Why do cyclists shave their legs? Why do cyclists shave their legs? Higher aerodynamic performance of smooth legs compared to unshaven ones Why do cyclists shave their legs?

I. Smooth skin on the legs improves aerodynamics on the bike

Theory: In an era of body-hugging cycling uniforms, aerodynamic frames, special helmets, ultra-light carbon rims, it is pointless to ignore the small advantage that shaved legs can provide (A 1987 study concluded that aerodynamic performance improves by about 0.6%, which saves about 5 seconds on a 40-kilometer trial).

Reality: “Practical benefit depends on how hairy you are. I mean, look at modern fitted cycling uniforms. It fits very well, there are no seams or discomfort. And all of this creates an advantage, so leg hair can slow you down,” says Levi Lephimer.

Mountain biking has a different standard: “It probably makes a difference at the highest cutting level,” comments Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, US national mountain biking champion. “But with us, no, not at all.”

There is another opinion, expressed by Tour de France stage winner Davis Phinney: “In terms of actually improving aerodynamics, this doesn’t help much. But I know that when I looked down and saw hairy legs, I immediately felt that I was walking slower.”

II. Epilation increases the benefits and pleasure of massage

Theory: When your hair is pulled during a massage, it really hurts.

Reality: “This is why I shave my legs. It would hurt too much if I didn't." - Levi Lephimer.

“You need more oil if you have a lot of hair on your legs. You don't want to feel like a greased pig." - Andy Hampsten, Giro d'Italia winner.

“Exactly. This is the main reason I shave. I can't even imagine the pain that awaits me with a full massage with hairy legs. I also believe that the best massage techniques do not involve a lot of oil, so it is also important to have as little hair as possible,” Horgan-Kobelski.

“When the skin is smooth it feels better, but at a deeper muscle level there is no difference. You can do the same thing with both unshaven legs and smooth ones. I work with cyclists all year round, and even pros have hairy legs in winter,” Chris Grouch, certified massage therapist.

“I’m sure it’s better for the person doing the massage. Would you like to touch hairy legs?” - Todd Wells, US National Cyclocross Champion.

III. Smooth skin makes it easier to clean and care for wounds

Theory: Cleaning and caring for wounds becomes easier and abrasions heal faster if the skin is hair-free. Hair prevents the removal of dust and dirt and also makes it difficult to change dressings.

Reality: “I have always been sure that falls are the main reason. When you fall, you tear off your skin and your hair just collects dirt, which is not good for a bandage." - Davis Phinney.

“It also helps the special tapes (kinesio) that many people use now stick better,” Horgan-Kobelski.

IV. Smooth legs just look better - and it makes you faster

Theory: Every muscle contraction and muscle lines are more visible when they are not covered by hair, and the more gorgeous you look, the cooler you ride.

Reality: “It is true. You yourself realize that smooth legs make you feel faster. I always shave before cutting. And you feel the wind blowing through your feet." - Chris Horner.

V. Women like men with smooth legs

Theory: Everyone actually thinks that spouses and partners laugh about it all the time.

Reality: “Even when my husband (Horgan-Kobelski) stops racing, I insist that he continue to shave. I think it's cool. But I race myself. But most women would probably disagree with me..." - racer Heather Irmizher.

VI. This is a tradition

Theory: Losing hair on your legs means starting to live new life, with the honor of knowing that this makes you a true cyclist. Besides, showing up with hairy legs in a serious race is like showing up to church in shorts.

Reality: “Tradition is the main reason why everyone shave for the first time. If you're a cyclist, you just have to do it." - Chris Horner.

“Shaving your legs is a sign of being a cyclist,” Horgan-Kobelski.

“It was fashionable when I was racing. It's fashionable now. Real cyclists shave their legs." - Davis Phinney.

From Bicycling.com: Why Do Cyclists Shave Their Legs? By Jason Sumner

Why do cyclists shave their legs?

Some secrets for uninformed people professional athletes may seem a little shocking. Like, for example, the news that cyclists' legs should be smooth. The question becomes quite logical: why do cyclists shave their legs? Read the answer to it in our article.

Reasons why cyclists shave their legs

There are several explanations for why many athletes use razors for professional purposes. Let's talk about a few of them.

