Should I or shouldn't I? Club pressure to shave legs

Jameszx9r

I met up with a few riders from a local club on a day out on the roadie. They're wanting me to be brave and completely shave my legs. One of the girls in the group even offered to do it to me. :P :P .

They tell me I should do it for better hygeine reasons, easier to wash, stick on plasters, etc, etc, but my family regularly sees me, and will think WTF???

Should I do it, so I can get a really good tan, cos I must admit a clean leg when in the tight stuff does look good compared to a teenwolf look..

Or not, so I can still go out with my MTB mates who'd disavow my existence....

DubaiNeil

The only possible question, is she a fox :?:

nferrar

For amateur riders it pretty much comes down to looks, regardless of what anyone says. If you want the look then shave, don't try and justify for aero/hygiene reasons But yeah the girl part might swing it...

CarleyB

Don't do it...

ilm_zero7

if the girl does it yes - has to be worth it...

danowat

Peer pressure to shave your legs?, boy, I've heard it all now!!!!.

Surely if you shave your legs, you've got to do your arms?, where do you stop?, chest?, head?, armpits?.

I know its personal opinion, but its a little bit feminine isn't it!

brin

I would let the girl do it for you, tell her you want to go the full monty, it will grow back in a fortnight (unless you become attached to the idea) :shock:

greasedscotsman

Maybe try one leg shaved and one hairy, to get a proper comparison. Maybe then report back here with the results

sagalout

Surely if he did that he'd be cycling in circles due to the aero difference

marin_maniac

Here it is.

Unless I was a pro, I would never shave my legs. That would be the only reason (just about) I could fend off the barrage of abuse I would get for doing it.

gareth2134

to be quite honest mate it's not just bikers that do it, theirs lots of sporting ppl who shave their legs. I know lads who don't even do sports who do it and they don't even go out on weekends wearing tutu's.


I have thought about it a few times I can see more pro's than cons but the cons could be more humiliating if you walk past the wrong ppl with shorts on

Strickland

When I had a tat done on my right leg, the whole leg was shaved. And I didn't really like it/ Far too smooth, and I got it ripped out of me at work. Personal choice, but I don't think I would.

willbevan

Personally I shave my legs.

The first and foremost reason being, when I had road rash, cleaning it out and stoping the hairs getting caught up in the scabs was a pain in the rear.

Shaved my legs after some advice it would be easier and next time much more pleasent experience, as road rash goes.

Well since then I havn't had road rash as I'm not falling off as much

Have to admit I keep shaving my legs now for Time trials, it could be that 1/10 of a second that puts me into a second below lol how sad!

Lycra Man

I shaved my legs for the first time last year. Purely vanity, I'm definitely no Pro rider.

I stopped shaving in October when the weather was too cold for shorts, and after a month my legs were completely re-grown.

Shaved again this spring when I finished with the longs, and I personally like it. No-one at home or work has mentioned it.

Interesting fact: Your legs don't feel so cold when there are no hairs.

Lycra Man

Oh and if young lady offered to shave my legs, I definetly accept, and explore a reciprocal arrangement.

Matt the Tester

she shaves your legs you shave some part of her 8)

jonmack

I've been doing mine for about a year, do them once a week, it's a bit of a pain in the ass the first few times but you soon get used to it. Yeah people take the piss but oh well, makes me feel like a better rider than I actually am

Veronica Bottoms

nferrar wrote:

For amateur riders it pretty much comes down to looks, regardless of what anyone says. If you want the look then shave, don't try and justify for aero/hygiene reasons But yeah the girl part might swing it...

Pretty much this. I don't buy this shave your legs for hygiene reasons. You can quite as easily clean a cut on a hairy leg as you can with a non hairy. Usually if it's grazed there will be no hair around that area as it's lost with the skin.

I can understand if it's a serious cut and you were going into hospital to have an operation but for your standard cut/graze it really makes ample difference unless you're a gorilla.

carrock

Felt so Good wrote:

if the girl does it yes - has to be worth it...

See if she'll give you a BSC while she's at it

sampurnell

where do you stop though, at the short line??
that would be an interesting look in the gym showers..

racingcondor

where do you stop though, at the short line??

If you're hairy stop at the ears! To be honest, if you're hairy don't bother, I'm not and it's still kind of hard to decide where to stop that doesn't look bizzare.

In my opinion thet worst place I can think of to stop is the shorts line, why would you keep 6 inches of hair?

Jameszx9r

I only ride for pleasure, not for racing or any time trials. Not at that fitness level yet.

But you do have a valid point - once you start, it'd look stupid only to shave a couple of inches above the shorts line.. You'd be as well do the full monty (for charity fo course ).

plowmar

Far enough so that you are not :oops: with your speedos on, even if you do not have any.

I shave because of the hygiene argument, as no one will give me a massage .

But smooth legs do feel good and as previously said you don't appear to feel as cold .

But winter time August 1st - June 30th let the hair sprout forth.

Veronica Bottoms

I still don't understand why people shave their legs for "hygiene" reasons yet don't shave their arms? Surely the same "hygiene" principles apply?

brin

maybe this will help you decide?

.....http://www.asylum.co.uk/2010/06/17/man- ... ing-gaffe/

........ouch!!

guilliano

Hairless legs look wrong on a man. The aero thing is a myth unless you are a swimmer. The hygiene thing is crap as hair is ripped off with skin. The only reason can be easier massages which most of us don't get....... which leaves vanity, and that only applies if you want to look like a woman.

sunburntknees

sampurnell wrote:

where do you stop though, at the short line??
that would be an interesting look in the gym showers..

Everything neck down.

Dodger747

Do it!

It looks and feels so much better... 8)

floosy

Yup I do it.... once a week

Looks silly if you dont do it from the neck down...

and yes I do wear speedos too..

Dave



PS it is purely for vanity... wife says I have great legs...

neeb

I'll probably end up shaving mine this year for the first time after 2 or 3 years of resistance. It's just a tribal initiation thing, like getting tattoos if you are a Maori or growing your hair long and getting a beer belly if you are a biker.. A venerable piece of pan-human social anthropology. I'm procrastinating on the basis that I at least want a bit of a tan first...

Whether or not it helps with hygiene or reducing road rash, it must make removing plasters on cuts and road rash a lot less painful...

Dave-M

I've inquired about waxing...may as well get someone else to do it!

Headhuunter

How much time do you lot spend face down on the tarmac to get road rash so often that the argument that it's easier to clean wounds is relevant?! I cycle 100-120 miles per week and I don't remember the last time I crashed or had road rash of any kind. Rather than shaving your legs, just practice trying to stay on your bike and away from road surfaces!