Shaving on Tour

[MichaelW]

I wet shave with a disposable twin blade and some shaving oil. It is a very compact kit that weighs nothing. I usually shave in the shower but if my campsite doesnt have one, I usually save a small amount of hit water for a shave.
I guess ever guy has to go through a beardy period just to see what its like.

[sprintfree]

I think I will just grow it out until it gets to hot or annoying. I have a really small pair of scissors Ill bring to keep it somewhat groomed. Great picture of you and your brother in Peru, both of you look really happy both before and after the beard! Im also sure I will not have the proper clothing to sneak into a VIP club so I'm not to concerned about that.
I figure this might be my only opportunity to grow a beard for awhile so I'm going to take it.

[saddlesores]

you're the dude riding for 'charity,' right? you plan to represent the charity looking like a bum?

[raizyr]

If you shave, these guys will find you.



For your own safety and well being, let the beard grow.

[njkayaker]

I recently discovered that the blades on my electric razor have become very dull and that the replacement blade costs almost as much as what I payed for the shaver. I'm not a fan of razors because I almost always cut myself or irritate my face. I'm leaving for a cross country tour in a week and i have decided that I'll just let my facial hair grow out for the two-three months the ride takes. I don't really see any bad things about having a beard while on the tour but I could be wrong? I mean Forrest Gump didn't shave when he ran across the country and he didn't seem to have a problem. I'm about to turn 19 and have been shaving four or five times a week for about six years now, I've gone for 4 days now and its only a matter of time before I have a bountiful crop of facial hair.

What are your thoughts of shaving while on tour? I'm looking forward to the weight savings of not having to bring my electric razor and constantly having to look for an outlet to charge it. I'm riding with two others and we plan to camp whenever we can. Hopefully I don't look to much like a bum.

Failure in technique.

You have to get a bit used to using razors and you have to be patient and go slow.

People with beards often shave too. Though, it's easier to get away with not shaving (for a few days) with a beard.

fuzz you bring up something that concerns me:


Do beards really change social interactions between people that much? A big reason I'm going on his tour is to meet new people and I dont want a beard to prohibit that. Another thing is that I'm hoping to be invited to camp out in people's yards if invited. Do you think not shaving will lead to less invites? I sure don't want to be scaring anyone off because of my beard, I'd consider myself to be a very friendly and nice person. Wont people understand that I'm on a bicycle tour and might not have the ability to stay clean shaven?

No real problems with a beard if you look well-groomed. Not shaving at all (and no trimming) is not "well groomed".

[sprintfree]

you're the dude riding for 'charity,' right? you plan to represent the charity looking like a bum?

No I am not doing the ride for charity, If you look under the "Why" section in my blog you will see why I am doing the ride.
However I am donating some of the money I collect from Sponsors to a charity which I feel does a good job at promoting positive experiences and safety between motorist and cyclist.

[Booger1]

Santa and Jesus are not well groomed,lots of people like them.......

People do judge you if you have a beard,just like people judge you if you wear "gangsta" clothes or your skin is not the same color as theirs or you drive a junky car or you have a mustache like Hitler......that's what humans do.

[Jamoni]

Is this even an issue? Shaving is, and should be, a thing that you do for one reason, and one reason only:
1. You feel like shaving.

When I'm on tour, I generally feel like riding my bike, reading my book, looking for snakes, camping, eating, and not shaving.

[yiffzer]

I don't shave. Why would we shave? It's part of our identity as men. It is not annoying either. I do trim my mustache though -- but I go to a barber shop and they do it for 3 TND ($2 USD). Here is me after 6 months of cycling in Spain and the Middle East. I blend right in. Well, I was mistaken for a terrorist by Tunisian police so that didn't help there. But hey, whatever! It's part of the story of life.



And don't forget, you're saving weight by not bringing all of the unnecessary shaving kits. Now you can race up that mountain a couple of seconds quicker.

[sprintfree]

Impressive beard and I think your right. I'm a man and there's no reason I need to hide that!
Great picture BTW

[yiffzer]

Thanks, sprintfree. Credit goes to my amazing photographer friend, Luna -- a person that I met through another cyclist in Spain.

