Road Cycling - Very smooth..

I just shaved my legs, my first time ever. I got a graze while playing volleyball and my knee skid across the ground. So I decided to shave. Now my friends are going to laugh at me... should I bother?

It looks real smooth, like the legs of a beautiful model, doesn't feel too smooth though because I had lots of hair before shaving, will shave it again a few days later. Is it supposed to be THAT smooth? Should I even ever shave again? What now?? I'll be having physical education lesson next tuesday and hopefully no one notices.

Methinks you are in for an interesting time in the locker room.




Olds

Um, that might be an understatement OldsCool. I agree, you are in for some jabs, but, who cares? I shaved all through school when I was racing. I actually got asked by more people if I was a swimmer??? All they had to do was see my arms and chest to know that in fact, no, i was NOT a swimmer. Anyway...just get used to it. When your legs get ripped from 1000's of miles, it will be the muscles that get their attention, not the lack of hair.

some of my wife's friends tease me, but i've heard more positive feedback. if you don't draw attn to it, you'd be suprised by how many won't even notice.
putting on suntan lotion is a snap and massage is easier.

I'll be having physical education lesson next tuesday and hopefully no one notices.

You may want to tell everyone you are undergoing radiation therapy and for some reason only the hair on your legs fell out... That way they have to feel sorry for you and can't tease and mock... :D

Be prepared for some nice razor rash if you shave frequently if you're anything like me (I'm an ape with a carpet to shave). Best bet is to not shave too often (maybe twice per week). Soak in the tub first for a bit - it opens the folicles and then shave. No more rash!

(NOTE: I apologize in hindsight for any appearances of flaimbait in this post. Sometimes when I am bored (like at work) I like to take little "philosophical" diversions. It provides stimulation that is sometimes lacking in my daily goings-on (again, like at work). :rolleyes:


Is it supposed to be THAT smooth? Should I even ever shave again? What now??

Despite your mention of the volleyball incident, I get the impression you really don't know why you are shaving, other than you are riding a bicycle and you feel like that is what you are "supposed" to do if you are serious about it. Not to make light of your reasoning, but how many times in your life have you been injured in the past, when leg shaving had not even occurred to you as a remedy? I suspect you were entertaining the idea prior to the injury.

Allow me to be philosophical and separate yourself from my discussion, as your post was merely a jumping off point for my rant:

This is one illustration of the power of peer pressure and the desire for acceptance by the herd (not attacking you, but the institution of leg shaving as a whole). It's amazing what we as humans/monkeys are willing to do for the sake of fitting in, even when it flies in the face of conventional wisdom and destorys our notions of the way things are supposed to be. It's a well established notion in most parts of the world that women have smooth legs, men have hairy legs. And yet our confidence is bolstered by the ways of our tribe (cycling tribe) that condones and encourages it. We nestle in the safety and comfort of belonging to the tribe, and by shaving the legs, our allegiance to the tribe is strengthened, because with our newly shaven legs, it is primarily here in the tribe -- and no longer quite as much the rest of the world -- that we now fit in. Of course, the opposite may be said -- perhaps the "established notion" that your legs are supposed to be hairy is as much an arbitrary precept, and that a man previously kept his legs hairy only to fit into the larger segment of society?

Another fascinating demonstration of this principle is women's undergarments. For as long as I can remember (30 years), women had done their best to hide theirs while wearing it. To reveal any of it was considered indecent, sloppy, or overly sexy, revealing and pornographic, depending on the circumstances. Now we see girls that are perfectly happy to have 4 inches of thong protrude above their waistline, and simultaneously the allure for a man of catching a glimpse has subsided. Maybe only five years ago, a woman would be horrified that even a glimpse of pink underwear might protrude above her waistline; today, they think nothing of an entire g-string and plumber's crack is showing. It has to do with the powerful need to fit in -- to do what the rest of the herd is doing -- even when what the herd is doing is the antithesis of previously established norms.

It looks real smooth, like the legs of a beautiful model, doesn't feel too smooth though because I had lots of hair before shaving, will shave it again a few days later. Is it supposed to be THAT smooth?

Now don't get too carried away..... I've had cyclist friends who became TV's.

Despite your mention of the volleyball incident, I get the impression you really don't know why you are shaving, other than you are riding a bicycle and you feel like that is what you are "supposed" to do if you are serious about it. Not to make light of your reasoning, but how many times in your life have you been injured in the past, when leg shaving had not even occurred to you as a remedy? I suspect you were entertaining the idea prior to the injury.

