General Cycling Discussion - Shaving Legs... question

Alright, this is not one of those annoying why do we do it threads...

I have finally gotten the balls to shave my legs after having another fall and hair pulling experience. I also am just getting into racing and just completed my first century so now is the time...

Well I have been testing the waters as be for a few weeks to see how it goes and my legs show a high tolerance to shaving. The question is how long does it take hair to grow back to its original length after shaving? Also how often do you have to shave to be hair free? Everyday, every other?

Now just getting past my parents... oh well...

Thanks all

The question is how long does it take hair to grow back to its original length after shaving? Also how often do you have to shave to be hair free? Everyday, every other?


Your question reminds me of this (http://www.tootsie.com/howmany-sb.html).

Nice... how many licks to gain 5 pounds... hmmm

Ya the add looks quite familiar

If you want to see something funny about leg shaving go rent Breaking Away. Decent movie with a funny leg shaving/parents scene.

But I digress. I just shaved my legs, didnt say anything about it. My parents havent said anything. Girls think its really hot, FYI

I hope that is true... I have huge legs from years of marching in band and riding...

once you shave, you cant really let it grow back. you gotta keep shaving.

well, since its the offseason, I've only been shaving once a week. It gets pretty long, but I figure that its short enough to get the crash protection of shaving without all the work. I think that it would probably take about a month for my leg hair to completely grow back, maybe more.

My advice is:

DON'T . . . GO . . . TO THE DARKSIDE!

Why why why why why do you guys shave? MEN shave their faces, and WOMEN shave everything else.

Does it reduce air resistance? Of course not.
Does removing a band-aid hurt that much? Oh, please, don't be a baby.
Does it cut back on your weight? I hope not! (How hairy are your legs anyways?!)

Shaving your legs is like wearing women's underwear, for goodness sakes!

Weird weird weird weird wieird. Did I mention it's weird?

Why... because I am tried of having to deal with bandages ripping skin out, cuts hurting more than they have to, pulling hair out with various moving components, etc. I ride patrol in areas that are constantly wet and I mange to fall at least once every 2 - 3 weeks, comes with the job (and my need for speed). Usually it is not too serious but lsat time it hurt like h*$l when I took a bandage off... road rash sucks. No I do not not see myself as a baby wanting to not deal with the issues associated with bandages either...


My advice is:

DON'T . . . GO . . . TO THE DARKSIDE!


Darkside?! What... well I would not see it as the dark side... of course we are all have our opinions...

Of course I am tired of getting looked at funny when I race over this anyway... and now since I have little hair there it looks funny in bike shorts anyway... I used to get teased in high school over this when I cycled and I never shaved... hmmm...

Please do not make this an arguement on shaving... please

My advice is:

DON'T . . . GO . . . TO THE DARKSIDE!

Why why why why why do you guys shave? MEN shave their faces, and WOMEN shave everything else.

Does it reduce air resistance? Of course not.
Does removing a band-aid hurt that much? Oh, please, don't be a baby.
Does it cut back on your weight? I hope not! (How hairy are your legs anyways?!)

Shaving your legs is like wearing women's underwear, for goodness sakes!

Weird weird weird weird wieird. Did I mention it's weird?

Diggy speaks the truth.....there is no real reason for a guy to shave his legs.
The reasons people do it are outside of serious bicycle discussion.

i shaved a small patch of hair on my calf for testing purposes. it took a really long time to grow back to normal length, about a month or so. normal length for me is about 1/2 inch if you pull the hair up and measure it.

IMO, shaving anything is a sacrilege. Well, maybe exceptin ear tufts and nose bushes. They are pretty obnoxious when not attended to.

Have you guys ever taken a real bad fall and then tried to remove bandages, etc afterwards... road rash sucks.

Yes there may be little reason performance wise but the whole road rash thing and less pain is why I want to do it...

I though this thread was not supose to be about yes or no...


Diggy speaks the truth.....there is no real reason for a guy to shave his legs.

I would have to disagree but that is my own feeling.


"The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men to SHAVE THEIR LEGS."

Nice signiture... now are you "less" of a man because you do not have hair on "one" part of your body?

Have you guys ever taken a real bad fall and then tried to remove bandages, etc afterwards... road rash sucks.

Yes there may be little reason performance wise but the whole road rash thing and less pain is why I want to do it...

I though this thread was not supose to be about yes or no...

That excuse has been raised and debunked to death

Have you guys ever taken a real bad fall and then tried to remove bandages, etc afterwards... road rash sucks.

Like I said, true or not I can difinitially tell the difference when it comes to caring for a cut with hair or without...