You're a man, don't hide it.

[Doug64]

And don't forget, you're saving weight by not bringing all of the unnecessary shaving kits. Now you can race up that mountain a couple of seconds quicker.

It is a wash. You have increased your wind resistance

[wahoonc]

Wet shaver here...I use my grandfather's Rolls Razor, definitely not for weight weenies.

I typically shave every 2-3 days while on tour. I have had a beard in the past and prefer clean shaven.

Aaron

[flippant]

I use a Gillette safety razor (e.g it uses those disposable "suicide"* one layer razor blades). Blades cost nothing, weigh nothing, take no space. All you need is a small mirror and a shower. Alternatively, use a bucket of water. I've seen this particular brand of razor a lot of places (anywhere from Turkey to China).


*don't take this as being in bad taste - I haven't been able to accurately convey what blade I'm talking about until I trot out that image. People just don't know what a safety razor is anymore.

[ollyisk]

You heard it here first! The world is full of beardists!

[Rowan]

Wet shaver here...I use my grandfather's Rolls Razor, definitely not for weight weenies.

I typically shave every 2-3 days while on tour. I have had a beard in the past and prefer clean shaven.

Aaron

Likewise.

I don't even use a mirror at home to shave -- I just do it in the shower and use ordinary soap and a sharp disposable razor. I know my face pretty well and where to trim to... at age 56, it just gets to be like that.

I'll shave the same way whenever we get to a campsite with bathroom facilities. My biggest issue on a long tour is hair -- for our upcoming one, I am considering a buzz cut just as we leave and likely have another, possibly even shave, half to two-thirds of the way through the tour.

Because I tend to grow beards and shave them off almost on whim, I was able to accidentally time the picture in my passport with a close-cut beard. It probably helps getting through immigration to have a bet each way.

[Aushiker]

I generally shave when I get into a town (wet shave using the gear in my kick box). This can be up to a couple of weeks between shaves. I don't bother shaving on the road as such.

Andrew

[BicycleCrazy]

I won't be...and haven't since Nov. 2011.
"Ask me About my beard"
http://www.askmeaboutmybeard.com

[chasm54]

A Brazilian is the only answer for the serious tourist.

[Carbonfiberboy]

Haven't shaved since my ETS, September 15, 1969. RA19844672, Sir.

[AdamDZ]

I'm 44yo and I can't shave, it sets my skin on fire. I tried, wet, dry, electric, no matter, my skin turns red and hurts badly. I even saw doctors about this and I have extremely irritable skin, so I can only buzz it close to skin with an electric shaver. I can't grow a beard either. First, it looks ridiculous, I have very thin facial hair and my facial hair is a mix of all colors too, so I'd have to dye it or something. Second, I can't get past the week or so of the itchy period, drives me nuts, can't work, can't sleep, feel like rubbing my face against walls. Then there is the heat and humidity, so no beard for me. I'd probably take a small AA powered buzzer, it weights maybe 1/2 lbs. On the upside: I use the same trimmer on my face and head, makes it easy.

[Ritterview]

I use a Gillette safety razor (e.g it uses those disposable "suicide"* one layer razor blades). Blades cost nothing, weigh nothing, take no space. All you need is a small mirror and a shower. Alternatively, use a bucket of water. I've seen this particular brand of razor a lot of places (anywhere from Turkey to China).

Using cheap disposable blades makes it that much more difficult to shave in the field. At home you might use a Gillette Fusion razor, but these are metal, and too heavy to cart.

The answer for the best quality is to pick up the Lady's version of the Fusion, the Gillette Venus razor, which is plastic, and accepts Fusion blades. The handle can be pruned to about 1", and it is still easy to hold with thumb and two fingers. The weight is in a few grams. At home quality in the field.

[degan]

I only shaved once on my cross country tour, and that was only because I would be visiting my grandparents. I never once had any problems and was usually less hairy than other touring cyclists I ran into.

[yiffzer]

Your grandparents only love the shaved version of you? Pity.

[Rowan]

A Brazilian is the only answer for the serious tourist.

Somehow, I don't think you are speaking from personal experience on this.