# Shaving, why do you need to shave your legs?



## Granitefalls (Jun 26, 2010)

I am a new road racer and previous Mtb racer, and was wondering what the purpose is of shaving your legs is. Thanks!!


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

See the sticky thread at the top of this forum, and enjoy reading.


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## EBrider (Aug 9, 2009)

This may not be a popular answer, but a large part of it is because everyone else does. That is not necessarily a bad reason, if fitting in helps your confidence and you probably won't be taken seriously with hairy legs.

When you crash, you will certainly appreciate shaved legs because they heel much better and the bandages go on and off much easier. I don't believe there is any advantage to wind resistance with shaved legs, which would be the other argument in favor of shaving.


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## JimT (Jul 18, 2007)

So all the girls at work can tease me!!!


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Ever try treating yourself with a healthy dose of road rash after a fall on asphalt? Shave those legs.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

I do because:

A. It's kind of a ritual for me, committing myself to cycling
B. Massages go a lot easier
C. In case of road rash
D. My legs look pretty dang sexy
E. Others do it


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

wasnt there something like you get 0.2% better areo because you are shaved, like both arms and legs. I do remember it was a pro rider at pro speeds they tested. 

Now oddly enough being a mtb guy, there is a reason to at least trim your leg hairs...........

Them bugger of a tick. They like to grab on from the hairs and then get to your skin.


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## JokerSeven (Jun 15, 2010)

I have never understood reasons for shaving either.

c' mon seriously..... Is that the best explanation? Road Rash?

Really... how often do you guys crash ?


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## esac (Jun 1, 2010)

i trim/shave my legs because my hair grows out patchy. it kinda looks like i have puppy mange or something. it's kinda like the equivalent to keeping your hair long when you are obviously balding but in reverse. i don't mind so much during the winter when i don't wear shorts.

btw.. i groom my legs with rusty clippers in a dusty garage under flickering shop lights


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## bwhite_4 (Aug 29, 2006)

Shorts won't pull at hairs. Hairs won't stick out of shorts (if you go high enough). Embro goes on easy, sunscreen goes on easy (for those that use it), road rash cleans up easier.

I actually started shaving while heavily into MTB'ing. I was sick of the mud and debris getting stuck in my leg hair. So ... MTB'ers have a good reason to shave as well.


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## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

I trim mine with a mustache trimmer. No razer on my legs. But I primarily do this for 3 reasons.

1. Road/trail rash
2. Helps prevents ticks from latching on when I ride MTB.
3. Easier to get caked on mud off my legs.

With the ticks, I had issues last year. Was picking them up often. This year, I have found one on my leg.


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## illuminatus (Nov 12, 2007)

i came across this. i do all of my stunts and road rashes are inevitable.


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## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

i dont shave. i'm a competitive swimmer and have been biking. there is no performance benefits unless you're competing at the highest level: against Michael Phelps or Lance.


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## nor_cal_rider (Dec 18, 2006)

Dont shave personally, but rash and massage are the main reasons to do so...makes keeping the wound clean easier and prevents matting in the scabs...I know last fall when I was rashed up, I was seriously thinking of adding shaving to my cycling routine...just never followed through.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

JokerSeven said:


> I have never understood reasons for shaving either.
> 
> c' mon seriously..... Is that the best explanation? Road Rash?
> 
> Really... how often do you guys crash ?


Don't ask or you'll mess with the mojo. It happens. We wear helmets for the same reason as well as carry spare tubes. 

Sometimes the rider makes a mistake. Sometimes they're simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.


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## tanoshinde (Jun 1, 2010)

My answer is, "Why not?" The road rash argument is a sound one, as is "It's just part of the culture." I understand that it goes over well with the fair sex, in many cases, as well.

Also, from the perspective of a bike commuter who works in a building with no showers, it's a lot easer to wipe the road dust and/or mud and/or whatever other schmutz you pick up along the way off slick legs than hairy ones before changing into the fancy office pants.

MTB guys, thanks for the input about ticks. I hate them with the fire of a thousand suns, or whatever. Glad to know my sleek roadie-esque legs might help keep them at bay when I'm out on the trails...


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## jarider (Nov 3, 2009)

and the number 1 reason i shave, my girl finds it dam sexy.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

tanoshinde said:


> The road rash argument is a sound one, .


How is that? 
I've had all sorts of road rash on hairy legs and other body parts not hairy and it seems to suck equally to me.


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## Granitefalls (Jun 26, 2010)

ok so its for road rash, I've done 500+ miles already on my new road bike and haven't fallen. What is the most common place you get road rash? Thanks for all the info. I honsetly thought it was only for wind resistance.


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## JokerSeven (Jun 15, 2010)

jarider said:


> and the number 1 reason i shave, my girl finds it dam sexy.


This is by far the best reason yet.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

Granitefalls said:


> ok so its for road rash, I've done 500+ miles already on my new road bike and haven't fallen. What is the most common place you get road rash? Thanks for all the info. I honsetly thought it was only for wind resistance.


How often "you" crash depends on a lot, but in recent years I've raced about 50 times/year (and ridden about 12,000 miles/year) and I've had from zero to six road-rash-producing crashes/year. Over the years I've accumulated a lot of scars from bike racing, generally on my hips, butt, shins, knees, shoulders and upper back, elbows and forearms. My forearms do have hair on them, but I shave my legs, and the rest of those places aren't really hairy.

