Men Shaving Legs

Jonathan Brown

OK.. lets be honest, I don't get why men shave their legs. So can someone please tell me, why do male Triathletes and Bicyclist shave their legs?

 

I have heard the following reasons already:

1) if you have road rash, shaved legs help ease the cleaning of the road rash

2) we like showing off our legs and hair hides the leg muscles.

 

So who would like to share why they shave their legs?  I just see it as a massive time suck and potential danger of nicks, cuts, and razor burns.

Bruce Thompson

It's a tribal thing!! Part of the cycling culture.

It makes me feel faster.  Some chicas dig it.

Actually, I believe it started in Europe with the bike racers who would get a massage after a race.   Was better for both parties.

Dino Sarti

This was covered in detail last year, but the search feature of EN 5.0 seems lacking tonight. Bruce nails it above, but the long and short of it for me is that it is about taking care of my drivetrain and behaving like a pro.

I care for cranks, cogs and chain. My legs are what make the whole thing work. Having them shaved makes it easier to apply lotion, embrocations and use my message roller. It is also cleaner when it comes to road grit and grime.

That being said, the biggest aspect for me is probably mental. I feel stronger and ready to ride when bike is well maintained, my kit is clean and squared away and my legs are shaved. Some would says I am a poser, but I like to look pro when I am on my bike. I put a tremendous amount of time into my training (some would say my results don't show it . haha.) and I like that reflected in how I put myself together - The glasses, the kit, the shoes, how I pack my jersey pockets and the way I keep my bike aero and ship shape. Keeping a nice shave on my legs is just an extension of that thinking.

It is not always true, but guys that show up to the group ride freshly shaved are generally among the most committed to the culture. Hairy leg doodes need not be offended. I am speaking in a generalities and would argue that anyone here is among the top 5% of committed athletes. Hairy leg guys can be totally committed as well and I have been spanked up a climb more times then I like by a doode wearing leg sweaters.

So, to each his own, but you will NOT find a hairy legged guy in the pro peloton.....

Robert Sabo

Wetsuit comes off easier too.

Joe Matchette

Agree with everything above.

My reasons boil down to this:

• Tribal identity
• Ease of massage
• It did make healing easier after my crash last year
• But absolutely most importantly --- My wife digs it.

As far as the admin goes, after the first time it is pretty easy to maintain.  I just knock out a section every couple of days so it is only two to three minutes extra each time.

Al Truscott

I'm too lazy to shave my face, much less my legs. I had too much of it when swimming in college to start up again. Bottom line,if it doesnt help me go faster, why bother.

Like Dino, though, I make no judgements about depiliation choices of others.

Darren Freeman

Basically everything else mentioned and... 

I was watching the Tour de France a few years ago and they interviewed one of the american cyclists and he said they shave because it makes it much easier for the message therapist guys to do their job at the end of the day.  Who wants a deep tissue massage while your hair is getting pulled out of your leg at the same time. 

Oh, ya.. the girls dig it too..  

ezellrh

I tried it for one season of racing roadie. It seems my wife really liked the freshly shorn legs the same day I shaved, but it grew back way to quick for her satisfaction. So it was either shave every day or not shave at all. As I don't have enough hours in the day as it is and there was no real value add for me except the acceptance of other dudes, I quit doing it. No judgement on either call, I totally understand the guys that do it.

new2703

I am sort of a hybrid of all the above reasons. I won't shave my leg until I feel I've reached a level of respectability regarding race performance. Same reason I don't wear team jerseys or singlets. Mentally, I want to make sure I represent to the best of my ability. But that's just my flawed thinking

John Withrow

I don't shave my legs. BUT, I did have them waxed before IMNYC last yr. It was great! You find cool veins that you never knew you had. With the waxing it lasted for at least 3-4 weeks before it grew back so I went back several times. It simply makes you "feel" the part. I stopped for the OS, but will remove the hair again once I start going back outside. If you would have asked me 5 yrs ago, I would have said there was NO WAY I would ever shave or wax my legs... Now it kind of seems normal to me.

Scott Alexander

I just had this discussion with a buddy's girlfriend while I was at my "base camp" (three day) this last week. I gave these reasons:
-easier for massage, affirmed by my massage therapist
-wetsuit pulling
-road rash is easier to clean, but actually feels worse when the hair starts growing thru the scabs exactly when you cannot shave it
-for me, it signals the official "kick off" to my season. After a long cold winter, I'll shave to mentally signal the beginning!!
-most importantly, chicks dig it!!

Piece of advice from someone that has mild eczema...do NOT use nair or nair-like chemical depilatories. You're basically chemically burning yourself and it hurts like HELL!!!

Steve West

There seem to be some general rules of public decency. Like not farting in public, picking you nose is gross and cyclist should always shave there legs......

Well, I do fart when ever I have to. I've been known to pick my nose too, and so it only follows that I ride with what ever hair my legs can muster..... which isn't very much...

Clean shaven legs are a part of the bike etiquette, I guess but it seems ironic to me that peeing on the bike is more acceptable than hairy legs..... go figure...

Coach Patrick

For me it's when I get "serious" about my season. Until then I am just training....but when the hair comes off it's game on.

William Jenks

Let me ask another question: why do American women shave legs? why do women shave armpits?

At some level, it's just fashion/psychological.

mgraffeo

The only explanation you'll ever need:

 http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2008/6/20/why-do-cyclists-shave-their-legs-the-only-explanation-you-wi.html

 And the only tool you'll ever need, if you don't want to cut/nick yourself:

http://www.shaveeverywhere.com/