Firstly, this is associated with driving speed. A cyclist with smooth legs goes faster. The lack of hair is supposedly compensated for by increased aerodynamics. Indeed, in some sports, body hair reduces the athlete’s speed, for example, in swimming. But for cycling, this reason does not look convincing - if the speed of movement on a bicycle increases due to smooth limbs, then the percentage of acceleration is negligible...

Secondly, on smooth skin it is faster and easier to treat abrasions and wounds resulting from unsuccessful completion of the distance. This is more like the truth. It’s true that washing a wound on smooth limbs is much more convenient and effective. And tearing off the patch won’t hurt as much as if there were hair on your legs :)

Third reason, this is a massage. After finishing the bike ride, athletes visit a massage therapist. Of course, with smooth legs, the sensitivity from the massage will be much higher, and the result of the session will be more productive.

Another explanation shaved limbs among cycling representatives mean a neat and attractive appearance. By the way, for this purpose, not only cyclists, but also, for example, weightlifters, get rid of excess body hair. Simply put, in the world of sports this is not considered a disadvantage.

AND last explanation Why cyclists shave their legs is, of course, a desire to follow tradition. For for long years Road racers shaved their leg hair, and today it has become a kind of ritual. If you want to get into the cycling crowd, just shave your legs. And it doesn’t matter how fast you pedal :)

Shaving leg hair is a common occurrence in the world of cycling, for both professionals and serious amateurs. There is no strict rule about whether or not to shave your legs, and, frankly, there are no compelling reasons to do it, other than for the sake of tradition and personal preference. The decision to shave your legs is a personal matter. Here are some reasons why cyclists still shave their legs. 1. For greater aerodynamics

Most often, shaving legs is explained by the desire to go faster. The less hair on the legs, the higher the speed - this is what many people think. The only problem is that the aerodynamics improve incredibly little, one might say that it is completely unnoticeable. It looks especially funny when American cyclist Dave Zabriskie shaves his legs to go faster and leaves his big luxurious mustache alone. But despite wind tunnel test results, cyclists who BELIEVE shaving their legs will help them ride faster see positive effect from this.

2. To make it easier to treat injuries

One of the arguments in favor of shaving is that it makes it easier to treat abrasions sustained in a “accident” on the highway. It will be easier to wash the wound if there is no hair on the legs, the possibility of infection will be reduced, and there will be no pain when removing the patches.

3. For a more enjoyable massage

One of the big advantages professional sports– a massage that you will receive at the end of the bike ride. If you have clean-shaven legs, it will be easier and more pleasant for the trainer to massage you. Plus, there will be no unpleasant sensations when the massage therapist pulls hairs while working on your muscles.

4. Attractive appearance

Many people with shaved legs look better than hairy ones. Tanned, muscular and slender legs become even more beautiful when there is no hair on them. For the same reason, weightlifters shave their body hair to look better on the podium. Those who follow professional cycling know that there is no shortage of shaved legs.

5. Tradition

Perhaps the most compelling reason for shaving your legs is tradition. For years, cyclists have simply shaved their legs, and if you shave your legs, you belong to the same group, no matter how fast you ride.

This mainly applies to professional cyclists, as well as amateurs who prefer training on a bicycle with a more athletic bias. There are many opinions about why cyclists shave their legs. Besides personal preferences, there are several versions of why they do this.

What makes cyclists shave their legs?

1. To reduce aerodynamic drag. The less hair on your legs, the less air resistance. The issue is controversial, because the resistance of hair to air is negligible and its value should not be taken seriously. Actual wind tunnel tests confirmed this version. For a cyclist who shaves his legs, this is more of a psychological moment to set himself up for maximum results.

2. Treatment of injuries. One of the reasons cyclists shave their legs is to treat injuries after they have occurred. In cycling, this is mainly bruises and skin abrasions after a fall. If there is no hair, it is easier to treat and treat the wound. The likelihood of infection also decreases. When applying a bandage, the hair does not dry to it and the bandage is easier to remove.

3. Massage. Like all athletes, cyclists need a massage to relieve fatigue and stress. When performing it, the hair gets in the way and creates additional pain, which contradicts the reason for performing the massage. Having shaved legs can eliminate these phenomena, and it will also be more comfortable for the person doing the massage.

