Archive for the ‘Recumbent clothing’ Category
VELO VISION reviews REVERSE GEAR
“Does it ride as well as it looks?” Peter Eland asks and answers that question about Reverse Gear in Issue 47 of VELO VISION magazine. Click here to read the full article.
We sent Peter the Ironbark shorts and Phoenix Long-Sleeve jersey that he sports in the photos and writes about.
This is what he had to say about the shorts: “the ‘recumbent-specific’ aspect is that they’re not encumbered with a bulky, awkward pad like most cycle shorts. Instead they just fit snugly around you as shorts should, with a nice quality fabric and feel.”
And he thought the long-sleeve Phoenix jersey was “rather lovely” too, saying that: “The full-length zip makes it easy to get on and off, and it”s made from a very open, lightweight material which feels cool against the skin. Zips are neatly sewn in, the back is completely seam-free where you sit on it.” [Editor’s note: the front is also seam-free where the pockets are attached, so there is no chafing from seams.]
He continues to say: “There are two zip pockets at the front for keys, some cash and a card perhaps, and it wasn’t uncomfortable with the weight of a mobile phone in there too. This is the key recumbent feature: almost any other jersey you buy will have the pockets on the back where you’ll be sitting on the seams uncomfortably.
But the pockets aren’t my favourite thing about this top. That goes to the yellow band across the shoulders and down the sleeves. It’s brilliant for visibility as you indictae a turn.” The photos in the article clearly show this feature.
Peter concluded hs review with: “Overall I was pleasantly impressed with this Reverse Gear outfit. If you’re finding conventional cycle gear just too compromised while riding laid back, give it a try!”
Thanks Peter. We hope this is encouragement for new riders to try - and to get the benefits from - recumbent-specific gear. At Reverse Gear our designs are engineered for the ‘laid back’ experience of recumbents with lower necklines and straight hemlines, in addition to front or side pockets which are zipped to prevent your valuables from falling out.
Custom Designs
Reverse Gear does custom designs in jerseys and shorts. Custom designs are “walking billboards” for manufacturers and retailers. In fact they are a great advertising platform for sponsors too.
People like to identify with their ride - hence the huge succss of Harley-Davidson clothing.
People like to support their local retailers and will generally buy clothing from them - as well as equipment.
People love to bring back memories from trips or special rides.
Custom jerseys and shorts:
- evoke memories of an entire “experience”.
- are more often a favourite jersey than any other ordinary functional clothing item (e.g. people who ride in the MS, Diabetes, Cancer or Ataxia rides).
- are like bringing back lots of photos – they allow us to re-live the “good times” in our mind – long after we settle back to day-to-day living.
These are also some of the reasons why most fundraising rides either provide a jersey as part of the package or sell them to participants before, during or after a ride. They can also produce an income stream from the jerseys.
Some of the groups that can benefit from creating custom design work on a jersey are:
- Cycle Manufacturers – Cyclists are proud of their ride - they will always tell you what they are riding and why.
- Clubs, Associations, Teams and Individuals – Groups can put their logo on existing gear or have a jersey produced that expresses who they are. Organizations, clubs or associations, can make a profit or create an income stream.
- Retail Stores – Riders will promote the store every time they ride.
- Rides, Rallies, Events, and Trade Shows - A jersey can feature sponsors of the event and be either a give-away in the registration package or sold before, during or post- event to raise funds.
- Travel Touring Groups, Tours – Custom apparel is often worn on group rides to identify the participants to the communities through which they travel.
- Adapted Sports, Paralympics Events, and Hand-cycling Events – Reverse Gear has adapted sportswear but styles can be further adapted to suit special needs of specific sports and/or customized for organizations such as Wounded Warriors.
Custom work can range from having a logo printed on existing garments to having a garment fully sublimated (where the design/artwork is printed right into the fabric). It can also include the creation of new patterns and styles to accommodate specific needs. For example, the Chevron line was created because there was a request for large zippered pockets on the side of the jersey.
Shorts can also be customized with either sublimated panels or custom logos printed on standard gear.
There are no limits on the imagination of the creative!!!
Contact REVERSE GEAR for a quote on your custom design.
Contest: What’s in Your Pockets?
Send us your photos and win a REVERSE GEAR Jersey and 24 bars – see details for submitting below…
REVERSE GEAR (RG) is proud of its innovation. We put zippers on both our front and side pockets so that active athletes – especially recumbent and hand cyclists - could securely store and easily reach their food and valuables while continuing down the trails.
