But it would scream of your devotion to helping Tibbs. Oh well, can’t blame me for trying. How about modelling a TSR shirt then selling it off to the highest bidder?
I love all the comments on how girls like the shaved look… my experience is that the average non-tri/cyclist chick thinks it’s weird or gay. But I do it anyway…
I admit I have never crashed on my bike, but I have played lots of soccer over my years where I had “rasberries” from slideing on the grass. I have hairy legs and never had an issue with hair follicles growing out painfully.
Regarding swimming, I understand that Australian swimmers were some of the first to shave thier legs for swimming. Apparently, the shaving removes the upper levels of the skin, making the legs more sensitive to the water. This feeling apparently gives swimmers a better feel for the water.
I’m naturally ‘smooth’; I have very little hair on my arms/legs, and it’s blonde so it’s hard to see. People complain about my ‘chick legs’, and I don’t even shave them.
I’ve found that the sod-induced raspberries are almost non existent when I shave my legs. I’m assuming the same applies to the road, but the only times I’ve crashed were with shaved legs so I have no basis of comparison.
Wiped out on roller blades one time for a good dose of road rash. Wish that my legs had been shaved.
Most people think that when swimmers shave that they are just taking away the resistance that the body hair provides. What actually happens is, when you shave, you are not only taking away the hair, but the layer of dead skin that has accumulated with the chlorine. Your body reacts by releasing a natural oil that is hydrophobic and repels water, making you slip through it much easier.
I used to know quite a few girl swimmers who would only shave before big meets, the rest of the time they would walk around hairy.
If you shave regulary you have no dead skin layer, as you always remove it.
So, if I was going to shave fully (I trim right now, not for performance), I’d grow it out for a while and then shave it the night before my big race. That’s the only way I can see you’d get mental and physical advantage from shaving…
My take on the shaving thing: yes it looks sexy (sexier if they are well muscled and tanned…neither of which describe my current state) and yes it is better if you crash. My only race crash experience I was very glad I had shaved legs. Went down when the guy I was trying to pass looked over his shoulder (first gen aerobars and riders had no idea how to ride them…not much has changed in some cases) and his back wheel skewer caught in my spokes. Instastop. Back in the days when there was no torso rule (ah the good old days…how I miss thee) I wasn’t wearing a shirt either. Hit the deck of a back country road (paved but a lot of road grit on it) going about 30+mph and took a good number of layers of skin off my back, shoulders, hip, forearm and yes leg. Didn’t help that the offender landed on me at speed either. A trip to the hospital and a less than gentle nurse later I was left to heal. The wounds wept like a little child it seems like forever and the one saving grace was that removing the dressing to change it didn’t hurt as much as if I had leg hair. If you’re trying to justify shaving that will always be a good enough reason for me. As far as SPF of leg hair? I’m sure there must be something to it…but I just don’t see it being that big a deal unless you’re George the animal Steele. In which case if you’re that hairy…please don’t swim too close to me at future races (has this picture of Ben Stiller in a recent movie where he drags his face against some guys hairy chest/stomach in a basketball game…so very ewww)
You do it because the chicks find it sexy.
I thought guys find it sexy? Seriously. Women have shaved their legs because men don’t like women with hairy legs. From what i understand leg shaving is no fun, and women only do it because men find shaved legs attractive. So, who doesn’t like hairy legs? Men. Do the majority of women prefer men with shaved legs, or just a small number … enough for a few guys to justify doing it?
Outside of triathletes, cyclists, swimmers, and bodybuilders, which athletes shave their legs? Shave your legs in a locker room sometime and observe the response you get.
Women like men who shave their legs because it’s just one more thing they have in common. =) women also like men that like to shop & gossip.
You guys shave your forearms too? How dumb does it look to hair everywhere else except your legs? I guess that was a dumb question b/c someone is going to say “just shave everything” … yeah, great … I wanna look like a 6’3 12-year old. 
This thread is fun. I guess I’m just one of those guys that think “shaving” other than the face is for “girls”. I have friends that do it, and I don’t understand it. I love this sport, but geez it’s “look” is about as feminine as a man can get while still remaining a man … no hair, short, tight clothing … what man came up with that idea?
I see guys with painted toenails, so maybe I’m the weird one who still thinks genders groom differently. Anyway, I’m off to get a French manicure, some masscara, lip gloss, and a bikini wax. The ladies love it.
Point taken to the extreme…and extremely amusing. Hadn’t thought about it in that perspective…no wonder I love this site.
I felt the same way (and really don’t get the painted toenails…) but now if I’m at a race and see a guy with hairy legs I think: what an amatuer. Which is funny because I’m a total newbie amateur, but at least I can pose like a hardcore triathlete
don’t let’em fool you, they love it. maybe weird at first, but i have yet to meet a girl that doesn’t come around.
Shave for looks. You guys crash? Don’t do that. Bad.
I think women are torn on the issue. On one hand, ive noticed that usually non-athletic girls first respond with a weird look and, “You shave your legs?” But soon after, they follow with, “You have really nice legs!” So, i think it makes you look more cut, which some chicks dig. I dont think it would make a fat guy look sexy.
I’m the hairiest guy on this board. That point isnt up for debate. I have never shaved, as it hasnt really bothered me in any road rash incidents. I do think it would make getting the wetsuit off a bit easier.
But the real reason is as a hairy MOPer, I’m called a newbie. As a shaven MOPer, I’d be a poser.
“my experience is that the average non-tri/cyclist chick thinks it’s weird or gay”
Who gives a rat’s a$$ about non-tri/cyclist chicks? Tri Babes rule!
Haim
Suck it up and stop being a baby - wax your legs - shaving is for wimps.
mp
p.s. please read this with the appropriate amount of sarcasm …
Women like muscular legs … hair on em or not. Let’s not forget to state the obvious. Is anyone so hairy that other peole cannot tell if you’re muscular or not?
The really funny thing about women is they don’t want guys to get “too muscular” … as if it happens overnight or by accident.
This topic reminds me of inter-sport debates back in college during lunch, night-out, whenever. I played baseball and would point out how much chicks love baseball (actually they like sitting in the sun in very little clothes), then my football playing friends would remind me that “Baseball is for fags”. It’s all relative.
Funny thread. This thread came just as I was thinking about shaving my legs this season. Light skin and dark hair is not hot (I have no illusions about my motivation). But seriously, what am I getting myself into. Am I going to be shaving my legs three times a week…I have a hard enough time remembering to shave before work as is.
I think dark leg stubble on fair skin may be worse than hairy legs. Tough call, huh?
I think I’m gonna grow mine back. Shaving is a pain in the ass, and really needs to be done every day if you want to be smooth enough for spontaniety w/ the Mrs. Plus, take a look in the mirror…there is no place to make a smooth transition from shaved to “natural” without looking like you dumped a handful of hair on your crotch on what would otherwise be your marble-smooth lower half.
There really are two answers to this age old problem: 1) chicks dig it, and 2) it can be helpful when you crash. Well, many of us are happily married and couldn’t (or shouldn’t!) care less about the chick factor. On the other point, I’ve found myself to be more of a butcher than a shaver, so by the time the cumulative scarring and blood-letting from my attempts at shaving are added up, I have a couple free crashes already in the bank.