- What does "RIDE BACKWARDS" mean?
- Do I have to row or be a rower to buy RB products?
- Can I use your artwork?
- How do I figure out my t-shirt size?
- Is this site secure?
- What is your privacy policy?
- Do I have to pay sales tax?
- How much do you charge for shipping?
- How will you ship my order?
- Do you ship to APO/FPO military addresses?
- What is your return policy?
- Is there a phone number I can call for assistance?
GENERAL
What does "RIDE BACKWARDS" mean?
There's often more to a name than meets the eye. In our case, that is certainly true. I began this design journey back when I was a firefighter for the City of Madison, WI. My Lieutenant would turn around from his front seat in Engine 8 and jokingly say,
"Don't get me in trouble or I'll get demoted and have to ride backwards with you guys."
Riding backwards is a term that firefighters use on the job to refer to their position on the crew. To say you ride backwards or are riding backwards means that you are functioning as a firefighter on the crew that shift.
Next time you see a fire truck go by, take a look in the back windows of the rig and you will see that the firefighters are seated facing backwards in the jump seats. The driver/chauffer obviously faces forward as does the Lt. or Captain, whoever is seated next to them in front.
When I started doing apparel design it was focused on gear for my crew at Station 8. A number of us were competing in stair climbs, played hockey, and competed in other sports. We needed gear that that was good for working out, super durable, and repped the job we loved with a cool athletic graphic. Lightweight, Dri-Fit "Truck Shorts" were one of the first pieces I did for my crew with an athletically styled axe graphic on the leg.
What do firefighters know and can easily spell? A crazy complex website name is not a good choice if you want people to find you. Then it came to me, Ride Backwards. Easy done. Every firefighter knew what it meant. It was insider lingo that referred to the job, and most of us could spell it. And that is how Ride Backwards – Quality Firefighter Athletic Wear was born back in 2007.
Fast forward ten years and I am no longer working as a firefighter but am now doing full-time design work and am seated in a racing shell on the Chicago River. The crew in an eight or any rowing shell also rides backward. By this time I had done more than a few apparel designs for our rowing club, and I realized that once again I was riding backwards. It seemed to be my destiny. So I shifted my focus onto the rowing world, and here we are today. Still designing, still riding backwards, but now in boats.
Not all of RB gear is rowing themed, just like it wasn't all fire themed. I can say that all of it is original in concept, performance based, and on the best quality apparel for the purpose and the price. That will never change. I'm not in this to turn and burn sales and crank out merch. I'm here to make cool designs on gear I want to wear for specific purposes.
What I design is done with purpose and intent. Hope you dig it.
Design Forward, Ride Backwards.
Mia Zierk
Do I have to be a rower to buy RB products?
Nope. Do you have to play soccer to buy shorts? All are welcome. Great gear and cool designs are for everybody.
Can I use your artwork?
No. You cannot use or reproduce any Ride Backwards designs, slogans or images without express legal consent. Unauthorized use or reproduction is theft, straight up. All of our graphics are copyrighted and any unauthorized use will be fully prosecuted. Please don't do it. If you want permission to use one of our designs or slogans for a non-commercial reason (i.e. you are not selling it), please contact us first. We're pretty cool and are always more than willing to entertain any reasonable request.
How do I figure out my t-shirt size?
I get asked a lot, "How do I know what size tee to order?" People look at the size charts, and they are often not helpful if you don't know your magic numbers for "Body Width" and "Body Length." Here's some info that can help make online t-shirt shopping easier:
T-shirt manufacturers tend to play fast and loose with sizing. It's brutal. The size charts we include are the ones vendors give us, so we try to stay true to what they report, and they are all different. One brand's adult size medium is another brand's junior size XS. There are no standards in this industry.
I think the reason "chest" measurements aren't often given for t-shirts is that it's more subjective as to what size to wear for tees. Wear an incorrectly sized business shirt and you look like you can't dress yourself, but for t-shirts, anything from skin-tight to a full size over is generally considered fine. It all depends on what fit you prefer. And the terms "slim," "fitted," and "trim or lean fit," also all mean something different depending on the vendor. The best you can determine from those words are, "it's tighter and smaller."
All this being true about the difficulties of t-shirt sizing, the best suggestion I have when shopping online is this:
Take your fave tee, the one you love the fit of the best, lay it flat on your bed and measure it. Then you will have your t-shirt size for as long as you like the fit of that tee.
Here's how to do it:
BODY LENGTH: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to the bottom of the hem.
BODY WIDTH: Lay garment flat. Measure 1" below the armhole of the garment across the chest to the other armhole. Basically, pit to pit.
SLEEVE LENGTH: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from the shoulder seam to the bottom edge of the sleeve opening. (Some charts have you measure from the collar of the tee.) Try both on the tee you like and see which is closest to the brand's listed number on the one you are interested in buying.
ORDERING & SHIPPING
Is this site secure?
The Ride Backwards shop utilizes a variety of payment options with encrypted websites for your utmost safety at checkout, depending on which checkout method you choose. Pick the one you feel most comfortable with.
What is your privacy policy?
Your privacy is very important to us. Any personal data we receive is used solely for Ride Backwards business transactions and communication with our customers, and is never shared or sold. Because we use only securely encrypted shopping carts, we do not have access to your credit card information.
Do I have to pay sales tax?
Only if you live in the state of Illinois or if you are receiving an international package. International customers are responsible for all duties and taxes on their imports. (See below.)
How much do you charge for shipping?
Shipping is $6.00 on domestic orders under $60, and $10.00 on orders from $60-$99.99. We're pleased to offer free Priority shipping on all domestic orders over $250.
Our Priority shipping rates are based on total amount purchased:
| From(USD) | To(USD) | Rate(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 | 29.99 | 8.00 |
| 30.00 | 99.99 | 12.00 |
| 100.00 | 249.99 | 16.00 |
| 250.00 | and up | FREE |