I_Like_Bike

This week is the first meeting and I have been anxiously awaiting this day. I think it is going to be a great way to make new friends that cycle, learn how to race, and be a well rounded and involved student. I really want them to take me seriously. Ok now the question part, will they take me more seriously if I shaved my legs or could they care less?

Personally, I have no problem with shaving them I just don't know how I will explain it to my parents, and then I imagine that it will get annoying telling everyone why I do it when they ask.

PS I am sorry for starting another shaving thread but this has been bugging me. Fit in or fit in?

Nick29

just go.

People are people. If they're jerks, they will be jerks whether or not you have hair on your legs. If they're cool, it won't matter either. fwiw, I don't race, but I do ride with some reasonably strong guys (usually gasping for air trying to keep up) and only one of the guys I ride with regularly shaves his legs.

hairnet

They might give you crap. Guys on my rowing team teased those that were reluctant to wear spandex

kwduffy02

About half the guys on the cycling team at my university shave their legs, some do some don't. The ones that don't they get teased a little bit by the guys that do, but always in a joking way, never mean.

pdedes

if you're in college, it sort of means that you've come into your adulthood. so, shave your legs if you feel like it, and tell your parents to shove off. they'll eventually respect you for making your own decisions.

jonestr

the hardest part of riding bikes is telling your parents that you're gay

it is all gravy after that

TVS_SS

true story

tkm

Drop them, then they won't say ***** to you.

thegunner

that's because it's honestly stupid not to... your shorts will get caught in the slides

pkpsu

wear pants. But being serious, do it only because you want to and know the benefits. I don't shave my legs, but maybe I will when I see how difficult it is to clean when I get my first case of road rash, we'll see.

Flatballer

On our collegiate team it's about 1/2 and 1/2. As long as you don't ride with anything under your bibs (true story), we won't give you any crap. The fast road guys all shave (As and Bs), and most of the Cs, but most of the mountain bikers don't.

They probably won't care. Honestly, if you're slow, you look kinda stupid showing up to the first group ride shaved, with some pro team kit, on your $4k bike. Then we'll laugh. If you show up with hairy legs, in shorts, on a beater, we'll respect you for coming out.


And college cycling is pretty much the most awesome thing ever. Yeah, for real. If your team is half as cool as ours, you'll make some great friends, and have some awesome times.

ptle

I'm on my collegiate team... They don't really care. They joke about it sometime, but aren't mean about it. Just join the team and have fun.

nickthaquick1

weird thread, but i wouldnt worry about it. go to the first meet and see for yourself. if you want to, and theres a good number who do, then go for it.

tigershark

if i were you i wouldn't go at all, better to stay happy than to have your feelings hurt and cry in shame

Lamp-Shade

It sounds like you are afraid that they are hyper elitist non-human dbags who take everything more serious than a human is capable of taking it.
They're just people, mate. They like riding bikes too. You guys should be friends!

BoodBianchi

Just drop them and do what you want...

MONGO!

They will respect you if you're fast, all else is noise.

Val23708

they wouldn't expect a newcomer to shave their legs already

urbanknight

Don't worry about it. You're an adult now and should be able to take any teasing with a grain of salt. I get teased by my racing friends because I don't shave. It's all in good fun. Of course, I also suck at racing. I wonder if people stop teasing when you start kicking @$$. Paging Waterrockets!

enjoi

its college racing so everything is much more relaxed. unless your on some kind of scholarship for racing, not being hung over for the races puts you above the competition already.

cedricbosch

Flatballer

Have you actually raced in collegiate races? Maybe some of the guys are hung over, but there are some seriously fast riders, and they're pushing hard to get points. It's not a joke, it's serious, and you're racing for your school pride. My team trains hard, and we have fun, but we take our racing seriously. It's not just a party.

The A races have Pros, Cat 1s, 2s in them, and they're not screwing around because it's just a collegiate race.

I_Like_Bike

This is not likely to happen, but if I am faster then anyone who shaves their legs it would be cool.

I am not sure there is any benefits besides fitting in.

I really have no problem shaving them, but I want to give the right impression. For example I would not want them to think that, if I do not shave my legs I must not be serious about cycling (want to improve) and must be a complete newb (who needs to be given constant advice). I also do not want them to think that I think I am way better then I am, I have low expectations.

I_Like_Bike

Heaven forbid I be mistook for a mountain biker!

Flatballer

Most of our collegiate team races MTB and road, and a lot do cyclocross as well. MTB is really freaking fun, and great cross training.