Shaved legs on a MTB

FR Drew

Not a custom title.
When you first shave your legs, the feel of jeans in (proper) contact with your legs is bloody awesome...

Aside from that I've only ever shaved my legs if I was going to be wearing a skirt (at an mtb race) or wearing a dress (umm, err, not during an mtb race).

Make of that what you will.
 

Science

Likes Dirt
When you first shave your legs, the feel of jeans in (proper) contact with your legs is bloody awesome...

Aside from that I've only ever shaved my legs if I was going to be wearing a skirt (at an mtb race) or wearing a dress (umm, err, not during an mtb race).

Make of that what you will.
i like the way you think good sir
 

pistonbroke

Eats Squid
If I shaved my legs, my wife would think I'd crossed over to the other side, and leave me.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, some of my best friends ride roadies.
 

akashra

Eats Squid
Carefully considering all the reasons and arguments always put forward, hygiene is probably the only one which would sway me to start doing it.
I've copped it constantly from the guys I ride with because I'm about the only one who doesn't shave my legs over the years - never have. I've actually had multiple conversations with a few different national champs who even they have bought it up and cited that reason alone.

Admittedly, however, I've considered it - I don't push very hard when I'm out riding, so I don't come off very often (when I do come off, it's usually a big one). If I started riding in such a way that I was coming off often, pushing to find limits, I'd probably seriously consider starting shaving, as I know very well how curled over and ingrown hairs make the scabbing worse.
I've only had one off I can think of where afterwards I've given it some serious consideration - funnily enough it was at Kurrajong that I had this off of all places :p

It does have one advantage though - when you do road races, no-one takes you seriously when you ride off the front or pass the bunch :D
 

Cap

Likes Dirt
I don't actually care but........

I actually get harassed for not shaving my legs by alot of riders. Most of the time I can't be bothered even shaving my face so there is no way I'd start on my legs. Plus, I like winning road races with hairy legs too, there's something gratifying about it.
 

vogmae

Likes Dirt
Roadies think it's cool and trendy even if they don't race elite or pro and get a regular massage - it's all part of the image.

MTBers that don't race elite or pro..... ditto

There is absolutely no reason to shave legs unless you are a pro who gets regular massages before and after a race/training. There is no aerodynamic benefit or healing benefit to shaving your legs.
and no big benefit to massages. Elite runners and cross country skiers get just as many massages as elite cyclists but don't see the need to shave. It's about a look, and while some mtb might think it is silly, or whatever, I come from the road, it is just part of the culture, like teenage boys wearing jeans around their knees, or some mtbers thinking that the 'true' look has to be knee length baggy shorts. Both use the same 'rhetoric' of the authentic. We have many tribes, which is a plus.
 

Science

Likes Dirt
i discovered mud comes off your legs better without hair.

Otherwise, i only shave my legs for faggy reasons >.>
 

Jackstack

Likes Dirt
How about:

It's ok to shave your legs if you want to.
It's not ok to shave your legs if you don't want to.

You care if other people shave their legs? That's lame.
What he said.

I think I've finally got to the real reason why I like removing the hair from my legs. It's just to shit all the blokes that think it's a wank.:rolleyes:
 

mittagongmtb

Likes Dirt
The wife has worked in intensive care for 24 years, is also an international retreival nurse for careflight, i asked about the shaving thing and she called it a bunch of rubbish about gravel rash and healing, she asked doctors and also was told it's rubbish, it's image, thats all!
As a veterinarian I take anything a doctor says (and especially doctor's wives) with a grain of salt... (.. also coming from a family of doctors...). Having said that one of the best A grade MTB riders I know does not shave his legs and until he does I won't be.... (mind you he's at the pointy end of single gear... says it all...).
 

Bermshot

Banned
When I first started shaving my face the hairs were but little wispy nothings, 25 years on they are multi colored and grow expansively. So to surmise for you shavers-of-legs, will you not soon be (once you have given up) a bunch of Mongo the bush creatures, terrorizing the native wildlife?

PS: No offence implied to the SS's
 

Hugor

Likes Dirt
As a veterinarian I take anything a doctor says (and especially doctor's wives) with a grain of salt... (.. also coming from a family of doctors...).
I bet your family were well disappointed. I guess vet is the next best thing if your not smart enough to get into medicine.:p
If being hairless offerred a performance advantage or even greater healing potential with fewer complications then all native wildlife would be bald by darwinian principles.
Given most land dwelling animals have hair it is logical to assume that it does not pose a disadvantage.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
I bet your family were well disappointed. I guess vet is the next best thing if your not smart enough to get into medicine.:p
If being hairless offerred a performance advantage or even greater healing potential with fewer complications then all native wildlife would be bald by darwinian principles.
Given most land dwelling animals have hair it is logical to assume that it does not pose a disadvantage.
Ever seen a bald Polar Bear?

Maybe hair has other purposes than aerodynamics - warmth.:p
 

Delmar

Likes Dirt
This thread needs a poll!!

I want the leg shavers exposed for the small minority try-hards they really are...:p

No shaving for me...
 
Top