HTFU and shave those legs

derealbadger

So its official if you are serious about your cycling shave the legs now we need the best techniques substances etc
http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/are-you-more-aero-and-faster-with-shaved-legs-these-wind-tunnel-results-are-staggering/

lennymc

what about arms?

stecleary

Looking at who conducted the tests I fear for men with shaved legs. There is court date with your name one it coming up soon

quozl

I wasn't expecting it to make anything like that difference!

Now I'm actually considering it

seany15

Have always done this since i took up cycling, more to do with not wanting road rash to get gammy in the event of a spill, but now seems justified!!

Idleater

lennymc wrote: »

what about arms?

Phew!
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/specialized-test-aerodynamics-of-a-beard-video-41144/

lennymc

Idleater wrote: »

Phew!
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/specialized-test-aerodynamics-of-a-beard-video-41144/

best news I've heard all day!!

CatFromHue

Idleater wrote: »

Phew!
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/specialized-test-aerodynamics-of-a-beard-video-41144/

I still wonder about the arms though.

If you take it the surface area of the arms is about 6-8 times that the face and that the arms are out in relatively free stream arm compared to the face.

If anything shaving your arms may create less drag than your legs!

I guess anyway!

mistermatthew

derealbadger wrote: »

So its official if you are serious about your cycling shave the legs now we need the best techniques substances etc
http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/are-you-more-aero-and-faster-with-shaved-legs-these-wind-tunnel-results-are-staggering/

I think the results are bollox tbh

flatface

a data set of a whole 6 people? convincing...

Ole Rodrigo

If you have a particular outcome in mind, you can design a test to produce that outcome.

tombliboo83

I'm taking the plunge next week before my holidays. I must admit though it's purely about aesthetics and fitting in. I guess it also shows commitment. Don't know what my wife will think though. I'm quite hairy and not sure how much to shave..even my ass?

Daroxtar

"Hi darling, I've been on an Internet chat room and the guys there reckon I should shave me legs and dress up in lycra, it'll make me better at riding "

"I'm taking the kids to my sister's for a few days. I'll call you"

doozerie

So you are faster into the wind with shaved legs? Right, well I'm going to apply my own scientific analysis and conclude then that with a tailwind you gain extra speed with hairy legs as the wind has more surface area to push against. Which leads me to believe that the optimum solution is to shave the front (and probably sides) of your legs and to cultivate greater hair growth on the backs - g'wan the leg mullet.

...just never go out in crosswinds. Or in public, for that matter.

Lumen

doozerie wrote: »

So you are faster into the wind with shaved legs? Right, well I'm going to apply my own scientific analysis and conclude then that with a tailwind you gain extra speed with hairy legs as the wind has more surface area to push against.

But as you well know, it is incredibly rare to have a tailwind that is actually faster than you are riding, except on particularly exposed climbs.

Usually tailwind = smaller headwind.

doozerie

Lumen wrote: »

But as you well know, it is incredibly rare to have a tailwind that is actually faster than you are riding, except on particularly exposed climbs.

You over-estimate my cycling speed

On a side note, I'm considering shaving my internal nose hairs in an effort to get oxygen into me faster. I look forward to Specialized putting together a test of dubious scientific value on *that* marginal gain. :pac:

Lumen

doozerie wrote: »

I look forward to Specialized putting together a test of dubious scientific value on *that* marginal gain. :pac:

I'm for any self-modification that frees us from the need to buy Specialized bikes.

nilhg

derealbadger wrote: »

So its official if you are serious about your cycling shave the legs now we need the best techniques substances etc
http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/are-you-more-aero-and-faster-with-shaved-legs-these-wind-tunnel-results-are-staggering/

So the OP beat me by 23sec in a 16km TT last night, would shaving my legs have made the difference or do I have to take a leaf out of his book and just buy a new bike?

on_the_nickel

mistermatthew wrote: »

I think the results are bollox tbh

They looked like legs to me, but maybe you're on to something.

desertcircus

doozerie wrote: »

So you are faster into the wind with shaved legs? Right, well I'm going to apply my own scientific analysis and conclude then that with a tailwind you gain extra speed with hairy legs as the wind has more surface area to push against. Which leads me to believe that the optimum solution is to shave the front (and probably sides) of your legs and to cultivate greater hair growth on the backs - g'wan the leg mullet.

...just never go out in crosswinds. Or in public, for that matter.

Hairy legs should produce less drag than shaved: the hair on your calves should create enough turbulence to reduce drag compared to shaved legs, much like a golf ball's dimples.

jinkypolly

I'd like to see a bit more data and methodology explained here, "we've got a wind tunnel" just doesn't cut it.