pro mtb racers shaved their legs?
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they might not, shin pads will rub hair off
i know hockey players with no hair on their shins for that reason
i know hockey players with no hair on their shins for that reason
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*yawn*
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=21589&highlight=shave+legs
You get 3 answers:
1) I'm an insecure loser who thinks shaving is lame
2) (enter witty, good-natured comment here)
3) The "real reason" having primarily to do with crashing/cut cleaning - and most importantly HEALING quickly.
Do I shave? Not yet - but when the massive scabs finally clear up on my right leg - I was gonna give it try, as the mess of hair, scabs, blood, etc... was/is nasty - and there's a long season to go, lot's of miles, rides, and races (both mtbike AND road - oh no!
) and I'd rather not have a 3-4 week mess like I've got now.
I've also heard massages are better shaved....
Here's a thread that even has yet another link to another thread about this....Picard said:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=21589&highlight=shave+legs
You get 3 answers:
1) I'm an insecure loser who thinks shaving is lame
2) (enter witty, good-natured comment here)
3) The "real reason" having primarily to do with crashing/cut cleaning - and most importantly HEALING quickly.
Do I shave? Not yet - but when the massive scabs finally clear up on my right leg - I was gonna give it try, as the mess of hair, scabs, blood, etc... was/is nasty - and there's a long season to go, lot's of miles, rides, and races (both mtbike AND road - oh no!
) and I'd rather not have a 3-4 week mess like I've got now.I've also heard massages are better shaved....
I'd guess it's split between the massage answers and the faster healing of road rash, esp. since most pro mountain bikers probably do most of their training on road bikes these days anyway. I think Tinker was the last true pro mountain biker in that he trained exclusively on a mountain bike.
I'd rather be able to "wipe" crap out of my wounds on the trail with my hand than leave it in with a mess of bloody hair and deal with it 2-3 hours later at home or wherever I can find a large supply of water. I tend to leave it prickly though cause it's just easier to maintain.
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Tinker trains on the road too. At least he did last year. I read something somewhere that said he was bike-jacked during a stop on a road ride. Pretty crazy stuff.
Uhm, no he couldn't. He had a gun put to his face. He's a very short and skinny guy too, not exactly intimidating to attackers. The bike is given to him for free by his sponsor, he probably had a new one in a few days. Not worth risking your life over. He had to take a detour during his training route because one of the roads was closed off for consttruction or something and was forced to pass through some bad neighborhood. He was bike jacked when he got off to get some water I think.Picard said:
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Cleaning / healing wounds?
This is something I don't get. I have never had a problem cleaning or healing with my moderately hairy legs. The only problem I have with the hair is the dressing tape sticking to it (ouch!) But after encountering that problem for the first and last time I figured a solution. I now either use a self adhesive bandage (that sticks only to itself) and wrap around the limb or I shave the area around my wound where I have to tape. The other thing I don't understand is that the legs arent the only parts of the body that gets uh, shall we say "eat up" in a crash. My arms can get nice and scabby too and they are just a little less hairy than my legs. So does anybody shave their arms or am I the only one who scrapes them up in a crash.
This is something I don't get. I have never had a problem cleaning or healing with my moderately hairy legs. The only problem I have with the hair is the dressing tape sticking to it (ouch!) But after encountering that problem for the first and last time I figured a solution. I now either use a self adhesive bandage (that sticks only to itself) and wrap around the limb or I shave the area around my wound where I have to tape. The other thing I don't understand is that the legs arent the only parts of the body that gets uh, shall we say "eat up" in a crash. My arms can get nice and scabby too and they are just a little less hairy than my legs. So does anybody shave their arms or am I the only one who scrapes them up in a crash.
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Though not for mountain biking (for XC -- running) I have a had quite a few soft-tissue massages. And I have some moderately hairy legs, and it just about burns after the massage is done--I've often debated on shaving the spot of the massage (when I'll be getting it done for about a week or so) to well, take away "the hurt". However, I realize that last comment was completely asinine--soft tissue massages always hurt if done right lol.
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Ah, but there is a 4th reason
I shave mine because they are more hairy than an ape's when I don't. Though my arms, chest and back are 'normal'. Living in SoCal I always suffered, especially during summer. I started shaving them after high school--way before I started mtb'ing. I am way more comfortable now. I wish I had started sooner. Now that I ride a mt bike, it actually comes in handy. The crash thing is true. Any scrapes I get are very easy to clean out. My buds always have a worse time with theirs.
I shave mine because they are more hairy than an ape's when I don't. Though my arms, chest and back are 'normal'. Living in SoCal I always suffered, especially during summer. I started shaving them after high school--way before I started mtb'ing. I am way more comfortable now. I wish I had started sooner. Now that I ride a mt bike, it actually comes in handy. The crash thing is true. Any scrapes I get are very easy to clean out. My buds always have a worse time with theirs.
A different reason-
I ride enough that the hair on my legs gets worn off from the pads, straps, and bike socks. This leaves an interesting 'hair pattern'. I've had to explain it enough that I have been thinking of just shaving it all off. Maybe I should get one of those Epiladys.Picard said:
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