Has there ever been an Pro Rider with unshaven legs?

tailwindhome · March 2012

As per title?

Has anyone ever refused to shave?

greasedscotsman · March 2012

I can remember reading stories of Dimitri Konyshev turning up at races with un-shaven legs. But that wasn't that he refused, just he was, a bit laid back! He was a pretty good rider, finished 2nd to Lemond at the '89 World Road Race.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitri_Konyshev

OffTheBackAdam · April 2012

Wladimiro Panizza, IIRC.

sherer · April 2012

I still argue with people that say this is for aero. I've always read it is more to deal with cuts and grazes and road rash if you fall as it is easier to treat the cuts with no hair in the way

Dave_1 · April 2012

sherer wrote:

I still argue with people that say this is for aero. I've always read it is more to deal with cuts and grazes and road rash if you fall as it is easier to treat the cuts with no hair in the way

it is not so comfortable to get a hard 45 minute leg massage with hairy legs so my guess was that is where it comes from.

bigmat · April 2012

Andrei Tchmil didn't always shave if memory serves me right.

Abdoujaparov · April 2012

Dave_1 wrote:

sherer wrote:

I still argue with people that say this is for aero. I've always read it is more to deal with cuts and grazes and road rash if you fall as it is easier to treat the cuts with no hair in the way

it is not so comfortable to get a hard 45 minute leg massage with hairy legs so my guess was that is where it comes from.

That's the main reason, but it's also now a rite of passage. Would just be weird not to get them done.

Dave_1 · April 2012

Abdoujaparov wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

sherer wrote:

I still argue with people that say this is for aero. I've always read it is more to deal with cuts and grazes and road rash if you fall as it is easier to treat the cuts with no hair in the way

it is not so comfortable to get a hard 45 minute leg massage with hairy legs so my guess was that is where it comes from.

That's the main reason, but it's also now a rite of passage. Would just be weird not to get them done.

yes, it is a sign of being part of cycle race culture. Also, fit muscular legs look good shaved..can see all the definition and lines better..show the hard hard work you've done in training when pictures taken of fit pro like legs..just looks the part too..but comfortable painless massage is likely original reason.

Do swimmers shave all?

Tusher · April 2012

You mean bikini lines and oxsters?

Don't think the East German women did.

tailwindhome · July 2014

http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/ar ... taggering/

82secs in 25k?
That's huge.

phreak · July 2014

I think that experiment would need doing with more than one rider to be particularly scientific though wouldn't it?

tailwindhome · July 2014

phreak wrote:

I think that experiment would need doing with more than one rider to be particularly scientific though wouldn't it?

My take was more cynical - but I thought it bite anyway and repost it.

Crozza · July 2014

they did test more than one rider. you can read all about it here - "MITAerobike" is Mark Cote of specialized

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowt ... _P5119845/

and it's 82s in 25 miles / 40k

phreak · July 2014

Crozza wrote:

they did test more than one rider. you can read all about it here - "MITAerobike" is Mark Cote of specialized

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowt ... _P5119845/

and it's 82s in 25 miles / 40k

One of the 6 (still not a huge number) only managed to gain 50 seconds. What would account for the 32 seconds difference between that guy at the bottom end and the 82 seconds guy at the top end? Surely if it was just the hair then the differences would be the same? How did they account for the placebo effect?

comsense · July 2014

phreak wrote:

Crozza wrote:

they did test more than one rider. you can read all about it here - "MITAerobike" is Mark Cote of specialized

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowt ... _P5119845/

and it's 82s in 25 miles / 40k

One of the 6 (still not a huge number) only managed to gain 50 seconds. What would account for the 32 seconds difference between that guy at the bottom end and the 82 seconds guy at the top end? Surely if it was just the hair then the differences would be the same? How did they account for the placebo effect?

He wasn't as hairy as the lad who saved 82 secs

FJS · July 2014

There's a story of Hinault turning up at an autumn race with unshaved legs. Roger de Vlaeminck asked him what was going on, and Hinault answered 'vacances', meaning he didnt really care about the race.

Has there ever been an Pro Rider with unshaven legs?

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