Reverse Gear Citrus Market jersey review

Two years ago, recumbent clothier Reverse Gear debuted their product line at the RBR Rally in central Pennsylvania. What was special about Reverse Gear was that all of their products were intended for recumbent cyclists, meaning that all the pockets were on the front and there were no pads in the pants.

Since that launch, there have been two factors that have kept me from buying Reverse Gear clothing: color and price.

The color selection was straight out of a bag of Skittles. One could practically taste the rainbow (and I can practically hear the trademark lawyers as I write this). This in itself was not a bad design decision as women, who might favor brighter colors, face far fewer cycling fashion choices than do men. For me, personally, they were too bright, too colorful. This is due in no small part to my predilection for dark, slimming colors. I am what one might call a fatty and try to de-emphasize my shapely figure through shadows. Not easy to do in a form fitting jersey, even harder if that jersey is bright.

Price was the other sticking point, and when you discuss price with Reverse Gear owners Judi Bachmann and Len Ashby, you can instantly see the look that says, “Here we go again.” Both Judi and Len are quick to discuss the small size of the niche market and the high quality of their goods, arguments that resonate with us as recumbent riders since we hear the same reasons behind the, on average, higher costs of our bikes and trikes. But the fact remained that many of their jerseys were in the $80 to $90 range and, for casual riders like myself, that’s a lot of money to put into a commodity item that can be had for $20 to $40 dollars.

Some Enchanted Evening

Fast forward to, coincidentally, the 2010 RBR Rally with Reverse Gear once again in attendance. This time, they got me, and they did it in a really sneaky way.

The Friday night before the rally serves as a get together to socialize and distribute ride info. In walked Len wearing a tan polo shirt. Nothing out of the ordinary. There were pockets on the front, but at first, I thought little of it. It wasn’t until I got closer that I saw the wicking fabric and noticed the Reverse Gear logo. They now had a product I actively desired: a jersey that didn’t instantly draw attention once you got off the bike.

This new jersey also addressed my color aversion. The Cafe Ole (not to be confused with au lait?) line of polo jerseys comes in shades of brown, or, in keeping with the mixed theme, in Cafe Latte and Espresso.

That was it. I had to have it. I asked Judi at the end of the evening if they’d be selling their polo jerseys the next morning. She said yes, told me for how much, and I secured some cash on the way home that night.

The next morning, the unexpected happened.

I went to buy myself a new, brown, nothing-to-see-here-folks jersey that would help me blend in with the crowd. I gave my size (XL in a club cut) and watched with shock as Judi pulled out a polo jersey from their Citrus Market line. The color: Tangerine. It was to be my jersey for this review. As it was being offered gratis, I didn’t feel like being a schmuck and asking to please have a nice brown one.

No, instead, I was to spend the day dressed as a traffic cone.

Just Wear It

So how does one test a jersey? It seemed the only way was simply to wear it. A lot. Let’s say for twelve hours in one day. I instantly put on the jersey and noted the time. I would not be removing the jersey until 9PM.

Initial impressions of the jersey were fantastic. It was light, airy, and felt natural. A typical jersey on me is very form fitting (unfortunately) and the necks are often too tight or get too much up into my beard, leading me to keep the front zipper pulled down an inch or two from the top of the collar. No such issue with the buttoned collar of the Citrus Market jersey. I was initially afraid that an XL would be too tight, but I found it to be roomier than even most club cut XL jerseys.

There’s a price to be paid with all that room, though. While I feel the openness worked to keep air flowing inside the jersey, it did reduce the efficiency of the wicking. Any areas where skin was directly in contact with the jersey wicked without issue, but areas that weren’t in contact left sweat sticking to me. This is the trade-off of the polo style jersey. It looks like a polo shirt, but it also acts like a polo shirt when it comes to pulling moisture off the body. Any part that isn’t in contact won’t wick. Having said that, those portions of the jersey that do connect work as well as expected. Moisture is wicked through to the surface of the jersey and evaporated away.

On the day of my test, the temperatures were in the 90s and muggy. Weather reports had forecast thunderstorms in the area, so humidity was high. It would be a severe understatement to say that I had plenty of opportunity to sweat in the Reverse Gear jersey. It performed admirably throughout the day, never leaving me feeling swamped for too long. It also did a decent job of odor control until late in the day. It wasn’t until hour eight that I noticed the faintest hint of that not so fresh smell. By hour twelve, I knew better than to stand too close to others.

Observations

During that twelve hours, I took note of a few design elements of the Citrus Market aside from its collar.

