Shaving off a few seconds! Cyclists who get rid of their leg hair really ARE more aerodynamic, study finds

Home »Shaving off a few seconds! Cyclists who get rid of their leg hair really ARE more aerodynamic, study finds

Shaving off a few seconds! Cyclists who get rid of their leg hair really ARE more aerodynamic, study finds

Posted by sciencetech-blog on Friday, October 3, 2014 Label:

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Bare legs are a badge of honour in the cycling world – a sign that you have finally joined the ranks of elite bikers.

Until now it wasn't known whether shaving your calves really made you any more of a contender for the Tour de France.

But a recent study has found that, far from being a bizarre trend, there may be a scientific basis to picking up the razor before cycling.

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A recent study has found that, far from being a bizarre trend, there may be a scientific basis to picking up the razor before cycling.

Earlier this year, California-based manufacturer, Specialised Bicycle Components, posted a video claiming that shaving legs could reduce drag by seven per cent.

That means a cyclist can exert 15 watts less power and still go at the same speed. The saving is equivalent to changing from a round-tube frame to an aero-style one.

'We were shocked,' Mark Cote, who heads aerodynamics at the firm, toldOutside magazine.

'The numbers dropped so much it set my b******* meter off. I had to immediately check the equipment to make sure it was real.'

CYCLING BEHIND SURGE IN NUMBERS OF MEN REMOVING THREAD VEINS

Doctors have reported a sharp rise in the number of men wanting cosmetic treatment to have unsightly thread veins removed from their legs.

In the three months following Bradley Wiggins' Tour De France victory in July, 10,000 new members joined Cycling UK, donned their lycra and took to the roads.

However, many also decided to replicate their cycling heroes by shaving their legs. These unsuspecting men were surprised to discover red and blue thread veins previously hidden by the hairs on their legs.

Thread veins are typically thin spidery veins which are prominent and can be unsightly.

Dr Peter Finigan, specialist thread vein practitioner at Dr Newmans Clinic, a nationwide doctor-led consultancy which specialises solely in removing thread veins, has treated more than 50 male cyclists since September 2012 at his practice in Manchester.

The reports emerged not long after doctors noted a sharp rise in the number of men requesting cosmetic treatment to reduce the effect of 'drinker's nose' - unsightly thread veins on the face often blamed on heavy drinking.

The experiment began when pro-triathlete Jesse Thomas showed up for a tunnel testing session with very hairy legs.

His legs were so hairy, that the Specialised Bicycle team placed him on the high-end of something they called the 'Chewbacca Scale.'

As a joke, he decided to shave his legs and see how much time it knocked off during his tests in the wind tunnel.

'For me, a half Ironman is a four-hour race, and the winning margin can often be less than a minute, even 30 seconds,' Mr Thomas told Jason Gay at Wall Street Journal.

'If you can find something that shaved 15 seconds or 30 seconds - or maybe a minute or two - is huge.'

The experiment began when pro-triathlete Jesse Thomas showed up for a tunnel testing session with very hairy legs. His legs were so hairy, that the Specialised Bicycle team placed him on the high-end of something they called the 'Chewbacca Scale'

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