Well, I know about what society wants and expects and sometimes we have to conform to those standards, and for some I don't. I went around today telling my friends about it, trust me, they did not make a noise, I told a girl about it and showed it to her. She's a close friend of mine, and she said it's really sexy, and asked to switch legs. Lol, the thing is I'm doing it to ease cleaning of wounds, and I'll be soon out on another ride to test out those shaven legs. It will probably open me up to the many more benefits that I will soon notice about legs that are shaven, eg. applying sunscreen.

I'm kinda glad, but I did not really shave well the first time around, the next time will be easier, but it'll be about 2 weeks later. Well, I'll see what happens in the next few weeks.

Is it supposed to be THAT smooth?
It should look and feel like a baby's bottom -- with muscles. :D

...Another fascinating demonstration of this principle is women's undergarments. For as long as I can remember (30 years), women had done their best to hide theirs while wearing it. To reveal any of it was considered indecent, sloppy, or overly sexy, revealing and pornographic, depending on the circumstances. Now we see girls that are perfectly happy to have 4 inches of thong protrude above their waistline, and simultaneously the allure for a man of catching a glimpse has subsided. Maybe only five years ago, a woman would be horrified that even a glimpse of pink underwear might protrude above her waistline; today, they think nothing of an entire g-string and plumber's crack is showing. It has to do with the powerful need to fit in -- to do what the rest of the herd is doing -- even when what the herd is doing is the antithesis of previously established norms.

God bless their need to fit in, :D .

I spend a month at College Station Texas this winter. They wear shorts and cowboy hats in the steam room.

Who cares. Keep it up.

Thanks for the encouragement. I can handle it pretty well, though I have not met the Tuesday showdown where there could be a big hoo ha during my physical education lesson.

Anyway, I found I rode faster. I was able to go at the same average speed at about 7bpm slower. My speed actually went up quite a bit with a low HR. Pretty cool. I am not attributing it to my shaved legs, but probably because I'm more rested. However, it could still possibly be due to improved aerodynamics of a clean leg.

The aerodynamics of a shaved leg lowered your HR by 7 bpms?

Uh, right ...

The aerodynamics of a shaved leg lowered your HR by 7 bpms?

Uh, right ...

Okay, aerodynamics lowers by 1bpm, feel-good factor by 6bpm. That adds up.

Lol, nah... must be getting fitter!! :D

Despite your mention of the volleyball incident, I get the impression you really don't know why you are shaving, other than you are riding a bicycle and you feel like that is what you are "supposed" to do if you are serious about it. Not to make light of your reasoning, but how many times in your life have you been injured in the past, when leg shaving had not even occurred to you as a remedy? I suspect you were entertaining the idea prior to the injury.

Allow me to be philosophical and separate yourself from my discussion, as your post was merely a jumping off point for my rant:

This is one illustration of the power of peer pressure and the desire for acceptance by the herd (not attacking you, but the institution of leg shaving as a whole). It's amazing what we as humans/monkeys are willing to do for the sake of fitting in, even when it flies in the face of conventional wisdom and destorys our notions of the way things are supposed to be. It's a well established notion in most parts of the world that women have smooth legs, men have hairy legs. And yet our confidence is bolstered by the ways of our tribe (cycling tribe) that condones and encourages it. We nestle in the safety and comfort of belonging to the tribe, and by shaving the legs, our allegiance to the tribe is strengthened, because with our newly shaven legs, it is primarily here in the tribe -- and no longer quite as much the rest of the world -- that we now fit in. Of course, the opposite may be said -- perhaps the "established notion" that your legs are supposed to be hairy is as much an arbitrary precept, and that a man previously kept his legs hairy only to fit into the larger segment of society?

Another fascinating demonstration of this principle is women's undergarments. For as long as I can remember (30 years), women had done their best to hide theirs while wearing it. To reveal any of it was considered indecent, sloppy, or overly sexy, revealing and pornographic, depending on the circumstances. Now we see girls that are perfectly happy to have 4 inches of thong protrude above their waistline, and simultaneously the allure for a man of catching a glimpse has subsided. Maybe only five years ago, a woman would be horrified that even a glimpse of pink underwear might protrude above her waistline; today, they think nothing of an entire g-string and plumber's crack is showing. It has to do with the powerful need to fit in -- to do what the rest of the herd is doing -- even when what the herd is doing is the antithesis of previously established norms.

Good Reading