A close shave
Here’s a common question: why do cyclists shave their legs? Many people think that cyclists shave their legs to reduce drag, much like a swimmer. However, cutting through the wind and slicing through the water are somewhat different and as a result, shaved legs have almost no effect on aerodynamics. I always answer this question with a story. Here goes.
So. Do you drive a car? [A: Yes.] Do you have insurance for your car? [A: Yes.] When you drive your car, do you expect to crash it? [A: No.] But you still have insurance, right? Just in case? [A: Yes.]
For a cyclist, shaving your legs is like having insurance for your car. You don’t expect or plan on crashing, but it might happen. There are several benefits to shearing yourself. First, if you hit the pavement, you will likely slide on it, creating a wonderful abrasion known as “road rash.” Sliding on the road with hairy legs will actually create a worse wound as the hair will rip more skin off. Second, shaved legs make cleaning the wound much easier. Third, as the wound heals, you do not have to worry about an infection caused by hair healing in the wound.
Enough gore. Here are a few other benefits: 1) massage is easier and less painful, 2) perspiration will evaporate faster, which has a cooling effect, and 3) it just looks nice.