Leg shaving/waxing

powenb

Do you shave or wax?

schlepcycling

Shave, waxing just looks tooooo painful.

powenb

Wasn't sure whether to give waxing a go

zebedeecp

i would suggest if you give waxing a go it is best someone does it for you professionally because the strips you buy are crap

powenb

My missus is a beautician, but is advising me not to do it. She reckon's I wont be able to handle it. But you know what that means............I've just got to do it !!!

Massimo

Gilette Mach 3 - you shave once, it shaves three times...

zebedeecp

it really isnt has bad has people think and it lasts longer asnd over time you wont have to go as often because the hair just gets thinner and weaker and hardly shows. having said that i am fair haired.

Grant36

Definately go for the waxing option - it does hurt like hell first time but take some Nurofen (or other similar pain killer) beforehand to numb the pain. The issue isnt so much of how to shave / wax but which point on your legs do you shave up to ? If you onlly go up th line of your cycling shorts, you look like a twat in normal shorts as you end up with a region of prominant leg hair below you shorts to half way down your thigh - what my other half describes as "fox britches "

rohloff-rich

Bemused MTBer here - can you explain the benefit of getting rid of your leg hair? Not having a go at anyone for doing it, just curious as to why you do!

powenb

My missus say it's better as my leg hairs don't scratch her neck :shock:

Mosschops2

I don't shave legs so neither, sorry!

I do have a slightly discoloured birth mark on my right shoulder - kind of top of the tricep area, about the size of a playing card, which gets slowly covered in soft hair (since I'm blonde-ish).

I let mrs m epilady the hair off.

Was not impressed. If you were to suggest that I epilady my legs, I'd definately fall into the "not able to handle it" category!!!

Eddy S

rohloff-rich wrote:

Bemused MTBer here - can you explain the benefit of getting rid of your leg hair? Not having a go at anyone for doing it, just curious as to why you do!

A couple of reasons: cuts and scrapes from falls are a lot easier to clean, treat and heal better and (I hate to admit this…) coz it looks better! 8) And if you’re a cyclist who has access to a soigneur, then the leg rubs are a lot less painful.

And as a recent convert…

Waxing is great for that initial removal of a lot of hair, especially if you are have very hairy legs.

This gives a low maintenance starting point but don’t assume it’s zero maintenance. What surprised me, having had various stories about how this will last 4-6 weeks, is that I had to start shaving re-growth after 3 or 4 days.

Pain wise, it smarts a bit on the lower legs but can be pretty eye-watering if you’re getting inner thighs done too. :shock:

SteveR_100Milers

Tried Veet....never again! Its rubbish, had to try 3 times, it lasts same time as shaving, and I got an ingrowing hair from it which has resulted in a massive painfiul lump on the back of my leg. Shaving for me for now on, the best part leaving the fur in the bath and blaming the kids for not cleaning it after them

Bronzie

Massimo wrote:

Gilette Mach 3 - you shave once, it shaves three times...

Wilkinson Sword Quattro for me.............................yeah, you get the idea..............more is better!!

Wait until they bring out a five-bladed razor - cue Life of Brian sketch "Not one, not two, but FIVE-BLADED sword!!!"

Bronzie

rohloff-rich wrote:

Bemused MTBer here - can you explain the benefit of getting rid of your leg hair? Not having a go at anyone for doing it, just curious as to why you do!

Because if you don't everyone in the bunch thinks you are a hairy-legged shagger who'll knock them off next time the race goes around a bend :P

dangerousjules

powenb, could'nt quite visualize how your leg hair might effect your ladys neck...could you post an attachment? if she's shaving them for you i just want to clarify that she actually has arms and not skillfully shoving the razor handle in her gob to bald you up? :?:

SteveR_100Milers

Bronzie wrote:

rohloff-rich wrote:

Bemused MTBer here - can you explain the benefit of getting rid of your leg hair? Not having a go at anyone for doing it, just curious as to why you do!

Because if you don't everyone in the bunch thinks you are a hairy-legged shagger who'll knock them off next time the race goes around a bend :P

is probably the best reason I have heard.. (but I only TT... :roll: )

Rigid Raider

If you want a good explanation for leg shaving, read the very excellent book The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton. A great read about roadie obsession with a tragic twist in the tail. (Tale?)

Gasman

Here's the ideal gadget.

Fab Foodie

rohloff-rich wrote:

Bemused MTBer here - can you explain the benefit of getting rid of your leg hair? Not having a go at anyone for doing it, just curious as to why you do!