We know these zipped pockets are valuable in other sports too. Judi carries three hours worth of food as well as her camera and cell phone when she walks half-marathons.
The zipped pockets are also useful for: walkers, runners, hikers, kayakers, canoeists, cross-country skiers, golfers and wheelchair athletes.
We also know from surveys that more than 60% of recumbent cyclists have lost valuables on the trail. One recent story on Facebook told how a cyclist was going back-and-forth on a muddy trail trying to find lost car keys.
We debated with many people over the past six years of designing about the right size and location of the pockets. So we thought we would share our thinking with you:
- RG pockets are zipped so that valuables can be carried securely. And you don’t have to carry a bag or pannier on your cycle - which you must remember to take with you when you get off your cycle.
- They are low so that if you are carrying a heap of food and/or electronics, they are sitting comfortably below the belt, and not pressing on your solar plexus. Some pockets are in the side panels so they sit further out of the way.
- The pockets, even though they have a zipper sewn-in, are non-chafing because there are no seams on the inside of the jersey to rub or irritate.
- We also designed the pockets to be large so that you can carry a lot of stuff without it falling it out.
We knew they were LARGE - but we wanted you to see just how large they really are! So we thought we would have a photo contest to demonstrate their value to your riding comfort and enjoyment.
Send your photo(s) and/or description(s) of what you carry in your pockets to contests at reversegearinc.com.
We will post them on our Blog or Facebook page. We of course prefer photos of REVERSE GEAR pockets, but we will post others too - for comparison.
Every photo entered will give you a chance in a draw on June 15th for a REVERSE GEAR jersey and a box of 24 energy bars.
24 bars is how many Judi can get in her pockets at one time – along with her cell phone, camera, keys and credit cards of course (you know she won’t need food, but she might need to stop and shop).
Recumbents.com Review
Warren Beauchamp wrote this review some time ago - but everything he said then is still true about our clothing today. In fact, because our clothing is of such high quality, some folks out there are still wearing their original purchases (and we have been around for almost six years now). We have summarized what Warren said about Reverse Gear, but you can go here for the full review on the www.recumbents.com site.
Reverse Gear makes a line of clothing designed for recumbent bicycle (and trike!) riders. It’s high quality clothing …
The jerseys all have zippered front pockets that can be opened and closed with one hand while riding. The shorts have an extra layer in the crotch area. It’s not a pad like tradition bike shorts, but more of a soft layer to prevent chafing. In addition it is excellent for us folks that prefer not to wear anything under our bike shorts.
The Reverse Gear line of clothing is designed for comfort, just like recumbent bicycles… They also are cut different on the bottom. Standard jerseys are longer in the back than the front, Reverse Gear jerseys are the same length all the way around, and are a bit longer than traditional jerseys. The jerseys are made in a wide range of sizes all the way up to 4XL.
The material is wicking and after half a season of riding with various Reverse Gear jerseys I can say that they feel and work fine.
[The] Reverse Gear Men’s Shorts are a bit shorter than average bike shorts and are very comfortable. The extra layer of what looks like a fleece material prevents the shorts from riding up, and the relaxed fit prevents any binding of sensitive anatomy. The fit in the legs seems a bit looser than normal bike shorts, but the elastic is wide and they are tight enough to keep them in place and prevent air from getting in. (For photos and descriptions of liner - see original review.)
I have tested both the short sleeve Boab and the long sleeve Mulga 3 models. Because I have a long torso, I often have issue where the tight fitting waist of traditional roadie jerseys causes them to ride up my stomach. Because these are cut for recumbent bikes and are as long in front as in back, they do not have this issue.
These jerseys have now been washed many times and are not fading or coming apart. They seem to be quite durable.
…See those pockets? They work very well. I can open and close them with one hand and they are very handy for keys, bars, and other items that don’t mind being sweated on.
RG Sponsors Recumbent Cycle-Con
In conjunction with the trade show, the Adaptive Cycling Fair at Recumbent Cycle-Con is an event that supports cycling for everyone regardless of age or ability with trial rides on a variety of adaptive bikes and an introduction to a variety of specialized accessories.
To register for the event, click here.
To follow the event on Facebook, click here.
Free Socks
If you help a friend find Reverse Gear - we will give you a pair of socks
- not just any socks but Holofiber performance-enhancing socks* (see video).
All you have to do is ask your friends to:
1) click here to sign up for the Reverse Gear Newsletter (or go to www.reversegearinc.com and click on NEWSLETTER in left column); and
2) put your email address in the field that says “How I found REVERSE GEAR”.
