Shaved or unshaved?

[lumpy]

Originally posted by Chotch
Ok, can someone give me some quantitative evidence that hairless legs will make any difference in wind resistance? The road rash thing makes perfect sense though I have some trouble with the wind resistance. Certainly there is a theroretical decrease in drag, but measuarable?

And speaking of drag...hehe
Josh.

I bet you'll go faster being hairy. Like a golf ball goes farther with the dimples than without.

Tim

 

[HyperPhreak]

i shave my legs. not for cycling tho, im also a speedskater.

 

[Rickster]

Guys, I'd feel out of place in a race if I didn't shave. I'm not a young stud anymore, but I can run with many of 'em. It's part of the "club" ... showing that you've crossed the line and committed yourself to serious training and racing.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't give a hoot if I fell and loss some skin with hair or not.

And as said previously, folks can "see" the additional mass that I've gained from my many months of cycling.

(And, by the way, my wife HATES them clean shaven. I keep hearing about the girls that like them that way, but it gives my wife the chills).

 

[Chotch]

Originally posted by lumpy
I bet you'll go faster being hairy. Like a golf ball goes farther with the dimples than without.

Tim

Hehe! I'm so glad you brought that up, I knew I didn't shave for a reason! Also that is one of my personal favorite facts, you just made my day.

So does it carry that if I wear a fur vest while cycling I'll go faster? Also the psycological advantage would be huge, I mean I'd think twice before passing a guy in a bear skin.

But seriously I'd love to know if anyone has tested it in bad ol' laboratory.

 

[Hitchy]

G'day,

I stay hairless for all the reasons put forward by everyone so far. i get my legs waxed though. The added bonus is the young lady i pay to do this for me............,


cheers,

Hitchy

 

[Jim's ride]

I have to laugh at this. I was at the TourDownUnder and spotted a bloke with shaved legs (very fat shaved legs). He had a very nice bike though. I think it was called a Pinarello or something like that. The bike had Campagnolo gear all over it and the rider had fat all over it.
Now please explain to me why a fat man with a very nice bike would feel he needed to shave his legs. Don't tell me it was for Massages,bacteria,time etc..........Wannabe's get to me sometimes.

 

[makattack]

Originally posted by Chotch
Ok, can someone give me some quantitative evidence that hairless legs will make any difference in wind resistance? The road rash thing makes perfect sense though I have some trouble with the wind resistance. Certainly there is a theroretical decrease in drag, but measuarable?

And speaking of drag...hehe
Josh.

Although I do remove my leg hair through self-waxing, I do it mostly because of sanitary reasons (easier to put on sunscreen, clean wounds, etc). I'm also a swimmer (Masters) and have to add that, contrary to popular belief, swimmers don't shave to reduce drag. Of course, drag is a greater issue in water vs. air.

Swimmers shave for two reasons:

1) Psychological. Swimming, like many other sports including cycling includes mental toughness. If you feel fast, you will be fast.

2) Related to #1, to get a better feel for the water, which is critical for balance, and form, shaving removes a layer of skin and hair that dullens the sense of water flowing over the legs (and arms, chest, back, etc!)

Edited to add:

Found this good article after a google search on the subject: http://www.usms.org/swimgold/esth/feelwatr.htm

 

[Adam-from-SLO]

I kinda have hairy legs....

So, I shave from April- September(nicest/ hottest) times of the year. When Fall rolls around, I let my leg hair grow out... I guess I think it gives me a little more protection during the cold part of the year. Spring/Summer is the time to put on sun tan lotion.... so hair must come off.

 

[velomanct]

in order of importance:

1. massage with hairy legs is just wrong and not very pleasant
(i do self massage before every ride to loosen up tight muscles, along with stretching)

2. looks. admit it, shaved legs look faster, better, cleaner, and show muscle better which intimidates the competition. pros do it and i want to(will) become a pro.

3. crashes. leg hair complicates the cleaning of cuts and road rash

4. i like to stand out from other guys and i have to retain my name with the ladies, Silky Smooth

 

[xc_gumby]

Certainly massage & road rash are good reasons, but a couple of contributors have pointed to the subconcious....

Its all part of the look. Sure you can race with hairy legs... But you don't see too many hairy sets in the TdF. If you aspire (even a bit) to be there doing with them, then shaving/waxing is an easy start.

If you're totally cut in the calves it can be pretty off putting for the guy following your wheel for hours!

Gumbys on expensive bikes with shaved legs.... What can I say? Old fit blokes with good legs & good bike deserve respect. Old blokes training & racing a bit deserve respect. Fat old blokes with expensive bikes out posing just deserve derision.

(To continue the theme - any one true to their particular version of cycling whether its MTB, touring, orienteering, road deservere respect. wannabes of any form are just sad).

rant rant rant rant rant rant rant....

 

[Brizza]

If you're totally cut in the calves it can be pretty off putting for the guy following your wheel for hours!

Actually that's one of the reasons I don't shave.
On first impressions no-one expects me to win or survive a long breakaway, I like being the dark horse and knowing my strength is in the distance.

I was thinking about waxing, but I don't train enough and I'd feel like a poser to ride once a week (win B grade) and spend the rest of the week dreaming about my next race.

I might wax when I get a new bike next month.

Brian

P.S It's a great laugh to listen to the other guys in the pack saying "look at his legs!!" in a pack of shavers.

 

[Jimmy C]

I only shave in the summer. Living in Canada I need the insulation in the winter. I shave for the two reasons already mentioned: Healing faster after a crash and the mental edge you get against the hairies. On the mountain it's to shed mud and dirt. It doesn't stick to your legs and bog you down.

 

[Brizza]

There is no mental edge against hairies (except the uneducated), I look at shavies and unless I can see their muscle fibres or serious tonning from training I subconsciously think "poser" .

Sorry but shaving doesn't make you look fast, good legs sure do.

Brian

 

[rickstarrunner]

I don't shave my legs and would prefer not to. However, I intend to begin racing in the coming season. Is there any sort of thin protection (not as warm as tights) to cover my unshaven legs, or is it better to just shave 'em?

 

[OLMO]

i shave only my right leg, and then pick a loop which i take all in right-hand turns; i cut through the wind like a scythe through butter.

beauty, eh?

 

[Pimpanolie]

I don't shave my legs completly bald but I do use a hair trimmer like a barber uses, not a real hairy guy anyway. I do my lower legs with a #1 guard and from the knees up no guard. I also use the #1 on my arms and armpits, easier to clean and put on deoderant and armpit hair just disgust me for some reason.

Now the big question is who shaves their bum?

 

[nitrogenmustard]

shaving your legs lets other riders know that you know what your doing

 

[Nitromike]

I'm going to start having my legs waxed, I'm sick of shaving them 2-3 times a week and listening to my wife complain about the stubble.

 

[Brizza]

nitrogenmustard, I take the other opinion that a pair of shaved untanned and undefined legs are the look of a poser.

I'll shave/wax my legs when I can see the muscle fibres in the tiboralis anterior, I can already see two veins in my calf muscle but I'm not keen on the poser look and the impact when the posers see my shaven legs will be unforgetable.

In the meantime its fun out riding the posers when they think I'm a newbie.

Frewheeling

Brian

 

[Nitromike]

Shaved .... check
Tanned .... check
Defined .... check

It's all good