Like I said, true or not I can difinitially tell the difference when it comes to caring for a cut with hair or without...

it's probably more sanitary too.

it's probably more sanitary too.

Ingrown hairs probably cause more problems than they solve.

Real men suck it up and just grimace when the bandage comes off. After a few dressing changes, ther's no hair left anyway. Besides, the overall effect of a crash is ehnanced after the fact with a little fuzz intertwined in the scab. Adds bulk and substance to an otherwise mundane wound.

Real men suck it up and just grimace when the bandage comes off. After a few dressing changes, ther's no hair left anyway. Besides, the overall effect of a crash is ehnanced after the fact with a little fuzz intertwined in the scab. Adds bulk and substance to an otherwise mundane wound.

A real man doesn't have to make up lame excuses if he likes to shave his legs.
There's no actual "reason" for it other than self pleasure.

One man's pleasure is another man's pain.

Just shave the parts that are most likely to contact the road (like outside of legs, etc.)
Leave the rest harry & look like a true freak.
Then you know you are doing it for the (debatable, perhaps) practical purposes of wound treatment, but not for style, air resistance, etc.

Al

I shaved my beard 18 years ago or so. My daughter, then 3, took one look at the slick faced stranger standing in front of her and immediately burst into tears. I tried to console her, but to no avail. All she would say is, "I want my Daddy back". It was two weeks before she would let me really hug her with enthusiasm. I haven't shaved since.

Nice signiture... now are you "less" of a man because you do not have hair on "one" part of your body?

No, you are not less of a man. But you will let evil prosper. :D

Shaving is not a masculine femine concept it is something that is based on your generation and society. Shaving your legs would have been unthinkable when I was growing up. It seems to be very common place with todays youth. And I would say get off anyones back regarding whether someone shaves or doesn't shave.

my58vw if you shaving your legs is the only thing you've done to upset your parents then they need to be damn greatful. There are things that matter and things that don't and this is one of those that don't.

Just shave the parts that are most likely to contact the road (like outside of legs, etc.)
Leave the rest harry & look like a true freak.
Then you know you are doing it for the (debatable, perhaps) practical purposes of wound treatment, but not for style, air resistance, etc.

Al


Half shaved legs sound pretty weird to me. :o
Why not just shave the area around the wound before you apply the bandage?

Stacy

If you are like me and have extremely hairly legs, the improved cooling alone makes it worth it.

Shaving is not a masculine femine concept it is something that is based on your generation and society.

Yes it is...guys are more much more hairy and have beards, surely you knew that.

Yes it is...guys are more much more hairy and have beards, surely you knew that.

Right, there is a very good reason women don't shave their beards. And it has nothing to do with generation and society.

I have never understood the debate. If it makes you feel faster, easier to clean wounds, look better, etc. then do it. If not, then don't. No big deal. Who cares what others think?

If you are like me and have extremely hairly legs, the improved cooling alone makes it worth it.
Your kidding right?

I have never understood the debate. If it makes you feel faster, easier to clean wounds, look better, etc. then do it. If not, then don't. No big deal. Who cares what others think?
I get the sense after being on these forums for several months now that as a group online cyclists generally care far more about what others think about them than the average person does. Check out all the threads on 'colorful' jerseys, brand of bike, helmets, if to wear socks, getting passed by a slower person, etc.)

Al

I have never understood the debate. If it makes you feel faster, easier to clean wounds, look better, etc. then do it. If not, then don't. No big deal. Who cares what others think?


I agree, do it, or don't do it...ya don't have to explain to us.

I like the half-shaved legs idea. Alternatively, you could shave some nice looking stripes into your legs. That, or maybe shave above your sock line and have a sort of "hair sock" going on. That might be neat. Or just shave every part not covered by the shorts and then ride in your "hair shorts." You could even shave a nike logo on them or something.

I hope that is true... I have huge legs from years of marching in band and riding...

what instrument did you play, im a drummer also a marcher.

I played snare drum, trombone and pit percussion, was drum major one year too

I am not saying yes or no or do I care what others think... I wanted to have an idea on how long it takes to come back when I do it if I decide to not keep it up all the time...

Oh ya and I hate the way my legs look in bike shorts now, all hairy... of course much less than typical.


Yes it is...guys are more much more hairy and have beards, surely you knew that.

Do all guys have beards?! And some guys are less hairy than some women... :eek:

I like the half-shaved legs idea. Alternatively, you could shave some nice looking stripes into your legs. That, or maybe shave above your sock line and have a sort of "hair sock" going on. That might be neat. Or just shave every part not covered by the shorts and then ride in your "hair shorts." You could even shave a nike logo on them or something.


:lol: i fear that you have a specific image in your head as you wrote that. somehow i don't think nike would pay much for that endorsement. give it a shot though.

