To Beard Or Not To Beard..?

CHRISNOIR

…that is the question.

Over Christmas I happily reverted to slob mode - plenty of booze, chocolate etc. This year however I decided to look the part as well and didn’t shave for two weeks (plus a week of beard growth at work) by which time a fair old bit of face fungus had built up.

I got out on the bike a few times and (it may be psychological) I felt a bit warmer. That distinct gurn you get when yer face is frozen wasn’t as apparent. I decided to shave it off though after a confidence crisis when I was invited out for dinner by my Missus parents and then regretted it as it was getting towards that ‘proper-beard-like-what-Dads-have’ look.

So, yeah, beards. What’s your experience / opinion?

Lagavulin

Funnily enough I go back to work in a couple of hours and was debating whether to revert to my clean-shaven, baldheadedness.

I too became a bit of a slob (as well as taking ill) over the festive period. I let both head and facial hair grow and I felt some benefit e.g. helmet didn't leave such silly marks on my scalp, bit more warmth etc. I did find it quite itchy on occasions wearing a buff or a scarf mind.

Really depends whether you can carry it off though. I'll admit I do look like a bit of a tramp (though many would say nothings changed there then) and anyone I answered the door to over New Year may well have assumed I was exercising squatter’s rights rather than the son of the owner.

I best go and dig out the charger...

hisoka

I used to have a beard, and long hair. I was always thought to be in my late thirties, which was impressive but scarey for a 22 year old.
Got rid of it, feels much better and don't get things tangled in it (helmet strap, twigs, pedestrians).
But that is just my point, always think a well groomed beard could be much better.

Stewie Griffin

A combination of illness and laziness caused some facial furriness over Christmas buts its so uncomfortable beyond about 5 days that I just dont understand how anyone can grow one by choice. Reminds me of when I used to work for EDS (large American Multinational) they told a friend who came in with a few days worth of growing beard that you cant be in the process of growing a beard while working for them. By all means come back from your holiday with a beard that you have already grown. They also told a colleague that his Hugo Boss sports jacket was an inappropriate colour and not to wear it to work again and (and this is the best one) I watched a manager measure the width of the stripes on a shirt of a colleague and heard the manager tell him not to wear it again as the stripes were too wide.

Happy days

Roadie Rods

I've also got to be clean shaven for work, which seems to encourage me to become a little lazy in my approach to shaving when I'm not working... though I did scrape a razor round my face for Christmas day and dinner with some friends over the holidays. I do feel warmer whilst cycling, but I don't seem to get treated so well whilst out shopping - I think it may be the already mentioned "tramp look"! :shock:

Stu07

I sport a beard but maintain it at a reasonable length. I find the it does make me feel warmer however it also attracts moisture and i end up with a soaking wet face at the end of a ride, even if it's not raining.

I also feel it appropriate to point out that none of the emoticons have a beard and therefore i feel i am unable to use them.

EQUAL RIGHTS FOR BEARDIES PLEASE!!

jellybellywmb

Just got rid of 3 weeks christmas growth, found it quite amusing when on saturdays ride I had little icicles hanging off it.

a_n_t

Stu07 wrote:

none of the emoticons have a beard !!

pneumatic

Five years ago, I decided to cycle to Santiago de Compostela with a couple of mates. This decision coincided with what I'm told is called my "mid-life transition" (i.e. a period of mild personal instability 8) )

To save weight, I didn't take any shaving kit. Three weeks later, I was well beardy.

We only got as far as Pamplona that Summer so we decided to come back the following year to finish the trip and I decided to keep the beard until we reached our final destination.

I liked my beard and everyone around me was cool about it. It did keep me warmer on my bike and made me feel secure.

After we finally reached Santiago the following year, my family took a swift vote on the future of the beard. I found myself in a minority of one. Then, as soon as it was off, everyone started telling me what they REALLY thought of it (and none of it was complementary).

I still miss it, though.

cycologist

I have had a bead for most of my adult life and have a set of clippers with which i vary the luxuriousness of the said growth. This is generally in line with the overall temperature as, yes, it does make a difference when riding. Currently it is reasonably bushy but should the temperature rise then it will be cut back to stubble proportions.
Unfortunately it probably does make me look (even) older, particularly when it is longer as it is now almpost entirely grey. I may look distinguished, but definately old ! This final point may not necessarily apply to the youthful Monsieur Noir.

BigG67

I went throught the same thing last year and decided to keep the fuzz after Christmas. I keep it short - longer than stubble but only just - so I can't comment on the warmth.

One thing to know is that it's not a lazy option to have a beard. For neatness I still shave my neckline on average 2 days out of 3 and clip the beard itself every second day. I also notice my hair more (which is cut to a no2) when it grows for some reason.....guess I'm sensitive to looking all bushy...

On comfort, I have to say that after a couple of weeks it was absolutely fine with no itchiness.

bigease

I have had a beard for more than 10 years now. It ha briefly been taken off a couple of times, but my wife actually threatened to leave me if I did not grow it back!

I do find that it keeps my face nominally warmer on the cold days, but like stu07, I always have a wet face at the end of a ride, or even some ice on the cold Cambridge mornings.

Mithras

Beard..it is the way to go....




http://www.beardliberationfront.com/

stevewj

Definately keeps the chin warmer than the surrounding exposed cheeks. One advantage is that on days like last wednesday when my drink bottle froze, it is still poss to get liquids by pulling the frozen fog that collects out and using that.

BUICK

I'm 34 and still can't grow a beard. I think that anyone who can and doesn't is not living up to their potential.

