shaving - is it needed? (Page 2)

It sounds like the consensus is personal taste. Wont make a difference in speed for any of the three events but some consider it a tradition. Out of curiosity I asked my wife what her opinion of me shaving my legs would be she said something along the lines of..."that would feel weird to me..." Still don't know but I guess I wont be shaving them yet...mostly because I need that extra layer of insulating fur for my cold wet winter rides here.

 In the spring though, who knows...

Anyone have shaving techniques and tips for guys? 

It's funny. The "weird" seems to be from wives.

My ex thought it was weird. In my scientific polls since I seperated I have found it unanimous that the chicks dig it.

Well that pix does not do justice to my leg - it's looks like that leg that hangs down on the Pirates of the Carribean ride at Disney World becasue it was dirty from the road and bike wreck.

Here's a better shot of my leg.  I may be weird...but I'm not a man who shaves his legs.

~Mike

(Bit Fit 2.jpg)

I trim my chest short with an electric razor and shave arms and legs.  My swim coach actually recommended it as a training tool.  Yeah right!?  But after taking her advice I found that you can actually feel where the water hit your arms.  For me being a weak swimmer it helped me find my stroke pattern.  I couldn't tell a difference in speed.

Now as to why I continue to shave after the season is over and I'm not in the pool regularly...?  I dunno.   My wife doesn't mind either way.  After shaving for the summer I found my groove (so to speak) so it only takes a few minutes to do and I rarely cut myself. I've found that using bar soap or even just hair conditioner is effective and less costly than 'shaving cream'

I didn't see it mentioned on this page yet, but watch this video for technique:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1466

No you don't have to but the ladies think it is SEXY BABE.......Austin Powers.

Its cooler, as in not as warm.  I get warm very easily, so Ill take any cooling advantage I can.  For the ladies, imagine running w/ pantyhose or stockings, thats what hairy legs are like.  Same w/ the chest.  shaving helps to keep your core cooler.  And I have noticed the difference.  FWIW- Basketball players have been shaving down for years.  Not to save .01 seconds, but not get as hot as quickly and to be able to cool down more easily. 

I also ride Mt Bikes and I go through some pretty dense brush and grass.  I used to get ticks all the time on my legs.  Since I started shaving, I dont get them anymore b/c the ticks have nothing to grab onto.  So for me, its also a Lyme disease preventative.

So to answer your question, it doesnt save me time, or not that I would notice, but it does make me more comfortable during the race.  So for me, its worth it.

TheSloth - 2008-10-27 7:54 AM I can't and I won't.  For those that are more on the fuzzy-wuzzy to Chewbacca types(me being on the fuzzy-wuzzy end),  the question is where do you stop shaving? Just shaving arms and legs and leaving a nice sweater vest doesn't make much sense.  To shave it all is just too much man-scaping to fit into my schedule.

I am not a fuzzy wuzzy... but what started with the legs has been a year long transition to hair free, except on my head :0

Me? Purely vanity. And the chicks dig it. If they like it they LOVE it.

I just use the clippers and do a quick once over, takes all of 5 minutes.  It isn't bald, but it's pretty short and the definition is still there.  I don't generally use a razor at all unless i find that i missed a big spot with the clippers while in the shower.  I don't really like bald legs, but when the hair gets longer than a cm or so, it's gotta go.

On the other hand, during the summer, my underarms were getting real itchy and I attributed it to the hair, so I did shave that off with a razor.  They felt much better, though.  Now, is that weird?

It's as necessary as a sweet looking kit and white bar tape

When it's 100 degrees and as humid as being underwater, I do find some benefit of shaving other than just vanity.