4. Attractive appearance. From an aesthetic point of view, for many people, shaved legs look better than with hair. For the same reason, weightlifters shave their body hair to look good on the platform. Tanned Beautiful legs cyclists with prominent muscles look better with smooth, shaved skin. Famous cyclists especially pay attention to this.

5. Traditions. suggests that cyclists began to shave their legs from the time when the first bicycle competitions began. Therefore, this phenomenon has become a tradition among cycling. Regardless of the level of the athlete and his individual performance, in order to belong to the caste of cyclists and not stand out from a bad point of view, many cyclists shave their legs.

Also read on this topic:

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The bulk of cycling shorts are made of spandex - a synthetic material that stretches well, taking the shape of the body and compresses back after exercise. Cycling shorts made from this material are easy to put on and light in weight...

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Probably as long as cycling has existed, cyclists have been discussing the need to shave their legs. This topic constantly collects a huge number of comments on the forums. Many men have to step over themselves to do this, but some don’t even think about the advisability of such a decision.

Shaving your legs, like anything else, other than hard work and constant practice on the bike, will not make you a professional racer. At the same time, if you have not shaved your legs, this does not mean that you are not a real cyclist.

One of the pensioners who walked ahead of her bike path, drunkenly adjusted his plastic scarf. Katinka would like to say something about pensions, about pensioners on luxury buses and coffee shops, but she was in a hurry. In the pasture, she ran so hard on the wet road that she almost went down the handlebars.

There were two of them, and there was an emergency vehicle there, and the driver was driving straight ahead. “Oh, you’re a disgrace,” Katinka said. The voice of Bach sounded in my ears again. She whispered into the gray building with the number 18 and suddenly braked. A long lulach in green police lights came out of the door, put his hand on the cap and said.

However, there are several reasons people use to justify shaving their legs. Some of them are more valid than others. Moreover, there are several real reasons, on which it costs to shave your legs. Therefore, if you are faced with this question or just wondering why cyclists shave their legs, then below are the 5 main reasons.

“This is where you can turn the hail.” “I need it,” Katinka said, giving up the bike. Finally the police were there. Laubach, Professor Laubach, just called me. However, the green people, when they had to go fast, organized their bureaucratic antics.

“My name is Katinka Palfi,” she said, fumbling with her backpack for her ID. Long pulled it out and amazed him with amazement. Katinka looked at her curly red hair, swollen under her hat. “Now you know it,” Katinka growled, took the ID card from her hand again and burst into the house, climbing the stairs to the first floor.

It's part of the cycling tradition.

Coppi, Merckx, LeMond, Hinault, Indurain. Wiggins, Froome, they all shaved and still shave their legs. Racers have been doing this since the time when cycling became a sport, not a pastime. It's a tradition and many cyclists shave their legs to become part of the culture.

Whether you decide to join this tradition or not is your own decision. Most of us don't go fast enough to get any real benefit, but if it makes you feel more confident on the track, it's worth it.

Shortly before the city's most famous church festival, a dead man died of ricin poisoning. Katinka Palfi, a private investigator, has just been ordered to search for her missing wife. She suspects a connection between the two cases and finds fever in all directions.

There is one more death. On the day of arrival, a man dies in the crowd of the old city. And stuck at the door of her detective agency is a blackmail letter: If she doesn't stop the investigation, Bamberg's biggest sauce will become a toxic disaster. Something moved strangely in the water, she noticed as she almost turned away from the shore. Or it was the grinding that scratched the ears and caused them to move. The glasses were smeared inside with sweat, she quickly took them away and wiped them in her T-shirt. The improvement was not exciting.

Improved aerodynamic properties

Shaving legs to improve aerodynamic properties is the subject of much debate. To a certain extent, the advantage you can get depends on your level of hairiness. If, for example, Andre "Gorilla" Greipel really resembles a gorilla, then he has a chance to improve his streamlining much more than racers with short and thin hair.

