RoboCheme

OK, I'm a newbie, but I've been visting this forum for about 3 months and I've heard frequent references to leg shaving. Do guys really do that? I thought that they do that to keep from snagging the chain; that made a little bit of sense. But others claim they do it for aerodynamics. Is that poseur/sarcasm talk or are they serious? I could see why swimmers do it but I would think the added wind drag on a cycle would be minimal.

Please, just a couple of serious answers and I'll stop wondering.

cryogenic

Actually, it's to keep the road rash clean when you go down... notice I didn't say IF, I said WHEN. It really has nothing to do with aerodynamics at all, it's mostly just a cleanliness thing from what I gather. Well, that and looks. Also, I don't think you can be a member of the OCP club if your legs are hairy. I believe that's automatic disqualification.

PS: where's the campy/shimano thread? we've discussed speed, gearing, crank length, road rash, bibs/shorts, steel/aluminum.... now we just need a campy/shimano thread and maybe an underwear thread and we'll be all set.

my58vw

Use the search function...

Of course I am a competative cyclist so... that should answer alot!

zero

Girls with that euro-style thinking just love them too

hurley.girl

If that's true, do you shave your arms too?

KirkeIsWaiting

campy.

cryogenic

I'm in love

KirkeIsWaiting

me too...

Man_Hating

Not trying to give you a hard time, but aerodynamics are helped some. According to https://damonrinard.com/aero/aerodynamics.htm you can save five seconds over the distance of 40 km.

Jakey

Not a leg shaver... (yet) but Campy is more gooder than shimano!

asinus

shave your sponsor's logo into you legs.

i'm so serious. seriously.

Serpico

it's about tradition and rite of passage, that is the REAL reason cyclists shave their legs

any comments about aerodynamics or road rash are an attempt to reconcile reason with passion--and it doesn't make sense

some do, some don't--arguments about it go nowhere and prove nothing

if you're curious then try it

RiDE

Well said.

thewalrus

Back in late February I got some very nasty roadrash (about a 5x9 inch patch) which required 5-6 days of changing bandages, with all the accompanied hair-pulling pain. Still I don't shave my legs, mostly because at my level of hairiness and hair growth it would be a maintenance nightmare.

For non-pro riders I question real world aero advantage of leg shaving - unless you're racing cat1 or cat2 wouldn't you also be able to gain 5 seconds over 40km by putting a small aero fairing on the front of your computer, or similar measures? Or switching from round bars to something flat top such as the FSA K-Wing.

Bécane

Why stop at just shaving legs ...

Like some famous evil doctor said ...

"At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I suggest you try it."

pearcem

a possible answer to the "why not shave your arms?". first off there is a lot less hair (on most guys) than on the legs. My reasoning for not shaving the arms is that when you fall, you USUALLY do one of two things. The first is extending your hand to hit the ground first. The second is to land on your shoulder/upper back and sort of roll through the fall. Neither of these make you land directly on the hairy forearm. When you crash, or at least from what i've noticed, the legs dangle around and slide more, especally at first because of the clip ins (assuming the bike goes down sideways). From my experience, this results in the legs (mainly outer legs) making much more contact with the pavement than the arms. Wh yod i shave my legs? partly for rite of passage/poseur points, party for crash tending. I have only crashed once, and luckily i didn't get a ton of road rash. Just on my shoulder and my lower/outer calve. I bled through the bandages (and clothes) 4 to 5 times a day for the first three days or so. This was before i shaved, so changing all those bandages on my hairy legs was awful. I also recently found out that my team is sponsored by a sports massage clinic, and they came out and gave us massages after our training races. Apparently they do this a few times a month, so that's defidently better for them.

NealH

Leg shaving is just plain silly. If you are worried about road rash complications (which is debatable at best) then wear a tight fitting nylon garment over the calf and knees. This will provide protection in the case of a fall while introducing negligible thermal resistance.

hurley.girl

I asked my question about shaving the arms because if the true concern was road rash you'd take care of that hair too. I don't buy any other "excuse" for leg shaving other than:

I've been waiting to hear someone fess up to this for a while. Just be honest. If someone said "because it shows off those leg muscles", "it looks cool", or "it's tradition and a rite of passage", I'd kiss them for not trying to rationalize it.

Ostuni

i think thewalrus is right about why/how the tradition started.... and in addition to bandages, in older days cyclists probably used tape for clothing, equipment, etc.?

Peptide

I do it because i like it.

Hhowdy

Howdy,
No I don't and never will, when the time comes I need to change bandages I'll shave the adjacent areas. I think it's more a "I dare you" kind of thing. Plus once you've done it you have to keep doing it or endure weeks of itchy agony, from what I understand.

M.R.

TheKillerPenguin

It doesn't get itchy if you let your hair grow. I shave once or twice a week, so the hair gets pretty long before I do it, and it doesn't itch at all.

turtlendog

1. Tradition/rite of passage/recognition as a roadie
2. Cyclists way of saying, "Want to race?" (irrevocable, unhideable, always implied)
3. Easier/better sun-screen application!
4. Not nearly as much water on the towel after a shower (when commuting 22mi 2x/day and trying to get rid of saddle-sores, I was showering 3x/day.)
5. Easier/better/faster removal of road-grime in the shower
6. Much easier/better/faster clean up with wash-cloth/wet-wipes when a shower is not availible
7. Better clean up of road-rash (it's true, BTW best bet is to take a water bottle and the hook side of the velcro on your glove and grind the gravel out immediately after the crash because it's not tender yet)
8. Wife likes it
9. Hairy legged customers get NO RESPECT from bike shop employees (so sad, so true)

boyRacer

That's got to be one of the worst reasons to shave your legs... hahaha. If a bike shop would not respect me because of what I choose to do with my legs... I think it's time to find another bike shop.

monogodo

How hairy are your legs that you're worried about the hair snagging the chain? What are you, a Wookiee?