Shaving in Good Company: Swimmers, Bicyclists and Drag Queens

I may have started doing triathlons just so I could shave my legs. Who hasn’t seen Breaking Away and not wanted to instantly break out the shaving cream and razor. I don’t even remember him justifying shaving his legs, other than because some French bicyclists (or was it Italian?) did it. Not that I have justified it over a movie. Consciously.

My top four reasons for shaving are for focus, aerodynamics and in case of road rash, it’s supposed to heal faster and it makes it easier to put sun tan lotion on.

I’m not sure how sitting in a tub for an hour turning into a prune helps one focus, but you feel like you have a purpose, slathering up and running the razor repeatedly over very hairy legs. As I enter my fourth year of triathlon, I find it less compelling to use this as a reason. I’d rather use that hour to watch Judge Judy yell at idiots at this time in my life.

Aerodyamism? Hmm, I’m pretty sure a little hair isn’t going to make the difference between a 13 hour ironman and a 14 hour ironman. I used to half-seriously consider the weight differential. What’s that, a gram or two of hair? Could make a difference…

Road rash? I have crashed on my bicycle exactly two times in my life. The first time was when I first got clipless pedals. I was about a quarter of a mile from just having had them installed when for no apparent reason, I suddenly felt like a rabbit with its leg in a trap, I panicked trying to get my stupid foot out of the pedal and fell over. Going about four miles an hour.

The second time I crashed, several days after the first time, I was coming to a stop light, came to a complete stop and couldn’t get my stupid foot out of the pedal and fell over. Going about four miles an hour. If I could shave my ego, maybe that would have healed faster, but I’m not so sure about the small abrasions on my legs.

Finally, and most compelling, is for ease of putting on lotion. But this is more for tactile reasons that for any real practical reason. It just feels nice putting lotion on a shaved leg. There, I said it.

I had pretty much decided not to shave my legs and then I read an article about shaving, probably on Bicycling.com. That almost convinced me that I should shave, but then I thought about it and now I’m not sure because one of the reasons cited for shaving is so other cyclists know you are for real. It was also said that if you don’t have tan lines in the right places other cyclists will not take you seriously and will actually avoid you. So if other cyclists will avoid me because I’m unshaven and use good sunscreen, all the better. If any other cyclist on the road takes me seriously with my t-shirt-scrap headband, platform pedals and running shoes, allow me to remove all credibility with hairy, untanned legs.

I do triathlon because of its solitary nature. If I wanted to be in a group, I’d play rugby or the tamborine.

I reserve the right to shave my legs in the future, if only to be like that guy in Breaking Away. Who also didn’t ride in groups.