First are the front pockets. They have some subtle elements that are really smart. Key among those are the top edge zippers. Judi stressed to me that the zippers must be closed if anything is kept in the pockets because the recumbent position can still result in items being pushed out the top, but my experience is that it depends on how loaded the pockets are. With a single item in each pocket, the loads slide to the far side of each pocket once you lie back into a recumbent seat, and the zippers do not open the full width of each pocket. That means that a portion (nearly 30%) of the pocket has an inherent “top” to them by nature of not being fully zippered. If laid back all the way, items slip into that 30% on the outside edges and stay there.

Second is the stitching on the inside of the jersey. There were no points within that caused any rubbing during my rides. Even the zippers are designed in a way to keep them from irritating you while cycling. The zippers are on their own front layer of fabric, attached then to the lower torso of the jersey.

Third, and this is true of all Reverse Gear jerseys, there was no jersey tail to manage during rides. I didn’t need to tug the back of the jersey down when I sat up. In fact, I didn’t need to tug the front of the jersey down while I was riding, either. I tend to suffer jersey creep on recumbent rides in which the fabric starts slowly inching up my fat rolls. Not so with the polo jersey.

Following the morning ride, I continued wearing the polo jersey during a podcast recording, through dinner, and on into dusk. Throughout those common uses, it never felt uncomfortable or too tight. That’s just what I wanted: a jersey I could wear without feeling like I was wearing a jersey.

At the end of my 12 hours, I pulled it off and, well, put on a real polo shirt. I’m daring like that. I like to mix it up.

One Last Test

Feeling as though I didn’t get enough sweat on the jersey, I washed my Reverse Gear Citrus Market Tangerine polo jersey, let it line dry, and then took it to the gym for one of my workouts. Hey, fatties can work out too. My trainer, used to my dark wardrobe selection, was a little surprised by my sudden splash of color, but we got past that quickly and into perspiring for the sake of knowledge.

Thirty minutes later, we finished the session, I left the building, and walked into a nearby store still wearing the jersey. I would have never tried this with my “Empire Strikes Back” jersey. It also helped that I felt drier than usual after my workout, providing me with enough confidence to immediately seek a consumer haven when I wouldn’t normally desire to do so while attired in swamped cotton.

Conclusion

Such is the beauty of the Citrus Market and Cafe Ole polo jerseys. They are a great combination of comfort, ventilation, and usability. They are also a unique item. There are other polo cycling jerseys out there, but none that provide recumbent friendly front pockets along with a cut and styling that blend so naturally in mixed company.

Regardless of the color, I do love this jersey. For a weekend rider such as myself, the versatility is top notch. Chances are good that I’m going to add a nice brown one to my wardrobe and save the Tangerine for times when I’m triking at beach resorts. No, that’s not often.

Additional Info

Specs:

• Polo collar
• Buttoned neck
• Two pockets
• It’s a shirtPros:

Pros:  

• Wearable wherever
• Loose fit encourages air circulation
• Comfortable for a range of activities

Cons: 

• Price - it’s a good value, but it’s hard to get over that hurdle

MSRP: $89.95
Link: Reverse Gear Inc
Disclosure: Reverse Gear provided Recumbent Journal a jersey for the purpose of this review

Reverse Gear Comments:

Travis, thanks for reviewing our newest jersey - even though it wasn’t your preferred color.
Actually the idea for Cafe Ole came from the fact that many people told us they didn’t ride in cycle jerseys - but we still wanted them to have the same functionality of handy pockets on the front and the same great wicking capabilities of the Quick-Dry fabric that are in our other RG jerseys. And you described the benefits of both very well.

The idea for Citrus market then came from our “commitmment to visibility” - hence the bright citrus colors: tangerine, lemon, pink grapefruit and lime. So yes unfortunately the intention is that “they will see you coming for miles”. You got it - we wanted them to see that you were wearing an RG jersey - even if you think you looked like a traffic cone ;0)

As for your comment that the fit was looser and therefore not always as efficient at wicking - right again. If you want the full wicking capability, you will find the RG Boab club-cut jersey more effective. But again, many people told us the standard slim-fit was too figure-revealing - so the Cafe Ole / Citrus Market styles were designed to be straighter and looser and more casual looking.

As a recumbent-specific cycle clothing manufacturer, we are trying to satisfy MANY different preferences, but all with the unique zippered pockets placed where recumbent cyclists will find them both comfortable and very practical. And as you mentioned, the costs are on the high end of sports clothing because we are producing small quantities of a high quality North American - made jersey with unique featues for a niche market. Every zipper sewn-in costs $5.

Thanx again for testing the RG jersey and we do think you look good in “tangerine” ;o)

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.

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