If you want to go fast...

[RC Vikings]

you've got to get that hair off your legs.

[il Padrino Ute]

you've got to get that hair off your legs.

Or go down a 10% grade.

[Babs]

As much as I heart cyclists, I get icked out by a guy with shaved legs.

[mtnbiker]

you've got to get that hair off your legs.

Sigh... style nazi. Hair vs shaved, lycra vs baggies, team kit vs plain, road vs mtn, etc. Who cares? Just let people ride.

[BigPiney]

I watched that hair removal video that was posted a week ago that had the triathlete trying all the different methods for getting those legs silky smooth. He said that people ask him all the time why do you shave your legs. Does it help with speed, or is it better with road rash? No he said it is because cyclists and triathletes are vain and have worked so hard to get their legs looking good, you might as well show them off. Finally the truth is spoken.

[Pheidippides]

I watched that hair removal video that was posted a week ago that had the triathlete trying all the different methods for getting those legs silky smooth. He said that people ask him all the time why do you shave your legs. Does it help with speed, or is it better with road rash? No he said it is because cyclists and triathletes are vain and have worked so hard to get their legs looking good, you might as well show them off. Finally the truth is spoken.

That's why I do it.

[cowboy]

you've got to get that hair off your legs.

When I want to go fast......


I saddle a horse.

[Eddie]

you've got to get that hair off your legs.

How much faster will you go, really?

I suppose if I wanted to be competetive in a competetive race, I could see looking for every edge imaginable. But so far I haven't reached that point.

At the same time, I finally used my new jammer suit in the pool today and cut a minute off of the time it takes me to go a quarter mile. If shaving my legs would similarly cut 10% off the time it takes me to cover the same distance biking - I would be all over that.

[RC Vikings]

I watched that hair removal video that was posted a week ago that had the triathlete trying all the different methods for getting those legs silky smooth. He said that people ask him all the time why do you shave your legs. Does it help with speed, or is it better with road rash? No he said it is because cyclists and triathletes are vain and have worked so hard to get their legs looking good, you might as well show them off. Finally the truth is spoken.

I know the pros do it because it helps during their rub downs but how many amateurs have a professional masseuse at home? If you go down it makes it easier to clean up but that triathlete was probably right.

[pellegrino]

I watched that hair removal video that was posted a week ago that had the triathlete trying all the different methods for getting those legs silky smooth. He said that people ask him all the time why do you shave your legs. Does it help with speed, or is it better with road rash? No he said it is because cyclists and triathletes are vain and have worked so hard to get their legs looking good, you might as well show them off. Finally the truth is spoken.

I'll add a couple things to that.

A long time ago I did the loop around Utah Lake. There were spots where they were resurfacing the road and I had to ride on some fresh blacktop. With the heat it would splatter all over your legs. I didn't have time to stop and wipe it off, so it dried on there pretty good and I looked kind of like a dalmatian. When I got home that day I was worried that it would hurt coming off. I had shaved my legs before the trip so the tar didn't really have much to stick to. It just washed right off. My friends were much less fortunate. They complained for weeks about the asphalt that got stuck on their legs. One of them even had what looked like welts from pulling it out of his leg hair.

Additionally, if you ever get into an accident and your legs or arms get scraped up to the point you need bandages, not just bandaids, then it's much more pleasant to change those bandages when you don't have hair. Found out that one the hard way too.

That said, I haven't shaved my legs since before my mission and I don't plan on it in the near future.