Hairy Legs

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Permalink Reply by cxchiva on August 28, 2009 at 2:35am

Not that you would get road rash from CX but last week at a local twilight crit a teammate of mine went down on the last lap and also crashed a week earlier on his other side. As I was helping wrap the dudes legs with gauze and tape it very much reminded me of one of the many reasons for shaving.

I have seen friends wives act in disgust in response to their husbands wearing bib shorts. These kinds of responses can only mean that they have some sort of deeper issue of their own. Beware of women who freak on men who show any sort of femininity.

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Permalink Reply by powenb on August 28, 2009 at 4:13am

It is proven that if you shave your legs, you look like you ride faster.
So do it.
My wife complains about the stubble also, but when do I listen to her?!?!

"If you can't ride like a pro, at least look like one!"

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Permalink Reply by DaveB on August 28, 2009 at 11:50am

DO NOT shave the legs - man or woman.
Shaving runs counter to everything CX!

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Permalink Reply by Gary Olson on August 28, 2009 at 1:32pm

Mark -

Personally, I say go get the razor and shave away. Try the Gillette Venus and use some sort of shaving cream. Soap sucks. If you find you don't like it, the hair will grow back.

I did a little pros/cons to shaving on my blog: http://cowbelltolls.blogspot.com/2009/02/to-shave-or-not-to-shave.html

Maybe that will help you make up your mind.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Steigerwald on September 11, 2009 at 1:54pm

Let your wife get invovled in this, let HER shave your legs! If it is done to her satisfaction maybe she won't conplain?

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Permalink Reply by Barbarella Howe on September 13, 2009 at 9:14pm

It's been scientifically proven that embrocation applies easier on clean shaven legs and everyone knows that well embrocated legs are sexy legs.

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Permalink Reply by Cyclocross Magazine on September 14, 2009 at 10:09pm

the question is - are those embrocated legs any faster?

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Permalink Reply by splurm on September 14, 2009 at 5:23am

I just use clippers on my legs and arms to keep it short. I think its a good compromise. I personally dont feel like adding an extra 15-20 min. of grooming to take care of leg stubble every other day.

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Permalink Reply by GeWilli on September 15, 2009 at 7:13am

there are plenty of fast hairy chewbacka legs running around CX scene. And if you have hair you don't need embro... and if you want to stink like those [embro] guys get some perfume...

it grows back, so maybe give it a try. but that first time round - clippers first. Then shave. AND use shaving cream. PLenty of it. And a good blade. Shave with the grain not against it, and after your shower not before (rinse off post shaving).

One thing - if you shave frequently it takes less time. If you wait for the stubble to get long it can take forever to shave (cleaning blade after every stroke and shorter strokes and all)...

give it a try - just give her some re-assurance that it will grow back just as fuzzy...

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Permalink Reply by Philip Higgs on September 15, 2009 at 7:27am

Man, I don't know where you're riding/racing, but if it's at all muddy, I say shave. Forget the embrocation, forget the bandage issue -- I've got Chewie legs, and the biggest negative for not shaving is all the mud chunks that dry in my leg hairs. They take days of long showers to get out. And I'm not pro enough to have someone towel me down after every ride and race; usually I'm too busy heaving and looking for beer. Mud chunks = bad. Shaving = good. I don't care how it looks or whether it makes me faux-pro, mud chunks are evil.

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Hodson on September 19, 2009 at 5:58pm

I shaved when I raced roads as a teen. That got me odd looks from at least one girlfriend then. I also shaved (everything) when I swam...once. The agony of hair growing back in my nether regions was enough to make me train harder in the pool.

Shave for 'cross? Meh. Wear long woolies when it's cold, short woolies when not. If you must be hairless get waxed. It lasts longer, and the act will make one determine if one truly wants hairless legs.

Unless you crash a lot. Then shave. Bandages won't cling to seeping wounds as badly when there is no hair to entangle them.

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