Roadies shave their legs because...








we can :shock:

And cycling's more fun than joining the Masons.

ajohn9

Just shaved me legs for the first time
i feel so liberated!, it took me about an hour!

mossycp

Shaved mine for the first time yesterday as well. Feels great and it's gonna take at least a minute off my 10 time

I have a question though. I've always been an electric razor man as has my wife (on her legs though obviously!). The question is, should I use my usual electric shaver on my legs, or should I use a different one (e.g. my wifes ladyshave)?

powenb

I also have a question.

The day after shaving, does anyone elses legs, get loads of tiny red spots/dots above the knee and are quite sore to?

How often do you shave before riding?

Did mine saturday evening, then rode sunday about 11. That evening and today, they are really tender.
I use shaving foam and new razors, and I do it in the bath.

AndyGates

You need to exfoliate. Use a good rough body scrub after shaving.

That goes double for waxers - once is enough for me there. These days I just run the clippers over, which is good enough. Must finish my bathroom...

Regulator

AndyGates wrote:

You need to exfoliate. Use a good rough body scrub after shaving.

That goes double for waxers - once is enough for me there. These days I just run the clippers over, which is good enough. Must finish my bathroom...

It's better to exfoliate before shaving. Just make sure you rinse all the exfoliant off before shaving.

madmole

I still cant see the point

As an ex paramedic cant see how leg hairs effect healing of crash damage one way or another so thats not the reason and also why fall off on tarmac, its nice and flat and grippy. Mountain bikers fall off more as they ride over rough ground and they dont see the need to shave.

As for massage, I supose it helps a little, but not nescesarily needed. I'm lucky in that my wifes best friend is a trained masseause so I get a lot of freebies and I have quite hairy legs, doesnt interfere much at all. But I bet stubble would!!

Hairs also keep the nettles off (a bit) and keep legs warmer in the winter

Would be intreresting to see figures as to which is more streamline, A bare leg with air flowing over it, or a hairy leg with air flowing over a stationary layer held by hairs. I know in sailing that a slighly rough finish that holds a static water layer against it is much more efficient than a shiney hull, the same as the sharkskin swimsuits. I could see a hairly leg being more aerodynamic

ajohn9

mine dont hurt at all, and theres no red marks!
im a lucky one!, im sure i went faster today than ever before!

on the road

madmole wrote:

I still cant see the point

As an ex paramedic cant see how leg hairs effect healing of crash damage one way or another so thats not the reason and also why fall off on tarmac, its nice and flat and grippy. Mountain bikers fall off more as they ride over rough ground and they dont see the need to shave.

But mountain bikers fall down because they don't go as fast as rodies. Something that rodies get that MTBers don't get is road rash.

When a rodie falls, because they were going so fast they slide along the ground. When a MTBer falls, because they go so slow they just fall down :twisted:

jibi

where right is wrong, so wrong
( on screen not leg)

nuff said

SteveR_100Milers

madmole wrote:

I still cant see the point

As an ex paramedic cant see how leg hairs effect healing of crash damage one way or another so thats not the reason and also why fall off on tarmac, its nice and flat and grippy. Mountain bikers fall off more as they ride over rough ground and they dont see the need to shave.

As for massage, I supose it helps a little, but not nescesarily needed. I'm lucky in that my wifes best friend is a trained masseause so I get a lot of freebies and I have quite hairy legs, doesnt interfere much at all. But I bet stubble would!!

Hairs also keep the nettles off (a bit) and keep legs warmer in the winter

Would be intreresting to see figures as to which is more streamline, A bare leg with air flowing over it, or a hairy leg with air flowing over a stationary layer held by hairs. I know in sailing that a slighly rough finish that holds a static water layer against it is much more efficient than a shiney hull, the same as the sharkskin swimsuits. I could see a hairly leg being more aerodynamic

You aint been watching the tour then....you might ask Vinokourov this question after removing his epidermis and dermis and subcutaneous fat layer from his left ar*e cheek. The usual medical argument is that adjacent hair gets trapped in the wound, which given that most of them are still racing whist its healing, can give rise to a greater chance of secondary infection. As for aerodynamic effect, the same question applies to swimmers who shave all of their exposed body hair.........

In reality, I suspect we all do it because it exposes the definition of the muscles better, which intimidates your opponents.

ajohn9

madmole has been pretty much owned!