It doesn’t. Shaving your arms doesn’t help road rash heal better, either.
But some cyclists shave their legs because their legs are buff and they
want to show off their muscles. For some reason they’re not willing to
admit this, but the fact that they don’t shave their arms is telling.
-Tom
Thanks for your concern but I didn’t get checked. Heck, if I got checked out at the doctor’s office everytime I got my bell rung I would have to have a doctor on retainer. Lewis is right, thiswild behavior might be the reason that I enjoy life so much!
As for shaving legs, I was a competitive cyclist - forever - and I’ve been shaving my legs for 30 years now. I think that shaving my legs has more to do with hygene than anything else. After a ride (on one wheel or two) I always wipe-down with alcohol and clean-up. With hair the whole process is a lot less tidy. Also, another reason to shave is to not have to deal with hair if a bandage is needed OUCH. If you are applying a warming lotion to your legs to loosen the muscles up or to protect them from the cold, the whole process is a lot more efficient without the hair. Besides, nothing feels as good as sliding into clean, cotton sheets with shaved legs. It is also pretty nifty to feel rain rolling down your legs while riding.
I’m so used to not having hair on my legs that I still shave even though since discovering unicycling I have hardly been on two wheels. However, my friends know that cyclists shave their legs but now that I don’t race any more they are beginning to wonder about me.
The professional cyclists get heavy duty leg massages. Hairy legs would make for an uncomfortable massage with all the hairs getting yanked and pulled. They don’t get arm massages so there is no need (kneed) for them to shave their arms.
If a new cyclist has “cut” legs they will FOR SURE shave for the intimidation factor - but only if they are real newbies. Everybody soon realizes that muscle looks have almost nothing to do with cycling performance or unicycling performace either.
Shaving legs: is there no component of aerodynamics involved?
Knowing nothing about road bicycle racing, massaging and road rash and
stuff, I was just thinking that a smooth skin would “shave off” a
little bit of your time…
I think that’s probably an old wive’s tale. The amount of aerodynamics gained, would surely be lost in the wrinkles of the jersey. I think that rumour was started by someone who didn’t know of the aforementioned reasons.
After me preaching about “always wear your helmet” I was disappointed to see my picture in a local health and fitness magazine that was taken while I was coaching some kids at a local mountain bike race. I was pictured riding my MUni with, of course, no helmet(!). I swear, I was just riding over to the finish line! I think that if we are to promote healthy decision regarding we, too, need to model what we preach. I just have to learn to listen to my own advice.