Men Who Shave Their Legs

Rich White of Big Bear Lake, Calif., shows off his buff--and smoothly shaven--biker legs before a ride.

Photo Courtesy of Rich White

By Stephen Regenold
The Gear Junkie
For Active.com

It was the summer of 1990, and Stephen Bullard had become a dedicated triathlete—fit and fast for swimming, running and cycling after five years of regular competition. He was a burgeoning young buck, eking up in the local ranks and looking the part—all hot pink and Spandex and mirrored sunglasses—save for one fuzzy detail: He had hairy legs.

So it was one bright spring evening when Bullard, now a management trainer in Minneapolis, took blade to skin and began the deforestation of his lower leg. "It was the thing to do if you were serious about triathlon," he said.

Bullard turned 50 this winter, still a committed triathlete, cyclist and Nordic skier. It's been 18 years since his virgin shave, and Bullard's legs have been shiny and smooth ever since.

Beyond aerobic sports, in no other part of mainstream Western society does the male species commonly take wax or blade to leg hair. But among the Lycra set—particularly cyclists, swimmers and triathletes—smooth legs are touted as a rite of passage and a performance-enhancing procedure.

Bullard, who shaves twice a week, up to 45 minutes at a time, said hair-free legs identify a man as someone who takes his sport seriously. "It's a badge," he said.

Showing off rippling thighs doesn't hurt, either. Nor does the feeling of fresh bed sheets on clean calves, admitted one male shaver. And after a day of cycling a self massage on smooth thighs is irresistible, according to Steve Madden of Bicycling magazine.

"Massage is the No. 1 reason to shave for serious cyclists," said Madden, who serves as editor in chief at the Emmaus, Pennsylvania, magazine. "Lotion and leg hair don't go well together, and after riding all day cyclists need a rub-down."

Madden, 44, has shaved on and off since 1980. Narcissism and vanity, he admits, are part of the allure. Ditto to fitting into the crowd.

"Cycling is a very tribal sport," Madden said. "You take cues from the leaders—the pros—who all shave."

Stanley Barton's legs after a bad crash. He shaves to help road rash like this heal faster. 'Hair doesn't get tangled in the scabs,' he said. Photo courtesy of Stanley Barton

More practically, cyclists shave because cuts and road rash can heal faster after a crash. "Hairless legs are easier to clean and bandage," Madden said.

Fur-free = Faster?

What about aerodynamic advantages on a bike? In a wind tunnel, under perfect lab conditions, leg fuzz swirling in the breeze may create a tiny amount of turbulence and drag. But it has almost no affect on riders in reality. "It's pure B.S.," Madden spouted. Instead, your clothing, riding position, your helmet, even the placement of a water bottle cage can cause more drag than leg hair, he said.

In water, where resistance is greater, hair can make a measurable difference. As such, swimmers have long shaved their legs—and their arms and chests, too—for hydrodynamic gain. A bald body, like a seal, slips quicker through the pool.

In other sports, smooth man legs are a Grade A diversionary tactic. That's according to Dan Williams, a 42-year-old adventure racer from Champlin, Minnesota, who compares leg shaving to poker: "It's like Texas Hold 'Em," he said. "Anything that gives you a psychological or perceived psychological edge, will in fact give you that edge."