When they have signed up, we will contact you to get your size.
Then we will send you a FREE pair of Arriva socks to enhance your riding performance.
You can refer as many friends as you want and we will send you socks when they sign-up.
And your friends can get socks too, if their friends sign up for the newsletter.
We thank you for sharing this with your friends.
If you do not hear from us, send us an email with your sock size and the name of the friend that you referred.
Recumbent Cycling Jersey has pockets you can stuff
REVERSE GEAR Jazzed Cycle Jersey Review0001
We love our zipped pockets for safely carrying a variety of items while cycling on a recumbent. And we were excited to see that Brian Zupke did too in this review othe REVERSE GEAR recumbent cycling jerseys that was published in Recumbent & Tandem Rider magazine, Issue #38.
We, like Brian think that pockets are more useful on the front, but if you are a rider who prefers side pockets, we also designed the Chevron. The main difference between ours and other recumbent jerseys is that our pockets are zipped so things don’t fall out while you ride and/or walk.
And in the review, Brian also answers the question about where the pockets on the front feel more comfortable. We designed them low so that the gear you are carrying is not sitting on your solar plexus. I, just like Brian, carry heaps of stuff like cameras, cell phone and food, none of which I want to lose. When we surveyed a group of recumbent riders we found out that 60% had lost something while riding. We believe that’s because the reclined position makes it more likely that stuff will slide out of open, or evne elasticised pockets. They fall out of zipped pockets if you forget to close them too, as Len found out on one ride.
Read the review for yourself to find out why Brian likes the pockets. He also said: “As for the rest of the jersey, I like it.” And his wife said this of the fact that it is in a Unisex styling: “Overall she liked it and said she’ wear it.”
The conclusion of this review is: “Reverse Gear’s Jazzed unisex jersey is a great shirt. It’s well made, comfortable, has nice art and its pockets are truly functional. They’ll keep your gear accessible and more importantly, secure.”
What Brian didn’t know is that necklines on REVERSE GEAR recumbent cycling jerseys have been cut lower to make them more comfortable in the reclined / recumbent position.
Why do you like wearing Reverse Gear jerseys? Comfort? Function?
Recumbent Cycling Shorts - Comfort & Quality
REVERSE GEAR Cycling Shorts Review0001
A few days ago, I received an email from a customer who said to tell you this about our shorts: “Your shorts are twice as expensive as others I’ve used but they’ve
lasted 4 times longer…
I got the current pair of Reverse Gear shorts about 2 years ago at Amlings Cycle in Niles, IL. Since then I’ve gone through at least half a dozen pair of other shorts. So, at this point I’m just wearing the RG shorts til one of us wears out.” - DF,
Why REVERSE GEAR is different…
At our booth at Recumbent Cycle-Con, we had many people ask the questions:
Why do I need to wear recumbent clothing?
What makes your clothing different from other cycle clothing?
My first response is: “We have reengineered our clothing for COMFORT.”
Yes, you can cycle in any clothing. I have seen people wearing business suits and footwear ranging from flip-flops to work boots to high-heels. But how comfortable is that for long rides?
Depending on how long you will be on your cycle and/or the purpose of your trip, there are definite comfort considerations.
If you will be riding for a few hours, you will want clothing made in technical fabrics that wick away the moisture and keep you comfortable, not wet and soggy.
All of our clothing is designed in technical fabrics such as
“Quick-Dry”, “Airlite” and “Lycra“.
If you are on an outing you may also have a need to carry valuables with you such as credit cards, money, cell phones, cameras, etc. If you stop to eat or shop, you will want those to accompany you, rather than stay on your cycle in vulnerable places such as panniers or bicycle-bags.
Travelling long distances, whether touring or training, you may also want sustenance along the route. These should be handy when you need them. At the RCC show, I took on the challenge of seeing how many packages of energy food (bars, gummies, etc.) I could get in a pocket.
We succeeded in getting 13 in each pocket of a ladies small jersey. That should sustain you for a considerable distance. (Let us know how many you carry?)
Pockets are required where they are most comfortable for your body shape or size. Generally in a recumbent position, these pockets should be accessible to you - either on the side or front of your jersey.
Whether food or valuables are being carried, or both, you don’t want to lose them. Cyclists, that we surveyed, told us that 60% had lost something while riding. So all REVERSE GEAR pockets are zipped to ensure that you won’t lose items. Providing you do up the zip of course ;o)
In the reclined position, your jersey will sit differently than in a roll-down cycling or stand-up position. Clothing sits against your body and often rides up as well. Extra length in the back (e.g. the traditional tail of cycling clothing) pulls the clothing further up the throat.
