Originally Posted by
FlashBazbo
I know you were joking, but for those who honestly wonder . . . the point is a savings of 6 to 9 minutes in a 100 mile race. That's the aero advantage according to the Specialized Win Tunnel. That's substantially more benefit than even the deepest aero wheelset.
That sounds like a lot. I am not sure I fully believe it. I raced my first season un-shaved. I don't think the absence of hair the next year made much difference. But the added respect I got from fellow racers added up to a much bigger race results difference.
And if you want to be your fastest, you wouldn't shave entirely but leave a say 1/2" stripe on the front of your shin of 1/8" hairs to trigger turbulence. The "length" of your leg is about 5 inches, front to back. 5" times 25 mph and divided by the viscosity of air yields a very low Reynolds number. Laminar flow is your enemy here. It will not follow the curve of your calf and will instead break off into a major turbulence early. Turbulent flow will bend around your calf and create a much smaller turbulent pattern behind.
Ben