From getting faster with Trainerroad, more and more I am finding myself as the only cyclist in the group who doesn’t shave their legs. As someone who associates as a cyclist and with this being such a common thing in cycling, I want to give it a go.
What tips or advice do people have for the first time shaving their legs?
Use bodyhair shaver not one for beard. I made this mistake the fist time and cut me several times
I use clippers on their shortest setting rather than full shaving. Less hassle, no cuts, grows back more quickly to a socially acceptable length between races (my family and friends aren’t quite on board with the silky smooth leg thing yet), and not so obvious if you miss a few spots. Tend to do it before races, or every 3-4 weeks if I’m not racing.
For me the main benefits are better cooling, much easier to apply sun cream, and not having an unpleasant build up of sweat/dust/flies/sports drink/sun cream. Any aero benefits are a bonus!
*Its an excuse to get them in the shower anyway, if they stop laughing of course
Anyone use anything like one of these and if so what are they like? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Braun-Silk-épil-Epilator-Epilation-Exfoliation/dp/B01N2990FJ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=T7MKRO6KT25K&keywords=epilator&qid=1564044046&s=gateway&sprefix=epolator%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3&th=1
Trim first with an electric body razor to get rid of most of the bulk - otherwise it clogs the razor and takes longer / wears out the razor quicker
Exfoliate beforehand - prevents ingrown hairs
Don’t worry about catching every single hair first time - you can always go back later and is better than causing irritation/ cuts by overdoing it.
Bit of fake tan afterwards makes the calves look bigger
If you’re going to use the epilator, at least trim first… 
I actually just got given that same one by my wife as a birthday present this week!
[Skipping over the discussion: “Wife: So hubby, what do you want for your birthday? Me: Erm, an epilator. Her: Who the hell did I marry?! . . .”]
Anyway, it’s excellent. I did borrow a friend’s a month or so ago to check how it worked. I’d say it took about 15 mins per leg. It definitely beats shaving for me, and I should only have to redo it once every month or two. I’ll be using it on my arms as well in the run up to races. Every second counts!
When I got into cycling I always said I’d never shave my legs, this cycling lark is a slippery slope in more ways than one!
Apart from all other tips if you do take plunge keep on top of them, nothing annoys my wife more than me having prickly legs.
Also you can also Veet, I sometimes do this when I let hair grow back in winter after clipping the long hair back with a trimmer then just keep on top of it with a razor.
Make sure you use a decent razor too and not one that has been used loads
@Thorsten
How did it cut you? I just invested in a decent electric shaver and am very happy with the result. Almost as close a shave as a cartridge. Not using it on body for the time being but I can’t imagine it being an issue?
Will give it a try it in the near future … OP depending on your hair and how fast it grows it can be a lot of maintenance. I wanted to maintain no hair but give it 3 days and it just gets spiky again. If you got the time you’ll need to shave a lot, otherwise it might be better long term to go laser removal
Be careful with chemical hair removal. I’m pretty sensitive to skin irritants (poison ivy always turns into a freaking bacterial skin infection for me), and I’ve had a super unpleasant reaction to some of these (swelling, rash, pain). Most people are fine, but if you know your skin is picky, I’d use a different method.
I usedgillette venus and shaving gel. This was the first method that works for me fine and I stick with it. That why can’t compare it to other methods
Why would recreational riders shave their legs anyway? Its uncomfortable, there are potential issues with ingrown hairs, looks terrible when it starts growing back, scratches you if your pants are tight etc.
Only good reasons to do it are 1. easier cleaning if you have a crash and get road rash and 2. it’s better to have no hair if you’re having a massage.
These 2 reasons are legit for pro cyclists but completely lose relevance when we get to recreational cyclists who still think it’s about aerodynamics.
If you insist on shaving your legs then ignore these bad advices. Apply same logic as you would with shaving your face, for example use normal clean and new blades. Sharp razors mean clean cut with less strokes and that’s what you want, you don’t want old razors scratching your thighs, getting a rash and then going for a long sweaty ride in a saddle after that. Everyone is different so you will have to experiment with razors, waxes etc because it really is individual but don’t go cheap and lazy because especially if you’re doing it first couple of times you gotta be aware that sweat on a ride will increase all irritation by tenfold.
Of course if you not race it makes no sense. But for me in summer I turn into a time trialist. And shaving is one of the cheapest way to save few watts
And it’s sexy, if you’re fit and confident.
How else can they show off their guns?
There’s nothing more distracting on the club run than a rider with what amounts to a forest growing on their legs. Shave or go home!!
I’ve heard that CIA black sites use this method of torture on prisoners. It works every time! 