Vanity

In all of my years of cycling I have never found any need or benefit in shaving my armpits.

You say that like it's a bad thing. I've come to the conclusion that most of what most people do is at least in part related to vanity. Why does anybody care how they look at all? E.g. hair style, fashionable clothes, "accessories"... why do people go to the gym to "work out" or ride their bikes for "fitness"? These are all at least in part to look good, and to feel good. So what?

Correct. I'll tell you a psychology secret:

EVERYTHING in the world is driven by the desire for sex. Everything we do revolves around the desire for sex. Everything other animals do is also motivated by sex. Sex makes the world go 'round.

Vanity is just a way to get more sex. So is cycling. And working. And having money. And buying cars. And studying at an institution of higher learning. There isn't a single thing that doesn't relate back to sex.

Free life lesson for ya.

It gets me all the chicks.. I mean who really wants to hookup with a guy with hairy legs? psht

Hate to tell you but every chick I've talked to hates it.

For your first quick FREE lesson just go into any martial arts class that is in process, shove the door open and very loudly say:

WHO NEEDS THEIR ***** KICKED?

Your free lesson will begin immediatly.

Do you really think bib tights and leg warmers are going to save you from road rash in a fall?

If that's the case, why not shave the back too? Because everyone knows that men with hairless backs go farther in life.

If this subject comes up again I am going to shave my legs first and then slice my wrists with the dull razor. Don't ask why just do! And if you don't like then go gorilla, who cares!

I've fallen in them before and they protected me, I'm not racing so my falls most likely won't be epic. I'm not quitting shaving I'm just shaving like once a week if not once every two weeks or so.

Big difference between falling at 10mph wearing jeans and sliding out at at 35mph wearing lycra, hoss.

I'd know. Been there, done both.

massages
sunscreen is easier to put on
leg warmers/knickers feel better
road rash is easier to clean up
you feel more aero (disputed still......)
toned legs look good. you cant see the definition with hair

Works for me... and Martha.

If that's the subject of your conversations, there's a reason why you haven't had a chance to change their mind(s).

If there one thing I learned in college, it's that girls don't want to hear about you, and most certainly not your shaved legs. If they find out later, that's fine. But at present, they want you to ask the questions, and they want to provide the answers.

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Who let Freud in here?

There are only two kinds of racing cyclists:

• Those that have fallen
• Those that will fall

Hence the need to shave. Makes bandages and med stuff a lot easier. I used to shave when I raced 30 years ago, but no more 'cause I no longer race.

it's so that when you take a picture of your massive guads and post it online, people don't call you a wooly mammoth.

Look people there is ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE for doing it except to fit in.

EVER.

If "fitting in" gets me laid by the wifey then SO BE IT!

In your professional psychological opinion, does this theory apply to women too? I know a bunch of women that would dispute. But most men I know would probably agree.

So, from this thread there are the following reasons:

- Easier to clean out road burn
- Vanity
- Following the like crowd like a sheep

I hadn't considered the first reason, but it kind of makes sense. The second is understandable, but I'm not that concerned with appearance.

As as for the third reason, why would I want to follow anyone with an attitude like this?

I was genuinely curious and really wanted to learn. And what I learned is that there are no compelling reasons for doing it in my case, since I don't look like a missing link.

The reason you got that attitude from umd is because you not only asked a question that gets asked 3 times a week, you asked a stupid question that gets asked three times a week.

Just search. Or you could have just looked at the front page, there was another thread about shaving right there in front of you. I think they were actually next to each other at one point.

Get over yourself.

Aside from making your healing easier and quicker after a fall, I think there's one more compelling reason to shave your legs.

Part of being a pro cyclist is getting leg massages after a hard day in the saddle. It works out all the nastys that accumulate in your muscles after a workout and keeps your legs feeling fresh for the next hard day. You cannot, I repeat, you cannot have a deep, thorough, pain free massage if the skin on your legs is covered in hair. Schedule a massage for later today then go out for a hard ride. When you're done head on over to your appointment with your hairy legs. See how it feels. ****ing ouch! Yeah, now you can see why the pros shave their legs.

So now that the pros shave you've got a trickle down effect. All the big boys in the races are getting massages afterward and thus have their legs shaved. You're a poor nobody but you don't want competitors to know that so you shave your legs. Now you don't look like you marched into a bike race straight from cleaning up cow dung on the ranch.

Repeat said scenario down to the minor league races and you'll see why most guys shave their legs. They want to look like a pro. They don't want to look like a fred.

Of course it's always up to you. If you don't care then more power to you. But if you're like me, and you want to look like a pro (no matter that it's a vain pursuit) then you shave your legs.

Cheers.