our summer, while visiting with my family.

REVERSE Gear wishes the Blind Guy Biking Tour a successful conclusion as the rest of the BGB team moves on to Ontario. We are proud to have sponsored the trip half-way across the country and will continue to follow the tour via Internet at www.blindguybiking.com as they cycle towards St John’s NL.

Day 27 - Friday, July 3, 2009
The boys once again set out to tackle Canada’s TCH near Regina SK. I took advantage of the morning and went to see a Ted Godwin exhibit at the art gallery. So I only did 7 km while they did 69 km. I was on my way back to the hotel for lunch when the skies opened up so I curled up with a book in hotel lobby and waited for their return. Then half of the BGB tour went to visit Aaron’s relatives while the other half set up camp at Grenfell SK and barbecued a tender sirloin steak to go with baked potato and broccoli and enjoy a bottle of red wine called Il Bastardo (Len’s birthday present).

Day 28 - Saturday, July 4, 2009
The TCH beckoned and the boys responded. I decided a quiet ride up Hwy 47 was more in order. After lunch I set out with a target of 30 km each way and promised to be back at 6:30 pm. At approximately 25 km I got a huge surprise.  A road-sign showed a down-hill grade. As my trike went over the horizon, I had a sudden thrilling ride for almost 5 km to the bottom of the spectacular Qu’Appelle Valley. While the trike careened down the highway at 40-52 kph with me barely keeping control because of the wind gusts (ahh - the sign at the top of the hill was accurate), I did not consider what the full implication of the thrills were. Yes - the uphill to go home!!!  An energy bar, half a bottle of water and an hour later, I reached the summit and could see the prairies again. In fact, I swear it was so flat that I could see all the way back to Grenfell - 25 km away.  Doing a steady pace  (as my legs were warmed up by now), I reached the trailer park at 6:15 pm. After a dinner of steak, rice and salad, I convinced Anna and Len to drive there to see how wonderful this little secret valley looked. At dusk, it was almost eerie. It was worth  the effort and the bonus was an awesome prairie sunset.

Day 29 - Sunday, July 5, 2009
The BGB team continued on the TCH covering the distance from the Manitoba border to Brandon MB. When I arrived in Brandon and finished setting up the trailer with Don, I considered riding into town. Unfortunately I let a few rain drops discourage me and then spent the afternoon sending out press releases to Manitoba media instead. We had just finished our great meal of bbq farmer sausages, smashed potatoes, sauerkraut and Greek salad with a little red cask wine, when Paul, a cyclist we met on the road today, arrived at the campsite. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying the first Manitoba summer sunset, and sharing cycling stories.

Day 25 - Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A most interesting Canada Day for us. We drove in morning to just outside Regina Beach and cycled into town with a Special Olympics athlete named Lindsay and her coach Crystal. Once there we participated in the annual parade with the local community. We then drove to Regina SK and met the the Honourable Dr. Gordon L. Barnhard, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, at his annual Canada Day garden party. After that we went to Wascana Park for another Progress Club event called the Plywood Cup. The day ended with a lovely barbecue hosted by Darlene & Glen of the local Progress Club. It was a full day of warm Regina hospitality at its best.

Day 26 - Thursday, July 2, 2009
Richard started the day with a CBC radio interview with Sheila Coles at 6 am while some of the team members continued to sleep. By 8:30 am we were awake and listened to his interview with CKRM host Roger Currie. At 10:30, CTV’s Jason Matity did another interview and a half hour later the Leader Post did a newspaper story. The lunch hour was spent on the Scarth Street mall where Richard and the team spoke to passer-bys and received many generous donations. The most notable donor was Jack Layton who posed for a picture on the trike, complete with helmet, and shared several stories about family members with disabilities. After lunch Richard attend a community Access interview with Janey Davies of Canadian Progress Club. Then the team made its way to Brewsters  for a fundraiser. A Special Olympics athlete and Board Member named Terry made a presentation to Richard and all of the team received “I love Regina” shirts from the Mayor (who apologetically had another engagement). Another fun and busy day for the team has ended with great generosity.

A special thanks to all of the Canadian Progress Club and Special Olympics folks who made these events happen and who provided such a warm welcome to the team. We shall leave saying “I love Regina”!!!

Day 23 - Monday, June 29, 2009
The boys did 181 km and Judi did 0. In the morning we dropped the cracked rim at the Bike Doctor for repair. In the evening, Len and I went to the Saskatoon Jazz Festival to see Brandi Disterheft at the Refinery. She and the entire band were fantastic. I’m so grateful for the chance to see Juno award-winning talent like this as I travel across Canada. No dinner - just sipping wine and soaking in music through our souls.

Day 24 - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 - Another Good Samaritan Day
Boys cycles part of the distance to Regina on TCH. But I took advantage of the chance to cycle the city. I started on a path along the river; stopped at Bessborough to soak in some more jazz while having a snack. Then I crossed the river on Victoria bridge and came to a quick stop with a  punctured tire. A young fellow working for city park (named Brad) went out of his way to find me a piece of rope to drag the trike and also gave me a lift up the hill to near Broadway and 11th. I was so grateful that I had been at Bike Doctor the day before and knew that I could carry/drag the trike the half dozen blocks. Dave was laughing as I hauled it into the store and he had another BGB problem to solve. After a quick tube change I was on my way to find the path along the river again. I was off to Mendel Gallery to see another outstanding Canadian landscape artist - Dorothy Knowles. While there I heard there was going to be a major storm so I rushed off to Ed’s to buy a set of bongos before it hit. I was fortunate I had the rope from my earlier incident so I could tie the bongos to my back rack and pedal for home. Once at the Ramada Hotel, I had to shower and change and look good so I could take Len for a birthday dinner at the Ivy Restaurant. He enjoyed his Jambalaya and I had a local steelhead trout, with a Monkey Bay wine. He shared his favourite dessert (creme brulee) with me over coffee. And we walked home as the storm had come and gone - leaving lightning and hail in its wake.