Has there ever been an Pro Rider with unshaven legs?

tailwindhome
tailwindhome Posts: 18,925
edited July 2014 in Pro race
As per title?

Has anyone ever refused to shave?
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!

Comments

  • 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
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    Wladimiro Panizza, IIRC.
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    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
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    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
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Andrei Tchmil didn't always shave if memory serves me right.
  • 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
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    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
    Tusher Posts: 2,762
    You mean bikini lines and oxsters?

    Don't think the East German women did.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,925
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,905
    I think that experiment would need doing with more than one rider to be particularly scientific though wouldn't it?
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,925
    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.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    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
    phreak Posts: 2,905
    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
    comsense Posts: 245
    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 :D
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    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.