After leaving Florida at the beginning of March 2010, we headed back to Canada in a rather winding fashion. We researched where the recumbent shops were. Then we planned a route that would allow us to visit as many as possible and if time and weather permitted also cycle some of the cities and trails along the way.
The first of these destinations was New Orleans LA. We understand that you can special order a recumbent from Michael’s Bicycle Shop in the French Quarter. However we didn`t see any recumbents the whole time we were in New Orleans. It`s a shame that they have not yet caught on as New Orleans has a great bike path along the levee which is a safe and easy route to get into the city. We cycled a portion of it in the west of the city.
Our next stop was Jackson MS, home to Ride South, a large recumbent and kayak shop in nearby Brandon. Jim was a great host suggesting an excellent RV park close by, as well as trails to ride along the lake and reservoir. Ride Southcarries a wide range of recumbents including: Greenspeed, Catrike, Hase, Sun, Bacchetta, Cycle Genius, ICE, Lightning, RANS, Terratrike (Whiz Wheels). He now carries REVERSE Gear recumbent clothing also. On Saturday morning, he invited us to ride with the locals on their weekly Rise and Shine ride. We returned to the shop for Jim`s freshly baked bread, fig preserves and coffee. How much better can you start a weekend?
Jim can be reached at: Ride South Recumbents    105 Avalon Ct    Brandon, MS  39047   P: 1-888-822-3647 or by email at info @ ridesouth.com
In Burlington AL we visited Tandems Ltd but did not do any cycling as it was raining while we were there. Jack and Susan sell from their home location and have a very impressive knowledge and range of recumbent and tandem cycles. 
When we arrived in Atlanta GA we had intended to ride the Silver Comet trail located right next to the Silver Comet Depot which we visited. After discussing tricycles and the benefits of riding in REVERSE Gearrecumbent clothing with owner Arno, we abandoned the idea of riding because of the thunderstorm that had moved in, while we were chatting.
We found only one recumbent shop in TN called Easy Chair Recumbents in Signal Mountain. We did not stop however and drove to Nashville TN where we did cycle around Opryland and Opry Mills and also from two Rivers Park to downtown, for a total distance of 58 km.
We moved on to Kentucky, where we visited two locations of Scheller’s Fitness and Cycling (Middletown KY and Clarkesville IN) with a ride in the city in between. We rode through downtown and the museum district before going along the Ohio River from Riverside Park to Portland Wharf and return.

While visiting Florida we visited as many shops that sell recumbents as possible. We were impressed by the large number of shops and the variety of recumbent products they sold. We were also pleasantly surprised at the number of recumbent riders on the many trails we visited – many of them snowbirds  trying to find the magic answer to riding all year round. 

Shops we visited (in alphabetical order): 

Bicycle Outfitters – now carries REVERSE Gear
11198 70th Avenue N     Seminole, FL  33772    P: 727-319-2453

Hamptons Edge Trailside Bikes – now carries REVERSE Gear and KangaTek
8294 E. Orange Ave    Floral City, FL   34436     P: 352-419-4809

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A J Barnes Bicycle Emporium - Fort Myers, FL

Atlantic Bicycle - Margate, FL

Billy’s Bike Shop - Sanibel Island, FL

Bob’s Beach Bicycles - Indialantic, FL

Champion Cycle - Jacksonville Beach, FL

LakeShore Bicycle & Fitness -  Jacksonville, FL

Paradise Bicycles -  Fort Myers, FL

Power-On Cycling - Riverview, FL

Riverside Recumbents - Cocoa, FL

Ryder Bikes - Bradenton, FL

Trike Shoppe - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Village Cycles - The Villages (Lady Lake), FL

Winter Garden Wheel Works - Winter Garden, FL

We wrote about our first experience cycling in Florida on February 1st. By then we were in the Tampa Bay area and planning to do the Pinellas Trail. Weather and flat tires conspired against us – so we only caught glimpses of that trail as we drove by sections close to the highways or bike shops in the area. Then we moved on and stayed near the  Withlacoochee State Park, at the recommendation of Pete whom we met through one of the Florida recumbent forums. We liked the area so much that we stayed a month to ride the Withlacoochee Trail and attend the Catrike Rally on March 6 and 7.  The weather remained cool with most mornings just above freezing. But we had finally decided that we would not allow weather to keep us cabin-bound, that is hibernating in the RV.
We rode the section of the Withlacoochee Trail from the Sandy Oaks RV Resort  in Beverly Hills to the town of Istachatta. We did several variations of this trip or sections of it. We rode it:  with Pete as a guide, by ourselves, with fellow RVers from Sandy Oaks and also with the Catrike Rally ride sponsored by Regis and Cindy of Hampton’s Edge. The ride we most looked forward to was the Moonlight Ride organized by Hampton’s Edge on the Saturday closest to the full moon each month. Since the trail is normally closed after dark, this was going to be unique. So we donned our thermal long-johns, our Moonah and  Woolybutt bottoms and lots of layers, including down vests on top. We found our ski gloves and winter toques. And off we went to the shop at 6:30 pm. But alas no-one else showed. So instead, we joined Regis and Cindy and some locals at the pizza restaurant that would have been the destination for the ride.  We left before their next Moonlight Ride but we hope the weather improved for them. If planning to be in the area, check out Hampton’s Edge Trailside Bicycles for information on rides and trails or drop by their trailside location and  say hello. They now carry REVERSE Gear and KangaTek bags too.
Another trail we rode with the RVers from Sandy Oaks was the canal ride near Crystal River to Gulf of Mexico. It was a short flat ride that was perfect for the cool and windy day we had.
On the weekend of March 6 and 7, we attended the Catrike Rally. On Saturday morning about a hundred Catrikes, and a few hanger-ons like us, gathered at the park on Lake Apopka in Winter Garden. The group self-divided into 3 sub-groups to cover varying distances of the West Orange Trail. Then we all returned to Winter Garden for a bite to eat before descending on the Catrike factory for a tour. Before the tour started everyone enjoyed sunshine, refreshments and exhibits in the parking lot and Paulo Camasmie explained the technology, research and testing behind Musashi, the new Catbike. The next day, Hampton’s Edge organized a ride of the Withlacoochee Trail for any riders staying in the area. About sixty people attended and went for lunch at Frankie’s Grill where REVERSE Gear had a draw for a free jersey. It was an impressive sight on both days to see dozens of trikes wending their way down the trails. We would like to thank Regis and Cindy for their hospitality and for dinner where we met Larry Varney from Bentrider Online (see Larry`s review of the Greenspeed jersey). This ride concluded our stay and our cycling in Florida – for this year.
We had so much fun and we look forward to visiting this area again.

