Archive for August, 2010
Citrus Market review
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)
Observations of cyclists in London
Judi just returned from 3 weeks in London, UK visiting her son. She didn’t have the chance to cycle there but her son does about 1-2 times a week. She was surprised to see so many commuters take to the road in such a busy city. They do have the advantage of being able to use the bus lanes which are prohibited to cars. However the number of buses means there is regular traffic behind or in front of every group of cyclists in the mornings and evenings. And some roads don’t have the specially marked bus lanes.
Everywhere she went there was evidence of cycling: on the roads in the city; along the canals on designated shared paths (walking and cycling); on some of the highways; and on cycle paths directly alongside many of the highways. Throughout London there was also plenty of evidence that it was a bike-friendly city by the number of bicycle racks everywhere, especially at major sites. Rumor has it that the new Mayor cycles - so there may be even more improvements in the cycling infrastructure.
She saw lots of people with folding bikes for convenience, but she did not see even one recumbent in the 19 days that she travelled.
If you are planning to travel in London, you may want to check out the new cycle-hire system which was just being installed. It’s a great way to see the city and is intended for short trips between subway stations. While it has been designed for locals, it can also be used by tourists. And it’s easy to use with a credit card. This site gives you information about cyling in London, including the new bike hire system.
If planning a trip to UK and you do take your bike over and/or have access to a cycle while there, you should pick up a copy of the book: Britain’s Favourite Pub Walks and Cycle Rides.
Judi bought it for her son because it had the word “pubs” in the title. It was very informative with a four-page description of each route and pub including photos and maps, of which there were sixty in total. It provided start and end points, routes, minimum time to do it, length, level of difficulty or danger, why you would want to do it. About the pub they told you directions, parking facilities, food, and they even told if it was a free-house and what kind of beer was sold. Each town / pub had a charming historical story as well.
If you go, let us know if you see any recumbents while you are there…
A role model on a pink trike
I was impressed and motivated by Lucinda Chandler even though I only met her once - briefly at the Midwest Recumbent Rally in 2008 when we launched Reverse Gear. I found her to be enthusiastic and informative about recumbent touring. She offered to give our recumbent clothing a try and I said I would be in touch.
In February 2009, we arranged for her to test some of our gear on a trip she was taking to Costa Rica. When she returned, she said that she “was very happy with the fit, feel and look of the garments”. Even though she was suffering from Dengue Fever from the trip, she took the time to write a full review of the jersey and shorts for us and posted it on her Pink Trike Adventures site also.
When I had first met Lucinda, I also found the fact that she rode a trike across the USA to be very motivating personally. I thought of her accomplishment many times when I was planning to cycle solo across Canada during our sponsorship of the Blind Guy Biking Tour, in which Len was riding as co-captain on the tandem. When I had told her of my plans by email, I received this response:
Have you started your cycling Canada trip? Good wishes to you both. Just hang in there when the times get tough (they will pass) and you will get through it! Just remember that any difficulties, life stuff that comes up, etc… are all part of the adventure! And, really embrace the feeling of accomplishment from what you have done at the end of each day! On your “break days” try to get something in from your “normal, every day life” that makes you feel good….for me it was visits to the spa/salon and going to see movies…
Miles of smiles,
Lucinda
So it was a bit of a shock to see the news on the recumbent blogs and forums this past week that she had passed away.
It was even more of a shock for me when I read this article entitled Lucinda Chandler Finds Her Legs, written only two months ago that tells us all of the personal challenges that she had overcome in her 43 years.
I cannot imagine how her family and friends feel to have lost such an incredible role model at such a young age. How could one woman have done so much? I hope that her spirit continues to inspire many.
I know when I get on my trike and I am out riding solo again in some part of the countryside, I will think of the lady with spunk on the pink trike and be motivated to continue the “adventure” as she had advised in her last email to me…
You are currently browsing the Reverse Gear blog archives for August, 2010.