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Bit of advice of shaving legs….? (16 y/o)

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  • January 13, 2014 at 7:40 pm #20459
    Dan19

    Hey

    So (I don’t know if this is normal or awkward but…) I’ve been cycling MTB and road for over a year now and I’m considering shaving my legs for the simple reason (not that it is more areo – which I’m sure it doesn’t make any difference) that it looks pro!
    First question, why do cyclists actually shave their legs? I mean the aerodynamic improvements can’t be that big. =D>

    And moving on to the more tricky stuff… How do you actually do it?!
    With only being 16, I’ve never actually wet shaved my face (used an electric razor instead) so the thought of taking a series of blades to my legs is a terrifying prospect! đŸ˜€

    A few complications which have presented themselves having given thought to this issue include:
    1) How far up the legs do you go?
    2) what kind of razor do you need?
    3) how often to you need to re-shave?
    4) on the first time of shaving, how do you remove the fluffy hair without clogging up the razor?
    5) how long does it take to shave them?
    6) how do you reach the backs of the thighs? Surely that requires a lot of contortion!
    7) you probably do not have this problem but how can I convince my mum to buy a razor with blades and let me shave my legs? She panicked when my brother started wet shaving saying its pointless and he’d only cut him self?!

    Thanks in advance for answering even though I’m possibly being a bit OTT with this issue. :&

    Dan

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  • January 17, 2014 at 10:50 am #768187
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    notfastenough

    Is this a good time to post
    Is this a good time to post this?

    =)) =)) =)) =)) =))

    January 16, 2014 at 11:35 pm #768185
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    pauldmorgan

    Posted this on the wrong
    Posted this on the wrong thread to start with, copied here…

    I’m a man in my 40’s and first thought about this last year – I put the call out on facebook to my female friends: they all said “WAX!” but that only tells part of the story. I think until your hairs have got thinner and fewer due to repeat removal home waxing with strips is only ever going to be unbelievably painful and ineffective. Maybe if you can afford a professional job then it’s the best way.

    Shaving takes a while and it’s hard to do the bits around the back of your leg etc.

    If I were you I’d go for Veet “first time”, follow the instructions properly and make sure it goes nowhere near your nethers.

    January 15, 2014 at 11:43 pm #768183
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    Cooks

    watch out for that tricky bit
    watch out for that tricky bit at the back of your ankles. And don’t go over and over, you’ll end up shredding your legs.

    January 15, 2014 at 10:45 am #768181
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    pdows47

    Yeah, hair removal cream or
    Yeah, hair removal cream or wax might be easier to start off, then shave afterwards. With the height issue I go to the top of my outer thigh, and have a line going round the hard to reach places and avoiding the sandpaper-your-balls effect. I only go higher so if I crash and land on my hip (it happened so I’m glad I did) I don’t have some bits easy to clean and other bits harder.

    Also, whilst you may get some minor mocking for it, I will say that some people (read young ladies) like it. My girlfriend tells me off if I haven’t done it for a few days. Also, no one has mentioned the great feeling that comes with fresh shaved legs and fresh laundered bedding…

    January 15, 2014 at 9:58 am #768179
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    jason.timothy.jones

    I wonder if there is anyone
    I wonder if there is anyone here that is under 18 or has recently been under 18 that has been refused the sale of disposable razors at a shop? We have a smart young sensible guy here looking for advise, and we have an obligation to make sure the advise is pretty correct, but more importantly not to add in any fear factor….its just simple manners

    Anyway the Act says

    Offensive Weapons Act 1996 it is an offence to sell a razor blade to someone under 18, but it also says…this legislation does not apply to folding pocket knives if the cutting edge of the blade is less than 3 inches or 7.62cm. Nor does it apply to replacement cartridges for safety razors, where less than 2mm of the blade is exposed.

    So, if you are under 18 you are fine, and to test this, I went through the self service at the supermarket and didnt get the horrible “please wait for assistance” message

    That being said, I think the Veet cream is the better option anyway

    January 15, 2014 at 9:07 am #768177
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    Al__S

    jason.timothy.jones

    jason.timothy.jones wrote:
    According to the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 it is an offence to sell a razor blade to someone under 18, but it also says…this legislation does not apply to folding pocket knives if the cutting edge of the blade is less than 3 inches or 7.62cm. Nor does it apply to replacement cartridges for safety razors, where less than 2mm of the blade is exposed.

    So I would assume the Razor Blade is the safety razor blade, but a Mach3 is fine


    What the law allows, and what shops allow, are often rather different. As others have said, many shops, to avoid thinking, simply ban the sale of all blades/objects sharper than a spoon to under 18s.

    January 14, 2014 at 11:10 pm #768175
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    davebinks

    Re stubble growing faster;
    Re stubble growing faster; Just a myth.
    If that were the case, men who shave daily would be shaving every few minutes.
    The reality is that a cut hair has a square end, whereas an uncut one tapers.
    Thus the hair “looks” thicker when it gets a bit of growth, but it’s rate of growth is exactly the same.

    I use an electric beard trimmer (because I already have one for my beard) and only need to do it occasionally (3-4 times?) during the summer.
    Safe, no nicks, and quick.

