The smooth leg
The hairiness of amateur cyclists is a constantly debated issue, so much so that between valid reasons and stories we tell ourselves to convince us to adopt one side or the other (shaved legs or not), the truth gets lost.
Here are six reasons given for shaving your legs and what remains once we have analyzed the basis for them.
It's for the massage
Indeed, for professionals who are lucky enough to enjoy regular massage therapy treatments, having hairless legs is an undeniable advantage. The therapist doesn't pull on the hair, there isn't an unpleasant oily film after the massage, and the whole experience is improved. But how many of you get a massage several times a week?
It's for injuries
True: a wound on a shaved leg is much easier to clean. The absence of follicles improves healing and helps prevent the risk of infection. But how often do you fall?
It's more aer
True. Tested. Indisputable. While wearing a mustache or beard has no impact on a cyclist's aerodynamic drag, shaved legs represent a significant improvement, as has been rigorously tested in wind tunnels. The energy savings are impressive: around 4 to 5 watts at 30 km/h and nearly 15 watts at 45 km/h. These benefits are quickly negated if you wear loose-fitting clothing, an Gilet , or if you don't maintain your flexibility to keep an aerodynamic position.
It's more beautiful
Ahhhhh, finally, we get to the real reasons: those that have nothing to do with science, not a shred of objectivity, which are nothing more than a matter of taste. Because the truth is that you work hard to sculpt those beautifully shaped calves and thighs. And it's true, they are superb. Smoothed, or even oiled if you like, they become a poem, an ode to your sport, a celebration of your efforts.
It's a statement
By shaving your legs, you're showing that cycling is important to you. No matter what your level, this gesture shows that you take it seriously, that cycling plays a major role in your life. That's no small thing. And it's a lot more serious than wearing a pro Jersey . Here, you embody your reverence for the sport, in all its tradition and grandeur, by doing something that few male cyclists do.
It's a ritual of identity
Things have changed a lot, and it's no longer a question of looking accusingly at cyclists who neglect their body hair or who simply don't adopt what some consider to be a fashion, a style, a genre that one gives oneself. Nevertheless, shaving your legs is a way of saying that you belong to a group of serious cyclists who love the sport and celebrate the beauty of the bodies they shape day after day, a symbol of shared effort and affection in order to go a little faster, a little further, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied. In short, it's a sign that you're part of the gang.