The sounds of the city disappeared, and Katinka quickly went to the tent with the orphans and the stream. She stood in the grass with three courageous steps, looking into the brown, fast-flowing rainwater. Katinka was absolutely sure that it was a leg, white, almost transparent, which always scratched the wooden formwork structure of the tent. Then she saw a leg, barefoot, without stockings or stockings, with gnawing toes. She reached into the back pocket of her shorts. She had already dialed the number while her leg weakened and pushed a little.

It was a crashing sound as the entire person was pressed against the wooden posts near the water. Hardo,” Katinka croaked, thanking Heaven for her good contacts with Bamberger Kripo. “I’m standing at the door, in the pavilion, and there’s a corpse in the water, girl.” She paused and looked at the long dark hair of the dead, waving in waves. “So, more of a young woman.”

But does shaving your legs give you an aerodynamic advantage? Late last year, after launching its own wind tunnel, Specialized decided to check it out.

The guys at Specialized brought in triathlete Jesse Thomas to put this idea to the test. According to the racer himself, he considers himself a rather hairy person. He was first tested in a tube with hair on his legs, after he shaved his legs he was tested again. Surprisingly, the difference was significant. In Thomas's case, on a standard test at a 40km time trial race, he saved 79 seconds, for a total of 15 watts.

Ten minutes later stood the powerful figure of Uttenreiter. as always in jeans and a plaid shirt, next to Katinka and asked: “So, what exactly did you do here, Palfi?” Katinka takes care of 76-year-old Ida Schenk to protect her from a ghost: The Horseman of Bamberg haunts the night around Ida's villa. Katinka suspects that the old lady had too vivid an imagination.

“Like it happened with ghosts,” Katinka heard. “They can’t be shot, right?” Ida Schenk shook her head. But the horseman who made his way through my garden is not a ghost. “No one really suspected you?” My relatives are the least defined. I have a lot to inherit. Beware of your relatives. These are the people who make you the most difficult in your life.

Having received such unexpected results on one athlete, Specialized specialists conducted wind tunnel tests on 5 more athletes. On average, 40 km saves 70 seconds. For comparison, the Specialized Evade aero helmet saved 46 seconds, - 36 seconds, even the new suit saved 96 seconds for 40 km. However, all three methods are significantly more expensive than shaving your legs.

Besides the authenticity of the pursued horseman, Katinka has already raised the question of motive. Why would someone scare an old lady who lived alone in a mansion full of strange souvenirs - a pardon, cohabiting with a Hindu hangover. In her mind, she could imagine all sorts of scenarios. Especially now, in the darkness of the house with its tired noises, creaking wooden blankets, rustling branches in the garden, the cat's paws that barely seemed to touch the parquet floor. Illuminated by the candle, Ida saw Schenk's masked face, and, when she was not making a face, almost lifeless.

Of course, everyone who tested at Specialized was a very hairy guy, so the savings were noticeable. But the fact remains that shaved legs can make you a little faster.

Shaving makes massage more comfortable

Although regular massage is the prerogative of mainly professionals, there are also many amateurs who use it. You know how painful a hairy leg massage can be. In addition, smooth feet allow the massage therapist to use significantly less oil to reduce friction.

Katinka reached for a piece of pie. Glenfiddich, he came from Orensessel. "Nothing dangerous, Mrs. Palfy, just a whiskey cake, a delicacy from Scotland, one of my favorite places to travel, and the constant changes of rain, storm and sun will never be overrun with tourists."

Katinka only felt a cushion as Vishnu started jumping and landed next to the pie plate on the table. Hey, sorry,” she whispered. “He can,” Ida declared. "I know he's mischievous, which I have, if he doesn't jump on the table." She grinned. Katinka felt like she was in an Almodóvar film, surrounded by his spleen figures. She wrapped herself in the Glenfidditch cake and stared out into the garden. Bamberg's horseman stood at the window, and she looked into the room.

If massage is a rarity for you, then you can be patient. But, pros should not feel pain every day during three weeks of stage racing. The last thing they want to feel after five hours of a hard race is how the massage therapist is tearing out the hair on their legs trying to do it.

The team massage therapist feels exactly the same way. It's one thing to massage smooth legs, but quite another with long hair. It will be especially difficult to work in the friction phase, which is more reminiscent of a massage on sandpaper.