If I don't wear a helmet should I shave my head so that I can heal head road rash wounds easier?

Al

I like the half-shaved legs idea. Alternatively, you could shave some nice looking stripes into your legs. That, or maybe shave above your sock line and have a sort of "hair sock" going on. That might be neat. Or just shave every part not covered by the shorts and then ride in your "hair shorts." You could even shave a nike logo on them or something.

'Hair Sock' I love it. Or a single harry racing strip down side of legs.

So what are the places on ones body where one is most likely to get road rash on (and hence should shave)? Outside of legs, upper arm, your shoulder blade. (no need to shave the the spine area?)

Al

I get the sense after being on these forums for several months now that as a group online cyclists generally care far more about what others think about them than the average person does. Check out all the threads on 'colorful' jerseys, brand of bike, helmets, if to wear socks, getting passed by a slower person, etc.)

Al

You know, now that you mention it . . .hmmm. Maybe, huh?

The feeling I had floating around in my head was more that cyclists are defensive, but I guess maybe that is tantamount to caring what someone else thinks of you. Or maybe it's just the vocal minority giving this impression.

Any of you other old guys remember when secondary sexual characteristics used to be considered attractive by the girls? Sean Connery's chest hair used to turn 'em on! Nowadays if a kid goes outside looking like a man (muscles and body hair), you can just hear the valley girl accents (remember when THAT used to be a joke?) going, "Eeeewwww!"

Yeah.....what's up with those guys who shave their legs but have really hairy arms? Can't you get road rash on your arms, too?

Why shave your legs and not your arms? Anyone?

If you ever ride without a shirt you'd better shave your chest and back, too.

Ride naked and you gotta shave your butt and your :eek: !

If you ever ride without a shirt you'd better shave your chest and back, too.

Ride naked and you gotta shave your butt and your :eek: !

What about my palms when I ride gloveless?

I never swallowed that whole excuse about shaving your legs being good for roadrash. If that was the case everyone would shave their arms too.

That said, waxing is far better than shaving and lasts for a month with no maintenance.

Any of you other old guys remember when secondary sexual characteristics used to be considered attractive by the girls? Sean Connery's chest hair used to turn 'em on! Nowadays if a kid goes outside looking like a man (muscles and body hair), you can just hear the valley girl accents (remember when THAT used to be a joke?) going, "Eeeewwww!"

During my great grandfathers day, it was considered manly to grow a very long beard..... the founding fathers thought white wigs the height of manliness. None of its is true it is what current trends say is true.... I don't shave my legs .... I just don't think you should judge someone else that does.

I have very little hair on my arms, more than that on my legs... of course I am more likely to get road rash on my legs than my arms from sliding... most of my injuries are on my legs anyway...

Just more time pondering shaving....

I don't currently shave my legs and I'm going to start racing in the Spring. I've been debating about whether to shave my legs or not. I know if I do I'll fit in and seem cool and everything, but I've been thinking about it, and I think there are actually some advantages to not shaving:

People will think that I must be a bad cyclist if I can't shave. They will make the mistake of underestimating my power, and I'll have a mental edge. Nobody will want to draft me...they think that idiot with the hairy legs will start a crash. Once I get ahead people will either stay far back off of me or push hard to get ahead of me. Once they're ahead I can draft them. If they push way too hard to get away from me they'll run out of gas in the end. They'll be so preoccupied with my legs that their concentration won't be on the race.

You know...it might also give me a bit of a "toughness" factor. I'll be the Ron Artest of collegiate cycling....the guy who is so weird it's scary. I'll be that guy you don't want to be in a sprint against because you just never know what he'll do.

In crits some leg/arm stuble could be an advantage because you could use it as a weapon.

what instrument did you play, im a drummer also a marcher.

im a marching band drummer also, this year was my second year on tenors.......go band! (notice the avatar)

as far as shaving goes, im practicly hairless allready. People ask me if i shave my legs already so i dont see the need to risk embarrassment at my highschool and shave, besides i dont think im going to shave my legs untill i feel im a good enough rider. I pretty much got my assed kicked at my first race and unless i can do better this next season i think shaving would just make me a wannabe.

Well the deed has been done...

It took only 25 minutes for me, no problem. First reaction... smooth, stelth... wow I have so many bruses on my legs... ahhh...

My parents... no problem, I do not care...

Thanks to all for your support...

And I do not see myself as a wannabe, I am out there and doing my best...

Here is a photo... what a difference...

eeeesh!

Looks like someone took a baseball bat to your legs!

Neh, my legs are all bruised up also. Comes with the sport I guess. As well as tennis elbow, eeish.