Shaving your legs?

Discussion in 'Racing and Training' started by BFloFoxRider., Nov 11, 2007.

  1. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    Haha ok so now that i do cross country people ask why i dont shave my legs... like kids at my school think that all bikers shave their legs and ask why i still have hair on mine
    so why do cross country riders shave their legs and what does it do?
    i never understood it... well maybe that TINY bit of less wind resistance but it doesnt seem like it would be that big of a deal?:?:
     
  2. ocrider

    ocrider New Member

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    its for wind resistance. its more of a roadie thing. I'm a xc racer and I have never shaved my legs.
     
  3. thephat

    thephat Active Member

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    so pretty

    Roadies shave because they don't want to pick hair out of the road rash. Shaving helps the scrapes heal better.

    You know some folks do it to better show off thier calf muscles.
     
  4. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    im pretty sure my godfather used to shave his when he raced cross country... but thanks
    i've been thinking about a road bike when i get money, which will probably be never
     
  5. CPATCRASH

    CPATCRASH Enjoy the ride!

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    NO! It's so when you crash you don't get asphalt and hair in the road rash. Also less chance for infection. It will also heal better/faster without as much scaring.
     
  6. Pain Freak

    Pain Freak Dead or Alive

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    Real roadies (me) don't shave their legs!

    Naw, I have a few friends that do it and I still get varying answers as to why they do it. Myself, I'll stick with my good ol short hairy legs.
     
  7. HUGH

    HUGH Mashers Only !!

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    My last road crash I lost 3/4 of a square foot of skin!! The doctor was pleased that my legs were freshly shaven. His quote was "well it could have been worse, you could have had hair on your legs!" Too funny.
    If you have any tats it makes them look better. Ticks can't latch on that easy. I think (but not proven) it makes you faster. Oh and it feels great when you wear jeans(did I just say that out loud??)

    HUGH
    :)
     
  8. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    yea im thinking about doing it cuz hairy legs look kinda funny in lycra :?:
    maybe if i race DH with shaved legs i could start a new trrend? :-k
    well maybe not me but if bighead raced with shaved legs he would definitely start a new trend :)
     
  9. roadkillross

    roadkillross New Member

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    i had mine shaved for sea otter last year. helped with the mud hahaa.
     
  10. JamR

    JamR Moderator

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    For me,
    #1 Cuts and scrapes are easier to take care of (and I get cut a lot!)
    #2 Ticks......I can't recall the last time I picked up a tick while riding. I get them on my pant legs quite often while working on the trails, but not not my legs when wearing shorts.

    Cuts and scrapes are the #1 for me though. Easier to clean, easier to bandage, and they seem to heal faster.

    Someone also told me that supposedly there is a benefit of increased blood-flow to the skin due to shaving, but I'm not really convinced of that one.
     
  11. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    hmm i dont fall much, rarely, but maybe i should shave them in case i wash out during an xc race.... :-k
     
  12. JamR

    JamR Moderator

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    I fall a lot.....mostly a lot of slow-mo crashes, but I almost always have one cut or scrape in some various stage of healing at any point in time.

    Got a nice 3" grind running down my left shin right now.....Lost traction climbing Camarillo this morning and tanked it to the left onto the rocks. But it's still all fun.
     
  13. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    well, i do slip pedals when i ride bikes around town alot... and get scraped...
    so i probably will
    but i wont hear the end of it from my dad #-o
    oh well i guess he'll have to deal with it when im bringing in win after win after win, in my cross country races :bang:
     
  14. foofighter

    foofighter Ride More Talk Less

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    the recurring reason that i read is that the hairs somehow slow down the healing process. so is it safe to say that hairs have things on them that slows down the healing process and are breeding ground for infections? I used to shave when i rode a lot and was accident prone, and i must admit that my wounds did seem to heal alot faster and the painful removal of bandage from the hairy legs makes it pretty painful.

    And Hugh, i do agree that when i wore dress slacks it felt weird on the legs.
     
  15. LBmtb

    LBmtb good times

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    For those that shave their legs - do you stop there or also shave your arms for the same reasons (cuts/ticks/speed)?
     
  16. BFloFoxRider.

    BFloFoxRider. Active Member

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    good point didnt think of that
     
  17. surlygal

    surlygal Bad Girl of DH

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    Neil shaves his legs more often than I do (comes from his roadie days) - he does it on the side of the tub every other day, Maddie has always seen Daddy shave. One time she saw me shaving and was like "you shave your legs too?"
     
  18. foofighter

    foofighter Ride More Talk Less

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    when i shaved i only shaved the legs, i'm asian so there's not a lot of arm/leg hairs to begin with LOL
     
  19. lukewiens

    lukewiens New Member

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    once you crack there is no goin back....haha.

    i also swim quite a bit...so i just use that excuse.

    :?:
     
  20. Code Blue

    Code Blue Guest

    For what it...

    is worth I would never ask you why don't you shave your legs:lol:#-o


    DON'T DO IT!!!![-X
     

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