To Shave or Not to Shave: The 4 Reasons Cyclists Choose the First. In case the question has ever come up and you weren’t sure how to respond, here’s an article to help you answer your friends who may question the reasoning behind a cyclist shaving their legs. For those of us involved in the sport for any considerable amount of time, it makes perfect sense, and it should for everyone else too. Here are the four main reasons we ditch the rug. (This topic really only applies to us guys, since women cyclists already shave their legs for aesthetic womanly reasons—unless they’re űber granola—in which case, they should consider shaving for the same reason a male cyclist should.) Aerodynamics Perhaps this is the most misunderstood notion out there: the idea that cyclists shave in order to improve aerodynamics. Actually, it isn’t true—or at least it’s not the motivating reason. For swimmers, shaving every exposed region of their body may attribute to a measurable difference in time (perhaps as much as a tenth of a second—though probably nothing more) but for us cyclists, it’s a factor small enough to exclude from consideration. Remember, we fight against atmosphere, not water, and there’s a considerable difference in density and drag. I suppose that if you tested the idea in a wind tunnel, you might be able to conjure a very minuscule decimal representing the difference between shaved and hairy legs (especially if your legs grow as thick a carpet as mine) but the number would be small enough to make the point moot. So why do we shave then? Read on. Comfort and Practicality There are four main reasons why serious cyclists shave their legs, and we’ll start with the comfort aspect. I have a story to share in order to drive this point home. Several years ago, I noticed that if I wore socks to bed (something I rarely ever do, except perhaps in the dead of winter or when camping) that I would wake up with the tops of my feet feeling rather uncomfortable. The cause: the form-fitting socks were pulling the hair on the top of my feet every which direction as I moved. Now, I don’t have hobbit feet, but I had enough hair for it to matter. Ever since this realization, I’ve shaved the tops of my feet along with my legs. I’m sure you know where I’m going with this; nothing is more form-fitting than Lycra (except perhaps shrink wrap, but that doesn’t breathe, so we choose Lycra) and that’s why it’s used in cycling, because your choice of clothing can add or subtract a significant amount of drag to or from the equation. If we took this idea to the wind tunnel, and instead of assessing Come to think of it, theres no hair on wind-tunnel manikins...hmmm? Theres a reason Hobbits dont wear socks. aerodynamics, asked the cyclist to focus on the difference in the comfort of their shorts/bibs with hairy verses shaved legs, the results would unanimously lean in favor of losing the hair. Really, when it comes right down to it, how much sense does it make to wear form-fitting Lycra while your leg-shrubs are poking through the pores? Not every cyclist choses to shave though, and that’s absolutely fine. I’ve raced against plenty of dudes who have decided to retain their sideburns, beards, and leg hair too. This is certainly no attempt to take a knock at those guys, but the fact remains the same: it’s simply more comfortable, and you’re likely to notice on those 100+ mile training rides and races. That’s why serious cyclists (those racing and training frequently) decide to shave. Easier Clean Up There’s something else you’re bound to notice on those 100+ mile rides. If you’re riding with unshaved legs, you’ll find that you’re catching bugs, dirt, and grime like an air filter, or should I say hair-filter? Pari-Roubaix anyone? Even if you shave, your legs are going to pick up some dirt, simply because it’s the part of you closest to the ground (minus your-already-hairless shoes) but with shaved legs, you’re going to pick up a whole lot less. Shaving your legs keeps the grime from accumulating on your limbs. And just think: enough grime could slow you down by increasing drag, right? Massage Unfortunately, few of us are as familiar with this practice as we would like to be. However, if you’re a top-level professional, you get a thorough massage before and after every race, and then about two to three times a week otherwise. For the rest of us, we feel fortunate to get them when we can, and if you were to ask any massage therapist whether they would rather massage a shaved or hair leg, I’m willing to bet that they would all answer with the former. It’s not just about the massager’s preference though. It’s about efficiency. It’s much easier to massage a shaved area than it is to massage a hairy one—and it takes a lot less lotion too. In fact, my wife has performed a thorough massage on my shaved legs without any lotion at all—multiple times. It’s totally doable and comfortable if your legs are shaved, but if they aren’t, it would be entirely unwise to attempt it; the practice is bound to result in plenty of discomfort. Damage Control Unfortunately, in cycling, if you ride and race enough, it’s inevitable that you will, at some point, hit the deck (a.k.a pavement) but that’s why we wear helmets. However, when it comes to your head, it’s usually the last thing to hit the ground. The first thing to come in contact with the road is often your Heres a picture of a little girl who tried to give her daddy a hug after he returned from his long bike ride with unshaved legs…poor thing. legs. (Sometimes your hands are the first part of you to hit the ground—since it’s instinctive to try and catch yourself, hence the reason for gloves, but even if it’s some other part of you that smashes into the asphalt first, your legs often see the worst of it.) With this as the case, how are you supposed to bandage a hairy leg? Well, you can do it, but when it’s time for that bandage to come off…(insert unnecessary pain here____). Damage control, then, becomes the final, and perhaps most important, reason for shaving your legs. Bandages will actually stick to shaved legs, and they will come off a whole lot easier too. So next time your friends ask you: “Why do you shave your legs? Does it really make any difference in aerodynamics?” You’ll be able to answer: “Well, no, it doesn’t, but let me tell you the four reasons it’s still a good idea. Have a seat; let’s begin.” Keep in mind, if you answer your friends as thoroughly as this article answers the question, they will likely never question your reasoning ever again. Some Final Suggestions I remember reading once in an article published in Bicycling® that using an electric razor to shave your legs was cheating. Though I’m sure this was written with a degree of jest, I can’t believe that it’s even a matter worth mentioning. (Although, it was from someone promoting some cycling-specific shave cream.) Here’s what I have to say to that: Oh please! Give me a break! As if there aren’t enough bike snobs out there that try to discredit other good and reputable products, now we have shaving snobs? How ludicrous! The fact of the matter is this: using an electric shaver is a very effective and convenient way to ditch your leg hair. I almost never use a razor and cream on my legs. My electric shaver does a great job and cuts plenty close enough. There’s no purist form to this for heaven’s sake; you’re just getting rid of hair. Not to mention, using an electric shaver will save you water and time. Nonetheless, if you prefer the razor method, it is extremely effective. Jordan Arey
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 00:36:52 +0000
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