Shaved legs

Those stone age fellas were pretty fit though

In general, prolific body hair just doesn't look right on an athlete, it looks a bit neolithic.

Ive never worn speedos for a triathlon, normally its a pair of 2xu type shorts and a sleeveless vest...or an all in one.

more to the point, as triathletes don't usually wear cycling-shorts when do they know where to take it easy with the Bic? do they keep going past the Speedos and stop at the nipples, or is the natural nap of body-hair handy for aquadynamics?

i remembered i've had some thoughts about shaving before.

Does racing triathlons count as a race to 'proper' cyclists?

Nope, it's a fairing - so I'm probably not UCI legal.

Anyway I have been know to ride a recumbent occasionally and it's important to look the part - quite the done thing in fact B)

what about that beard though, that must slow you down!

if you 'race' i can understand shaving as it seems to be the done thing..but if you dont is it just vanity? i only ask because i often consider it...(i dont race btw)

I feel I have taken this conversation to a place nobody wants to go....I apologise!

My wife was mortified when I first started shaving my legs...

She now ranks cyclists in order of serious-ness by shaved legs first, tan second and finally lack of nodding head.

I've trained her well...

these are the dilemmas im facing...my girlfriend thinks im mad for even listening to you guys who do this!

Just above the shorts line is standard, but I do shave further up the front, back and outside of my thighs too.

Just leave the insides of your thighs well alone, stuble there is not a good thing...

yeah thats a point, where is the 'line' to stop shaving?!

Hmmm, I once got my legs and arms waxed to raise extra money for a sponsored bike ride - £500 went to the charity and I won the prize for the best legs!
It was a weird feeling after that, cos you lose a lot of sensation due to lack of hair movement. You dont feel the wind so much.
Beware of hair removing cream, especially if you get it in the wrong place!!

It's the back of your calves - often higher up. If you think about it on a road bike they are the bits of your leg that are pointing up at the sun but also often the bits that you are least likely to put much sunscreen on.

Judging by my knees, I'd have to say...errrr....knees?

I'll re-phrase that for the pedantic: which is the most common part of the body for cyclists to develop a melanoma on?

Although I admit, that as Eastbourne is the sunniest place in the UK cyclists around there should be particularly careful

Eastbourne?

We'll just make sure you use plenty of sunscreen. I have to see a dermatologist once a year and I'm not the only cyclist on his books. Most, not me btw, are there with sun related problems (all roadies too).

Your starter for 10, where is the most common place for cyclists to get skin cancer?

That's the point Jon, once you shave them you'll be amazed at how good a tan you get.

All the years I spent MTBing, I never shaved and never got a tan, despite doing as many miles, and probably more hours out on the bike than my road riding nowadays.

Since shaving my legs, I have a crazily good tan up to my shorts line, and two great half moons on the backs of my hands!

Yesterdays ride in the Beacons has actually made my legs go pretty dark now, this summer is going to be amusing, as I never sunbathe, so my body always remains very white, just tanned legs, arms and backs of my hands...ummmm...fetching!

Surely it doesnt look better to shave your legs if you have pasty, pale legs like mine! The hairs add some colour!

I'v found the best way is to use an electric shaver first to get rid of the long hairs and then finish it off with a wet shave, and then use a wet shave every two weeks or so.

Maybe you're looking too closely

I'm with matrs. Seeing hairs poking through Lycra just looks gross!

When I say 'tried' my girlfriend attacked me with it so I could 'feel what it was like' and have a demonstration of why women have a higher pain threshold etc etc.

I married her… well she threatened to get the epilator out again.

I thought as much.

Yes, it hurt so I stopped

has any one tried an epilator?