How not to shave your legs the first time is:

Drink some beer in afternoon, have bottle of wine later, get in shower, bic throw away razor and soapy water. The blood pissing from the back of knees stopped some time the next morning.

One of my main reason for shaving is that gravel rash is very easy to clean and doesn’t get infected. It heals in a fraction of the time that it would if hairy.

So I’m not sure why more MTBers don’t shave as there’s still a big risk of gravel rash…

My tan started in April in Majorca and has just received a week-long alpine boost. I now look like I’ve been creosoted from just-above-the-knee to half-way-down-the-shin. Ridiculous.

There seems to be a pattern here of female disapproval

Mrs MM likes mine shaved.

First did mine a few years ago for no other reason than hairy legs and lycra look wrong IMO. Maintenance isn’t too bad for me. I eplilate every few weeks and it takes about 15 minutes. All the way to the top BTW. 😀

Opps, Double post.

zippykona – Member
All I’ve ever wanted is a cyclists suntan.
I wear shorts 7 months of the year , so you would expect a bit of difference between my covered bits and those that are not.
Just back from 2 weeks in the caribbean and still deathly white all over.

Trick is to keep them sharp. You will never never achieve sharp tanlines with baggy shorts though.

Fake Tan.

Yes it has been known to be used, not overly happy about it but for the first few weeks of the season it’s better than blinding oncoming vehicles..
Think of it more like the warm orange glow of old 70’s French car headlights than 2014 Audi halogen units.. 😆

My tan lasts from one year to the next – I tan easily. Never sharp though as have various shorts with different lengths.

I used to when doing a lot of road biking a couple of years ago now but now I’m back on the mtb more I don’t. Definitely looks better when in lycra with shaved legs and it did have its advantages when on the mtb having smooth legs when it was proper manky.

Was a pain if I didn’t keep up the upkeep as mine grew back quick. The Mrs did suggest I’d be better waxing my legs but there was no chance of that as I’m not that brave!

Never,ever ever….don’t care if I am the odd man out at TT’s. It ain’t happening.

do it you filthy horrible mtb’er – looks pro and shows commitment!

I used to shave when I was a serious triathlete (nowadays I’d wear shorts for that, but back then trunks was the standard clothing, so no option on stopping shaving lower!) However nowadays (or to be more accurate a few years ago when I was a lot fitter and faster) I enjoy beating the shaven with my hairy legs in the same way it’s fun to beat people on flash bikes whilst riding a cheap rubbish one. I probably would have kept shaving but when I moved on from triathlon the races I was doing tended to involve a lot of running through undergrowth of various types and the hair does at least provide a bit of protection from that.

I started time trialling whilst still at school, shaved legs showed a real commitment! Nowadays they are shaved for mud shedding duties.

but where do you stop feet-wise? Below the sock line? I have very hairy toes.

According to Specialized shaved legs are faster
The Win Tunnel: Shaved and Dangerous?

What I want to know is where do all the roadies get their tanned legs from?? And so early in the season??

Do they spray tan or sunbed???

Months on the open road and not under the shade of trees. Use of high factor sun cream all year round to avoid the ‘been to Maljorca one month tan’
Avoid sharp tan lines if you want to meet women or will ever show your half naked body in public.

I shave everything from nose down to ankles, who cares what anyone else thinks if you want it do it ……….. feels good, wife loves it, razor blades don’t last long though……….

According to Specialized shaved legs are faster
The Win Tunnel: Shaved and Dangerous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZnrE17Jg3I

Wow, I’m amazed!

I tried it once – it was astonishing how it transformed pasty pale legs into dead fish-belly near-translucent white.

Now I leave ’em hairy as part of my “not-a-proper-cyclist” subterfuge

Haven’t really found massive functional benefits for shaved legs at my speeds on the road.
However, knee pads for MTB chafe a lot less with shaved legs!

I took the plunge and quite like having shave legs 😕 For one it’s quicker and easier to dry yourself out of the shower and cuts are easier to clean, strange how my tan seems lighter below the knee though ???

strange how my tan seems lighter below the knee though ???

Not strange. The sun will be hitting your thighs far more perpendicularly than your shins, which will be at a very shallow angle. As consequence the coverage in radiation per sqcm will be higher and the potential to tan ( or burn, and develop a melanoma) will be higher

I have a nose that is angled perfectly for maximum damage at British latitudes.

I’ve also been shaving my legs for years. It felt a little wierd at first but soon got used to it and much prefered the look. Use to get a lot of attention from gay men when I lived in London! 🙂 As others have said cuts heal better and dirt is easier to wash off but also something which is quite important is that ticks find it more difficult to attach themselves to your legs and around these parts there are some nasty tick diseases you can catch.

I’m not sure why more MTBers don’t shave as there’s still a big risk of gravel rash…

Should I shave my arms too? 🙂

Roter Stern – Member

but also something which is quite important is that ticks find it more difficult to attach themselves to your legs and around these parts there are some nasty tick diseases you can catch.

You got tarmac Ticks where you are?

this thread has just reminded me i need to give mine a trim… 🙂

When i started riding the roadies I went out with told me in no uncertain terms that I had to shave my legs or no rides ! They trotted out the usual reasons none of which actually in the end justified those reasons Even when I had a serious accident on bike it was the hip & collar bone that was impacted so no road rash.

When I picked up MTB I just carried on with it as I still ride on the road but boy was I glad. Lost count of the amount of times I had abrasions (inc stitches) that needed treatment from riding in the forest & hairy legs would have been a nightmare to deal with.

MTFU!… You’ll be vajazzling your knees next.