Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

What's with the leg shaving?

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

What's with the leg shaving?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-06-11, 12:33 AM
  #1  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
What's with the leg shaving?

What is it with the leg shaving? Is it supposed to make you faster? Is it really that beneficial?

Last edited by Road MTB; 08-06-11 at 12:41 AM.
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 12:38 AM
  #2  
JustinHorne
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 446
Liked 18 Times in 4 Posts
It's not for speed.
JustinHorne is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 12:39 AM
  #3  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
What is it for then? Style? Jk
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 12:42 AM
  #4  
JustinHorne
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 446
Liked 18 Times in 4 Posts
https://tinyurl.com/3vmtzex
JustinHorne is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 12:45 AM
  #5  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
So it's for drag, like I said. How could leg hair make that big of a difference

Last edited by Road MTB; 08-06-11 at 12:51 AM.
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 01:15 AM
  #6  
DRietz
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,698
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
There are about 50,000 threads on this exact topic in these forums.

But, hair facilitates your skin being torn off when you crash. Additionally, the hair can get into the wound and make cleaning a hassle - thus, shaving keeps everything tidy.

Plus, it makes your calves look massive.

Also, it's Euro.

Lastly, it's what everyone does.
DRietz is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 01:16 AM
  #7  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Well, if all the cool kids are doing it...

Kidding aside thanks DRietz, that's the first real answer I've gotten.
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 01:21 AM
  #8  
DRietz
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,698
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Not a problem - I understand where you're coming from as I race mountain bike as well as road. Very few MTBers I know shave, but I do.

As Dave Moulton puts it - it's really just tradition, and it's what the pros do. So why not?

Plus, hairy legs+spandex just seems like an odd combination, no?
DRietz is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 01:27 AM
  #9  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I may be a walking contradiction with my aerodynamic spandex and my leg hair, but I look damn manly.
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 01:29 AM
  #10  
KD5NRH
Senior Member
 
KD5NRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Stephenville TX
Posts: 3,697

Bikes: 2010 Trek 7100

Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by DRietz
There are about 50,000 threads on this exact topic in these forums.

But, hair facilitates your skin being torn off when you crash. Additionally, the hair can get into the wound and make cleaning a hassle - thus, shaving keeps everything tidy.
It also keeps stuff from getting caught in the hair; bugs on the road, burrs off the road, etc.
KD5NRH is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 02:23 AM
  #11  
JustinHorne
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 446
Liked 18 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Road MTB
So it's for drag, like I said. How could leg hair make that big of a difference
So assuming you clicked the first link Google presented, you made it what, 5 lines into the article?

https://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...ave-their-legs


It lists the five primary "given" reasons, then addresses them.

In order of their list, the reasons are:
Aerodynamics
Benefits of smooth legs during a massage
Wound care
Women Like it.
Tradition.

Safe to say that 90% of cyclists who do it have do it for one or more of those reasons listed above. Also, if reading comprehension was your thing, you'd also notice the article wasn't directly saying it's done for aerodynamics; it listed off a "given" reason for it, then addressed the validity of that reason.

That said, they did even say this:
(To wit, a 1987 study conducted by Chester Kyle for this magazine concluded that the aerodynamic improvement is roughly 0.6 percent, which could result in a savings of around 5 seconds in a 40km time trial ridden at 37kph.)
THAT said... I doubt very many people do it ACTUALLY to save time. Most of it is for Wound cleaning / aesthetics / Tradition.

But you know, just keep on keeping on.
JustinHorne is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 02:47 AM
  #12  
dubsnyc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
If you care about what your cycling buddies think, you shave. If you care about what your non-cycling buddies think, you don't shave. Ironically, no one cares.
dubsnyc is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 02:57 AM
  #13  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by JustinHorne
So assuming you clicked the first link Google presented, you made it what, 5 lines into the article?

https://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...ave-their-legs


It lists the five primary "given" reasons, then addresses them.

In order of their list, the reasons are:
Aerodynamics
Benefits of smooth legs during a massage
Wound care
Women Like it.
Tradition.

Safe to say that 90% of cyclists who do it have do it for one or more of those reasons listed above. Also, if reading comprehension was your thing, you'd also notice the article wasn't directly saying it's done for aerodynamics; it listed off a "given" reason for it, then addressed the validity of that reason.

That said, they did even say this:


THAT said... I doubt very many people do it ACTUALLY to save time. Most of it is for Wound cleaning / aesthetics / Tradition.

But you know, just keep on keeping on.
Haha I lost interest pretty quick, it was more like 3 lines. And by the way quit hatin. Stop drinking the haterade cuz the last thing I need on my thread is haters.
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 03:39 AM
  #14  
JustinHorne
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 446
Liked 18 Times in 4 Posts
Haha, that's cute.

"Hey, why do people do X? Is it because of Y?"

"No."

"WOW, I SO lost interest already. WHY U HATIN, HATER?"

Unless you're this guy:



Saying "haters" just isn't cool anymore.
JustinHorne is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 04:00 AM
  #15  
Bill
Full Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 390
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
It's a rite of passage for the truly committed.
Bill is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 04:08 AM
  #16  
Road MTB
Awesome Member
Thread Starter
 
Road MTB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 54

Bikes: Schwinn Homegrown, Specialized Allez

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Justinhorne, hatin up a storm. Haha quit taking everything so seriously
Road MTB is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 04:09 AM
  #17  
jdon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,243
Liked 16 Times in 10 Posts
Wow. 9 posts and you are already accusing people of being haters. Bet you don't get invited out much.
jdon is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 04:57 AM
  #18  
Homebrew01
Super Moderator
 
Homebrew01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,889

Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales

Liked 1,013 Times in 648 Posts
I don't need to shave, because I average 30 mph and it blows the hair off.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.

FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Homebrew01 is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 05:10 AM
  #19  
Grumpy McTrumpy
gmt
 
Grumpy McTrumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Grumpy McTrumpy is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 05:16 AM
  #20  
the_don
Senior Member
 
the_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 1,938
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Women like their men hairy. Like animal!

Also, it's useful for catching bugs, they are a great 'sauce' of on the road protein!
the_don is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 06:11 AM
  #21  
rdubbz
Beefcake the Mighty
 
rdubbz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Scumdogia
Posts: 591
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
it feels good and looks nice, unless you're a fat ass. are you a fatty?
rdubbz is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 06:15 AM
  #22  
alexvpaq
Senior Member
 
alexvpaq's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Qc,Canada
Posts: 995

Bikes: A trek

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Doesn't change anything 99% of the time, but that one percent separates himself in two categories : .5 goes into Cleaning road rash and stuff is easier that way
second category is : It feels good man. I dunno, I got used to it, I prefer it that way. Try it, what do you really have to lose from trying?
alexvpaq is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 06:59 AM
  #23  
Urbanmonk
Sarcastic Member
 
Urbanmonk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Haven't these questions been posed before? Haven't the responses been given already? Haven't these comments been offered? Haven't these tantrums been had ? Now go to sleep! I have to go to work in the morning!!!!!
Urbanmonk is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 07:01 AM
  #24  
mmmdonuts
Gluteus Enormus
 
mmmdonuts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 2,245

Bikes: Yes

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Why do drag queens wear long lashes?
mmmdonuts is offline  
Old 08-06-11, 07:02 AM
  #25  
the_don
Senior Member
 
the_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 1,938
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Hey! It's 10pm and I'm waiting for my movie to download! Not everyone is in Yankie land.
the_don is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Your Privacy Choices -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.