Katinka Palfi, a private investigator, does not notice the explosive nature of the case until her friend, the sculptor Dani Zanini, disappears. On the high plateau of Staffelberg she makes a terrible discovery. The photographer turned around and took a photo. Katinka stood next to Chief Commissioner Harduin Uttenreiter in the police barracks and looked at the victim.

“I’m sorry,” one of the officials said. “And the second one this week.” The official grinned. “Yes, yes, we know you, what do you think, colleague?” He examined Chief Commissioner Uttenreiter. He put his hands into the bagpipes and said: I don't care. Murder falls into your department, doesn't it? The man formed two pistols with his hands and fired into the air. Katinka did not pay attention to the rage of the two. Her friend Britta, a local journalist for a Bamberg daily, called her and ordered her to be taken to the crime scene.

Easier to treat damage

The most common injury among cyclists is abrasions. If you've been riding for a long time, then you've probably fallen off your bike. This in itself is not a dangerous injury, but it is fraught with infection in open wounds, which is also facilitated by the presence of hair. In addition, the hair does not allow the damage to be seen properly.

After all, the only private investigator knew what was going on in the city lately. “Murder of a very evil kind,” Britta exclaimed excitedly in Katinka’s ear. Katinka stood next to the “corpse” at the lower end of the Molittorgasse and watched the police at work after a sudden burst of cycling in the afternoon. Curious crowds milled around the red and white plastic bands by the dozens. There was little space on the narrow streets and on the bridge. Police officer Sabine Kerschensteiner, who knew Katinka from earlier cases, tried his best to dispatch the Gaffers.

The absence of hair simplifies the process of removing dirt from the wound and provides free access for first aid. Another factor is the difficult and painful use of medical dressings, especially adhesives. Painless changing of bandages on shaved legs is more enjoyable for all parties.

Look better

Some cyclists take up a razor because they believe it will make them look better, often using tradition as an excuse. This is the same when male bodybuilders shave their chests. “Bare” legs look more prominent and muscular.

Some cracked the joke, others were outraged. Voices mixed with the rushing river in the turbines. Katinka revolved around the “dead”. A long sword was stuck in the roof, streams of blood running down the side windows onto the copper-brown sheet. “Shame,” Harduin Uttenreiter muttered next to Katinka. "Well, there's a spinner on a beetle." Last week the orange with black top was in Haymark, now his colleague. "Ketchup?" Katinka asked the man in the white overalls and pointed to the blood.

"Try!" He wiped his red latex finger over the red mass and held it under Katinka’s nose: “Thank you, too kind,” Katinka said disgustingly. She wrapped her denim jacket around it. Katinka was with Chief People's Commissar Harald Uttenreiter, who was called Hardo, since her first case as a private investigator was a good year ago for you and you. That is to say, as they still proved themselves, even if their private relationships are somewhere between collegiality and profit friendship.

Of course, there is a certain narcissism in this. But cyclists have the right to proudly demonstrate in all their glory their powerful athletic legs, which were given to them with such difficulty.

Of course, shaving your legs is also a fashion, like a number of other things that surround cycling. People do a lot of strange things for the sake of fashion, and shaved legs are far from the stupidest of them. To be honest, every cyclist, amateur or professional, does it to some extent for fashion.

Some of the police seemed to be the butt of bad jokes. Keller - Katinka breathed in the word and felt it spread comfortably through her body. Backyard farms were located on the hills of the city, above the former brewery refrigerators.

Beginning in late spring, Bamberger and guests headed up the mountain to enjoy the cozy atmosphere and, of course, equally freshly brewed gerstenaft. “A little steep,” Katinka pointed out as they ran across the Upper Bridge. May declared itself warm and sunny, but during the transfer to June, however, it weakened. The temperature was not a very convincing 14 degrees and an ugly wind swept through the city in gusts. “They will need to dress warmly.”

