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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The big debat to shave ones legs or not. And why you choose one over the other."
Unless you are competing in the Olympics, it doesn't matter, does it? Unless you enjoy the kinkiness. |
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There's a school of thought that says being hairless is better for health reasons - less likely to have an infected hair follicle in the hot & sweaty areas, also that you heal quicker from road rash if there are no hairs to carry infection into the wound.
The main reason pro's shave is because it enables the team masseur to really dig in without slicing their fingertips to ribbons - human hair is pretty strong. So unless you have a masseur on call it really makes no difference! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I prefer to immaculate them. The reason you shave your legs is that when you come off, you don't injure yourself more by the hairs pulling more skin towards the impact zone. When healing it doesn't take as long. |
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I've been a cyclist for years I shaved my legs for the first time the other day.. nothing to do with cycling though.. but as I'm a cyclist it will be an answer to any awkward questions of "why have you shaved your legs "..  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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There have been tests done that say shaving legs access arms is more aerodynamic (check Specializeds YouTube channel), it will also help with cleaning any cuts or wounds that riders may get. I'm generally a hairy person and can't be bothered to shave legs or arms, especially as most of my riding is commuting or around town so I don't wear lycra anyway.
If you're competing I'd consider it but if not then I wouldn't bother personally. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I shaved them when I used to race which was for around 20 years. Shaved them at the weekend for only the second time this year (both times as I needed KT tape on my knees for a marathon and shaved knees look ridiculous!) and even after several years of not shaving they look far more normal than they did before! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I don't believe there are any aero gains from leg shaving so I've never bothered. As for quicker healing of wounds, I've come off a couple times breaking both my collar bones, and road rash and cuts were just let to sort themselves out. Having hair in the wounds seemed to make little difference. Hairy legs don't look so bad with lycra anyway. |
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"I wonder how much of the upsurge in the number of men cycling is down to them having a plausible excuse to shave legs and wear really tight lycra."
I have been wearing tight Lycra on and off for nearly 30 years. Just never shaved my legs. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The main reason is hygiene, dirt sticks to hair and hairless legs are easier to clean. If you use embrocation on your legs which most competing cyclists do its also easier to remove post race. The soigneurs prefer massaging hairless legs as it makes their job easier and yes it is faster as the wind drag over smooth legs is less.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The big debat to shave ones legs or not. And why you choose one over the other.
Unless you are competing in the Olympics, it doesn't matter, does it? Unless you enjoy the kinkiness. "
You don't get to the Olympics without performing at a certain level. They don't just get selected to ride then suddenly decide to start shaving  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
The main reason pro's shave is because it enables the team masseur to really dig in without slicing their fingertips to ribbons - human hair is pretty strong. So unless you have a masseur on call it really makes no difference!"
I had a massage on Sunday and the masseuse commented how much easier it is to work on shaved legs. It's the only reason pros do it and the rest of us do it because the pros do it! |
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"
The main reason pro's shave is because it enables the team masseur to really dig in without slicing their fingertips to ribbons - human hair is pretty strong. So unless you have a masseur on call it really makes no difference!
I had a massage on Sunday and the masseuse commented how much easier it is to work on shaved legs. It's the only reason pros do it and the rest of us do it because the pros do it!"
This.
Pro's shave. Amateurs/club riders/general roadies want to look like the pro's so shaving becomes the norm.
My friend is a cardio-thoracic physiotherapist & used to do stuff with her local rugby club (massages etc) & she always says how much easier it is to work on the players who shave. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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As hairy as I am on my chest for some reason my shins are pretty much hairless which I have had the piss taken about many times.
I would probably only shave them if they were quite hairy or more likely in winter when I find they pick up all the mud and shit as i only ever ride in shorts year round, be it MTB shorts to commute or bibs for my road cycling. |
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As far as I'm concerned its all about fashion, you simply look better with shaved legs when wearing Lycra..