    January 14, 2014 at 10:48 pm #768173
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    Leviathan

    Dan19 wrote:Also, something

    Dan19 wrote:
    Also, something else just occurred to be – if you shave you legs doesn’t it grow back faster and thicker so you will eventually be shaving every day?

    Oh if only this was true, I would be off this instant to shave my head.

    January 14, 2014 at 9:12 pm #768171
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    jason.timothy.jones

    Dan19 wrote:
    Also, something

    Dan19 wrote:

    Also, something else just occurred to be – if you shave you legs doesn’t it grow back faster and thicker so you will eventually be shaving every day?
    If that’s the case i don’t really that the time due to school work commitments in the evenings to spend 20 mins in the shower shaving my legs!

    Its a myth mate, you got nothing to fear

    January 14, 2014 at 7:34 pm #768169
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    Dan19

    Jimmy Ray Will wrote:
    Be

    Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

    Be warned.

    Oh, and finally, thinking back to my youth, I’d hang on a couple of years before cropping the legs, teenage peers can be so cruel!

    I’m in the Sixth Form now and I don’thave PE lessons so my legs at school will be covered up therefore I won’t be on the receiving end of any immature abuse! (And I have had my more than fair share of that during my time at my previous school and, asa result can survive a bit of abuse being hurtled my way!)

    Also, something else just occurred to be – if you shave you legs doesn’t it grow back faster and thicker so you will eventually be shaving every day?
    If that’s the case i don’t really that the time due to school work commitments in the evenings to spend 20 mins in the shower shaving my legs!

    January 14, 2014 at 7:00 pm #768167
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    Dan19

    Al__S wrote:Gizmo_ wrote:Mach

    Al__S wrote:
    Gizmo_ wrote:
    Mach 3. Seriously. Do it in the bath/shower, lots of showergel etc. Bosh.

    And… just buy it yourself. If you’re doing it because it looks Pro… do you think Cav’s mum buys his razors?


    I’m not sure shops will sell anything with blades in it to 16yr olds?

    No they don’t. Nor Tipex (contains solvents) and even spoons! My brother tried buying them the other day and was asked for ID!

    And thanks for the advice, I’ll hack down the jungle in Feb when the knee warmers come off!

    January 14, 2014 at 5:20 pm #768165
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    FatAndFurious

    Why? A personal experience is
    Why? A personal experience is that I don’t feel the wind on my legs once shaved, and its just more pleasant that way.

    1) Just above the line of the shorts. I once made the mistake described by NotFastEnough above – won’t be doing that again. I don’t have a soigneur to massage away the day’s tiredness, so I don’t see the point of going higher.

    2) A _sharp_ razor. Even if you’ve not nicked yourself, you’ll really feel the stinging of salt from sweat if you use a coarse blade.

    4) I found moving the razor back and forth, rather than long glides, helped keep the blades from clogging up. Once the bulk of hair was out of the way, then that wasn’t necessary.

    Don’t shave for the first time the day before an event.

    Long trousers feel really weird afterwards too.

    Have at it!

    January 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm #768163
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    notfastenough

    Ok, I did start when I was
    Ok, I did start when I was 16, and kept it up for a little while. I will also start this post by excusing myself in advance for perhaps being a little crude. That said:

    I did it because I was under an accredited coach that insisted on it from all of his riders. Also, roubaix tights are miles comfier without dragging hairs ‘against the grain’ and causing them to poke through for the ‘furry lycra’ look. Not to mention the mess that hair will make if you crash and pick up some road rash.

    Unless you have rather more prowess than I did at 16, you have yet to undress in front of a young lady. Believe me, the reaction you’ll get to shaved legs will mean that you will only do this for someone you REALLY like, and trust. This may be an upside or a downside, depending on your view.

    Don’t shave all the way up your legs, because when it starts to grow back on the inner thighs, (there’s no easy way to say this) – the stubble is like sandpaper on your balls for a couple of days.

    If buying razor blades is a problem, just buy some veet cream and get in the shower with it.

    For what it’s worth, I no longer bother.

    January 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm #768161
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    giff77

    Dan, your really going to
    Dan, your really going to have to bite the bullet and have your mum get them for you. Nowhere will sell you a razor as your under 18. Crazy world that we live in now days. In fact some retailers won’t even flog you a butter knife without checking your age. Apart from that some sound advice here. As Jimmy says. Maybe hold of a few years as your peers can be really cruel once they get wind of what your up to. And whatever you do. Do not loiter outside a chemist accosting ‘responsible’ adults to by you a Mach 3 đŸ˜‰

    January 14, 2014 at 4:25 pm #768159
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    Jimmy Ray Will

    Why shave? Its conformity and
    Why shave? Its conformity and nothing more.

    Once you have accepted that and decided to take the plunge, its all good.

    However, be warned that in 20 years you’ll probably still be shaving the legs, but will likely be less interested in riding a bike… in fact, cycling remains a pastime simply to be able to continue shaving!

    Be warned.

    Oh, and finally, thinking back to my youth, I’d hang on a couple of years before cropping the legs, teenage peers can be so cruel!

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