Perhaps this is one of the most common questions regarding cycling, almost the first question that arises among beginners who are just learning the basics of cycling science. An indispensable sign of a professional racer - smooth legs - causes both bewilderment and ridicule of the uninitiated. Why do cyclists shave their legs? The athletes themselves provide answers to a variety of assumptions.
I. Smooth skin on the legs improves aerodynamics on the bike
Theory: In an era of body-hugging cycling uniforms, aerodynamic frames, special helmets, ultra-light carbon rims, it is pointless to ignore the small advantage that shaved legs can provide (A 1987 study concluded that aerodynamic performance improves by about 0.6%, which saves about 5 seconds on a 40-kilometer trial).
Reality: “Practical benefit depends on how hairy you are. I mean, look at modern fitted cycling uniforms. It fits very well, there are no seams or discomfort. And all of this creates an advantage, so leg hair can slow you down,” says Levi Lephimer.
Mountain biking has a different standard: “It probably makes a difference at the highest cutting level,” comments Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, US national mountain biking champion. “But with us, no, not at all.”
There is another opinion, expressed by Tour de France stage winner Davis Phinney: “In terms of actually improving aerodynamics, this doesn’t help much. But I know that when I looked down and saw hairy legs, I immediately felt that I was walking slower.”
II. Epilation increases the benefits and pleasure of massage
Theory: When your hair is pulled during a massage, it really hurts.
Reality: “This is why I shave my legs. It would hurt too much if I didn't." - Levi Lephimer.
“You need more oil if you have a lot of hair on your legs. You don't want to feel like a greased pig." - Andy Hampsten, Giro d'Italia winner.
“Exactly. This is the main reason I shave. I can't even imagine the pain that awaits me with a full massage with hairy legs. I also believe that the best massage techniques don't involve a lot of oil, so that's why it's also important to have as little hair as possible,” Horgan-Kobelski.
“When the skin is smooth it feels better, but at a deeper muscle level there is no difference. You can do the same thing with both unshaven legs and smooth ones. I work with racing cyclists year-round, and even the pros have hairy legs in the winter,” Chris Grouch, Certified Massage Therapist.
“I’m sure it’s better for the person doing the massage. Would you like to touch hairy legs?” - Todd Wells, US National Cyclocross Champion.
III. Smooth skin makes it easier to clean and care for wounds
Theory: Cleaning and caring for wounds becomes easier and abrasions heal faster if the skin is hair-free. Hair prevents the removal of dust and dirt and also makes it difficult to change dressings.
Reality: “I have always been sure that falls are the main reason. When you fall, you tear off your skin and your hair just collects dirt, which is not good for a bandage." - Davis Phinney.
“It also helps the special tapes (kinesio) that many people use now stick better,” Horgan-Kobelski.
IV. Smooth legs just look better - and it makes you faster
Theory: Every muscle contraction and muscle lines are more visible when they are not covered by hair, and the more gorgeous you look, the cooler you ride.
Reality: “It is true. You yourself realize that smooth legs make you feel faster. I always shave before cutting. And you feel the wind blowing through your feet." - Chris Horner.
V. Women like men with smooth legs
Theory: Everyone actually thinks that spouses and partners laugh about it all the time.
Reality: “Even when my husband (Horgan-Kobelski) stops racing, I insist that he continue to shave. I think it's cool. But I race myself. But most women would probably disagree with me..." - racer Heather Irmizher.
VI. This is a tradition
Theory: Losing hair on your legs means starting to live a new life, with the honor of knowing that this makes you a real cyclist. Besides, showing up with hairy legs in a serious race is like showing up to church in shorts.
Reality: “Tradition is the main reason why everyone shave for the first time. If you're a cyclist, you just have to do it." - Chris Horner.
“Shaving your legs is a sign of being a cyclist,” Horgan-Kobelski.
“It was fashionable when I was racing. It's fashionable now. Real cyclists shave their legs." - Davis Phinney.

"I have cleared the case for you." In summer and winter, in jeans and a lumberjack shirt, his famous leather jacket, sneakers on his feet, he did not look like a policeman at all. However, there was a constant wariness in his gray eyes, an attention that was saved by no one, no one.

He raised his hands. "That wasn't bad, Palfi." “Already ok.” After all, she couldn't blame Uttenreiter: being contingent. They sat down at a table near the entrance. Katinka was grateful for the rented stove in the corner. Beetle,” she said. “He didn’t have a Bamberger’s license, milk coffee please.” “Hot chocolate,” Hardo said. "Spicy, first no." “How long does it take you to identify the owner?” “Come on, your colleagues are already done.” Katinka smiled absently.