Actually :evil:

Cunobelin

BUICK wrote:

I'm 34 and still can't grow a beard. I think that anyone who can and doesn't is not living up to their potential.

Actually :evil:

Sadly....................

My beard is almost as old as you...................and older than many of my colleagues!

Grew it in 1978, and has been there ever since!

xpc316e

I had one for 25 years and only shaved it off because it aggravated my new partner's skin, but she did like the look of it. It was never one of those beards which house small mammals, but kept short and tidy. Even so it was quite a bit colder when I shaved it off.

I just hate the whole tedious business of standing in front of a mirror and scraping every morning; apparently three months of your life will have been spent shaving if you live an average lifespan. Think what you could do with an extra three months of life.

Cunobelin

xpc316e wrote:

I had one for 25 years and only shaved it off because it aggravated my new partner's skin, but she did like the look of it. It was never one of those beards which house small mammals, but kept short and tidy. Even so it was quite a bit colder when I shaved it off.

I just hate the whole tedious business of standing in front of a mirror and scraping every morning; apparently three months of your life will have been spent shaving if you live an average lifespan. Think what you could do with an extra three months of life.

If you have shaved off the beard - you now need to sell the recumbent!

robbarker

I suggest to the bearded amongst us that there may be aerodynamic benefits to having just the right amount of facial fuzz.

Manipulation of the reynolds number of your face could have huge benefits in tuning the airflow into the turbulent area under your torso as you ride along at speed, particuarly in a flat-backed time trial position.

In fact, beardodynamics could become the new area of advancement in competitive cycling. I predict that Giro will be producing a false beard attachement for their time trial helmet any time now. You heard it here first!

robbarker

Double post deleted.

Sort you hosting and connectivity out Bikeradar, it's awful at present!

iain_j

I'm normally clean shaven but if it's really cold and i'm planning a day out on my bike i'll go stubbly for a few days, even just 3 days growth is noticeably warmer in the wind. Acts like a carpet gripper for my scarf too

singlespeedexplosif

Beards are definitely the way to go. mine's somewhere inbetween Brian Blessed and ZZ Top standards just at the moment.
There may be some minor warmth factor, can't say I've ever noticed. But it is good when you're on a ride and your beard has frozen into icicles. Far fewer driver confrontations. Nobody, but nobody, f*cks with a man who has beard icicles. He's obviously either seriously tough or has mental issues.

CHRISNOIR

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

Nobody, but nobody, f*cks with a man who has beard icicles...

The references to 'beard icicles' in this thread are great evidence for growing a beard. Especially if your job (like mine) is of the pen-pushing, desk-sucking, blotter-jotter variety. Imagine walking, nay, lurching into the office with an ice-encrusted face. Women would swoon / scream from 50 metres away.

Anyway it's been a week and a half and the itchiness is kicking in but I find the cold weather takes the worst of the itch away. And the beard takes the worst of the cold weather away. It's a win-win situation, really.

demmerson

Cunobelin wrote:

BUICK wrote:

I'm 34 and still can't grow a beard. I think that anyone who can and doesn't is not living up to their potential.

Actually :evil:

My beard is almost as old as you!

My beard IS as old as you. I grew it in the summer of 1974 (which I spent living in a tent - happy days ).

DavidBelcher

Definitely in the non-beard camp here - having succumbed to chicken pox late in life (25) and being unable to shave for a fortnight at the time, the end result wasn't a pretty sight and couldn't wait to break out the razor. Though I'd have slotted into one of Mitchell & Webb's The Surprising Adventures of Sir Digby Chicken-Caesar sketches quite well....

David

heavymental

I dabbled with beardiness recently. Firstly, you do realise that the itch goes away once you're away from 'stubble' and into 'beard'? At a certain length the ends are clear of the skin and no longer causing trouble. Then the only problems you have are shaping it and keeping it kempt....or waiting for it to grow massive depending on what you're after.

I got rid of mine as I just got bored of it quite frankly....plus it was a bit ginger... It didn't look that great on me so I'm back to short stubble as shaving leaves my chin spotty.

What was funny was that it divides opinion. Some people love it (not many) and some people don't like it at all (lots!) but when you get rid of it they all come out of the woodwork...mostly to express their relief that you've got rid of it even though they said nothing when you had the beard! Can't go wrong with stubble. Easy to maintain and inoffensive.

Oh, make sure you have some fun when it comes time to shave it off. Handlebar moustache, 'soul patch', goatee, extended goatee, mutton choppers etc are all options to try out and make for some amusing photos.

Tourist Tony

I am in the CTC. I ride a Dawes with a Brooks and a Carradice saddle bag.
Well, it's obligatory, isn't it?

cee

I have beard phases. last big phase was a proper full set...

I always let it grow for the annual snowboard holiday....as mentioned...beard icicles.....

I find the itchiness starts about 5 days in, then stops being itchy a couple of days after that. trouble is.....pulling beard hairs out by hand is strangley addictive :oops:

CHRISNOIR

Heavymental wrote:

Oh, make sure you have some fun when it comes time to shave it off. Handlebar moustache, 'soul patch', goatee, extended goatee, mutton choppers etc are all options to try out and make for some amusing photos.

This is a must. I did this over Christmas - big chops / handlebar combo then slight hack back to the Zappa 'tache. My missus watched this display and quietly asked whether I'd have gone through the same routine if I was alone. I had to admit that I probably would, in fact I definitely would.

Gotte

Beard, for sure.

Cunobelin

Tourist Tony wrote:

I am in the CTC. I ride a Dawes with a Brooks and a Carradice saddle bag.
Well, it's obligatory, isn't it?

Sandals?