For what it's worth, if road racing becomes a big part of your life, it's not going to seem weird to you at all to shave.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

jarider said:


> and the number 1 reason i shave, my girl finds it dam sexy.


My wife hates it when my legs are smoother than hers.

So do I, now that I mention it...


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## tanoshinde (Jun 1, 2010)

Hank Stamper said:


> How is that?
> I've had all sorts of road rash on hairy legs and other body parts not hairy and it seems to suck equally to me.


Basically, wound care is easier without hair in the way. It's not a huge difference, but it reduces the PITA factor at least a bit to begin with (though as the hair begins to grow back while the wound is healing, the PITA factor rises accordingly).

Road rash does not, however, actually suck less if you're smooth  It sucks, no matter what, but that's the price we pay for ... um, well, if not glory, at least really great stories to tell the grandkids, or whatever.

Honestly, though, the 'road rash' argument isn't my justification for shaving. I started shaving because I couldn't think of any sound objections against it -- I figured, heck, maybe there's some reason these other guys do it, so why not? At this point, I keep shaving because, quite frankly, I think my legs look better without the tarantula hair (this isn't true for everyone; I just happen to have pale skin and really dark, sparse leg hair -- not a great combination, IMO). I still can't think of any sound reason not to. It's a matter of preference.

OTOH, if you find shaving to be too much of a PITA, or just aren't interested in shaving, it's not a requirement. Likewise, random roadies you encounter en route will be that much more dismayed when you smoke them on the climbs if you do it with hairy legs


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## dgeesaman (Jun 9, 2010)

nor_cal_rider said:


> Dont shave personally, but rash and massage are the main reasons to do so...makes keeping the wound clean easier and prevents matting in the scabs...I know last fall when I was rashed up, I was seriously thinking of adding shaving to my cycling routine...just never followed through.


Just like the OP I had to wonder, is shaving really that important?

I will say that road rash is not fun to recover from. Anything that helps the healing process is important.

Here's my favorite answer to the question:
http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-do-cyclists-shave-their-legs-only.html


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## JokerSeven (Jun 15, 2010)

dgeesaman said:


> Just like the OP I had to wonder, is shaving really that important?
> 
> I will say that road rash is not fun to recover from. Anything that helps the healing process is important.
> 
> ...




Perfect, I will accept that explanation and never question it again.

I don't want to hear about road rash, hell you don't shave your arms and you scrape them up too.

TRADITION! 
Just say, "I do it because its a tradition of the sport.
Nothing further needed.

I'm new to road racing, but when I get to a point that I believe I have "earned the right" to shave my legs, I'm comfortable with the reason why


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## gardenrunner (Jul 25, 2009)

I shave cuz I'm a girl The more I think about it, I think shaving is a good idea for men whom cycle purely due to the fact that I would not want to clean up road rash with a bunch of leg hairs all stuck to it. My husband ripped up his leg playing soccer at work and it was really gnarly trying to clean it out with all the hair stuck in the wound. Besides, if you need stiches at the hospital, they are just going to shave the area anyways, Better to beat them to it, rather than them try to shave a wounded area. No fun.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I was going back and forth on the issue for a few months and had read the sticky in this forum. I came to the conclusion that it really didn't matter what I chose. The reasons for doing it had always seemed silly and more like excuses than logical reasons.

So one night I did it. I figure the worst thing that could happen is that I don't like it and I would have to let my hair grow back.

I have shaved a couple times since that night, and think that while the reasons still are excuses to some degree, they at least make sense now. And I will also admit that I like the look and feel as well.

HTH.


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## rickm (Oct 24, 2005)

all other reasons aside, it is tradition of the sport.

the more entrenched you become into the cycling culture, you will find that cycling is a gentleman's sport and deep in tradition. it is unlike most other sports. other sports with deep traditional ties include tennis and polo. Cycling is not an American sport. It is European and carries with it some traditions that us Americans are not so comfortable with, but the fact remains that if you are really a cyclist, you will not be taken seriously with hairy legs; thats just the way it is.

shaving your legs has a lot of the advantages listed above, but most of all it is a personal commitment to the sport and to yourself and to the cycling culture.


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## jsrscbr (Jan 27, 2009)

*It's in the rules.*

Rule 33:

http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/


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## Nic_K. (Jun 11, 2009)

rickm said:


> shaving your legs has a lot of the advantages listed above, but most of all it is a personal commitment to the sport and to yourself and to the cycling culture.


This is right on the money. Just think about it like a motorcycle gang, shaving your legs is like getting your 1% patch on your leather jacket. Your rejecting the socail constraints of hairy legs


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## WaitWienie (Feb 15, 2010)

All through my youth I shaved my legs just for the plain and simple fact that I think hair is dirty.... It attracts dirt, it hold dirt and is harder to clean. My answer when asked however has always been, Why not? As far as healing it does help as well... Why do you think when you go in for surgery they prep the area by shaving it before they clean it? Its to make sure the area is easy to clean and nothing is missed it also lowers the chance of infection while healing by not having all that dirty hair.

Chris


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