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.

REVERSE Gear^TM has been selling on the web and in recumbent shops since 2008. 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
• First thing…They are probably the most comfortable bike clothes…bar none!  The shorts remind me of the early wool shorts I wore way back in the early 70′s.  I love the way both pieces have been sewn…flat seams…no abrasions.  And the way the shorts are cut and sewn make me very happy. I’m no seamstress but they are great!  JA – OR 
• 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 whywe developed REVERSE Gear and what we have learned in our first 1.5 years of manufacturing. So far the feedback has been very positive 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 froston the oranges discourage them. Well it’s probably 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’.

Lucinda tested REVERSE Gear in both Costa Rica and Martha’s Vineyard and has given it a “thumbs up” for cycling, kayaking and general sports. To see what she says about us,  go to:  http://www.guidedcycling.com/ and click on LINKS in the menu or read what she has to say here…

ReverseGear: Moisture wicking apparel that works with you, even in the jungles of Costa Rica! (Click this link for their website)
Designed as specialized cycling clothing for recumbent cyclists but also perfect for running and any other activities causing you to perspire such as running, kayaking, etc… Our company owner, Lucinda, personally tested a deep blush/black colored shorts [Corkwood] & top set [Sassafras Sleeveless]…not only on the Atlantic Ocean Island of Martha’s Vineyard but in the intense heat and rugged jungles of Costa Rica for several weeks.

Her comments about Reverse Gear products are as follows: For those that care about how they look (no matter how well the garment works) Reverse Gear has done a great job! I received so many compliments on my sports outfit (I wore while cycling, kayaking and even hiking in extreme heat) that I had been giving a test try (with a very open mind…as I own many brands of sports wear). And, it’s not just an attractive package with no substance! The quick drying material is very soft, comfortable and is geared toward keeping sweat from ruining your day. It keeps you dry, the material does not cause any irritation to my skin and does not seem to produce an odor while doing so as some other materials in sports wear do. With the top…I especially like the mesh-like panels that run down the sides which definitely helps to keep perspiration and excess build up of heat in the arm-pit area to a minimum. The placement of the zipper in the front is nice and flat and none of the seams cause any discomfort. Of course, the highlighted feature of the top for cyclists are the zippered pockets – so no more losing anything out of your pockets. The only thing that I would change would be the elastic at the bottom, which was not much of a bother but more my personal preference….and from what I understand they are redesigning without the elastic within the next year. As for the bottoms…it is a joy to find bottoms without the often added padding! They are also designed to make your rear end look as good as the material feels next to your skin! Many kudos to the folks at Reverse Gear for doing such a fantastic job with all the attention and design features they put into their apparel! I recommend you contact them today and place an order! Check out their website at: www.reversegearclothing.com

I know that we are about to ride more than 8500 km and that I should be training to get my mind and body ready for the Blind Guy Biking.  But since I am not athletically-inclined, I can find a zillion reasons for not doing it – “it” being the dreaded “training” word. And here are some recent ones:

1. On Thursday, we were putting new bookcases in the office so I convinced myself that all of the heavy-lifting of boxes of files would qualify as weight training that day. (It does – right?)
2. On Friday, I took my trike in for a tune-up. Doing a long training ride right after to make sure it was well-tuned would have been a good idea. But I thought it was a better idea to go shopping for some new fuchsia gloves and socks to match my fuchsia and black REVERSE Gear warm weather outfit (jersey, camisole and shorts) and red gloves and socks to go with my new RG jersey. And so I convinced myself that the short, fast ride from Urbane Cycle to MEC was “sprint training”.
3. On Saturday, it was raining.  Len said that I will need to ride even if it is raining on the trip, so it is good for me to ”train” in the rain.  My response: “Exactly – so why would I subject myself to it now when I don’t have to”.  So I stayed inside and worked on the route and maps instead.
4. On Sunday, it was cold. Since I have previously been in the Rockies in early June and know it can snow there at that time of year, I felt that I should prepare myself for it, but…  then again maybe it won’t snow this year so I won’t need to train for “cold weather”.  Besides, I rode to the St. Lawrence Market all winter so I already know I can do “cold”!!!
5. On Monday, I had two excuses – my grand-daughter and my music.  I think taking my grand-daughter to the swimming pool is a good substitute for cycling.   I was using my legs as I flutter-boarded across the pool.  Tomorrow when I get around to really “training” those leg muscles, they should be nice and supple (I hope). 
6. This afternoon, I am loading my new iPod.  While it may not be training, it is an essential part of the preparationfor the trip.  I cannot imagine being out there for 3 months without all of my jazz and country favourites.  Not to mention my classical music to go to sleep to.   Hmm, maybe after pedaling for 5-7 hours a day I may not have much trouble falling asleep – just maybe?

Well stay posted to hear more about our “training”, I do intend to start sometime before we leave next week…