To eliminate that “choking” feeling, REVERSE GEAR has not only eliminated all tails, but has now also cut necklines and collars lower and broadened the shoulders. These adaptations have been made for greater COMFORT in the recumbent experience.
Our shorts have the unique ‘bent-liner TM.
You could ride in shorts without a liner (maybe because you have removed the chamois) but you may find the seams sit in uncomfortable positions or chafe.
Cycling shorts are intentionally created with multiple seams/sections to make them more comfortable and flexible while moving. They are made in high-quality spandex to provide support and warmth to your muscles in action.
The REVERSE GEAR ‘bent-liner TM has been constructed in a very soft, non-bulky absorbent fabric to absorb moisture. The position of the liner in the crotch and down the legs is there to prevent chafing in those areas.
We recommend wearing Lycra shorts for three primary reasons:
for comfort, to provide better support to your muscles, and to prevent insects crawling or flying up your legs. (For those who do not believe it happens, read about the experience of others in our earlier blog entry.)
Our ‘longs’ are also unique because of the weather-resistant panels on the front and the back.
The front panels will keep your legs warmer and drier in the recumbent position, as your legs are exposed to the elements more in the laid-back seat.
The back panels on the other hand will keep you drier and warmer as by resisting the splash and cold from the road, which you are closer to, especially in a trike.
REVERSE GEAR has also designed many other features into its clothing…
Safety - Through the use of highly visible colors and/or contrasts, our clothing is noticed while you are riding.
Convenience - Large zippers on the over-pants make them easy to take on and off over shoes. They also have zipped pockets for carrying keys and/or credit cards.
Easy to get into - REVERSE GEAR has introduced the first full-zip short and long sleeve jersey.
Stylish - REVERSE GEAR also has many styles with the same functionality of its other jerseys that can be worn at the markets, restaurants and other day activities - see the Cafe Ole / Citrus Market or the Hollywood / Jarrah lines for versatility as well as good looks.
Helping when we can
Rev Hans in Howard MI wearing his Reverse Gear jersey
Rev Johannes Myors of the Pedal Prayers Ministry has now stopped cycling until spring. He and his recumbent made it to Savanna IL on November 23rd where he will work for the next six months. This was after travelling 8,559.68 miles (13,695.49 KM) since he started his 2010 journey on March 15th. An impressive accomplishment and some of those miles were done wearing Reverse Gear. We are proud to have been a clothing sponsor for Rev Hans, pictured here on one of his rides.
In February, 2010 just before he started this journey, we received an email requesting us to be a sponsor of his ride. Because “The Cycling Rev” rides a ‘bent, he had seen Reverse Gear in the list of sponsors on Bentrider Online. He had also heard about us from the editor of The Recumbent Blog. This is what he had to say…
Len and Judi,
I am hoping that you might be able to help me…
Since February of 1993, I’ve been cycling around the United States with my ministry called “Pedal Prayers”. Even though I am an ordained minister, I consider myself as a Missionary Servant Evangelist. I am more of a “hands-on evangelist” than a “speaking evangelist”.
I have made 16 coast-to-coast crossings of the United States and have been in every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. I also cycled through three provinces of your country (BC, Ontario, Quebec). As of August 31, 2009, I’ve ridden over 196,000 miles (296,000 KM) in 3,350 days of touring. Along with performing ministry, I have been helping out after natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes) and promoting social action.
I have worked alongside the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Salvation Army giving comfort to those affected and also helping to rebuild people’s lives through Habitat for Humanity, UMCOR, and other religious organizations.
I’m on my seventh bicycle. The last three have been short-wheelbase recumbents.
I am starting out on my next trip, which would be my 20th mission trip since February 1993, some time between March 15th and March 20th. …
… I am hoping that your company might be willing to donate a couple of your products and join me in my journey as I share the LORD’s compassion to who ever I meet along the way.
Thank you very much.
In HIS Draft, Rev Hans, “The Cycling Rev”
We hope the Rev Johannes Myors had a successful year and that he looked “presentable” in his Reverse Gear jerseys when he showed up on his recumbent cycle at some of the churches and ministries that he visisted. We also hope that he was comfortable as he pedaled his 2010 journey.
For more information about the Pedal Prayers Ministry - go to: https://www.pedalprayers.org
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