Some do it to improve aerodynamics
Some do it to improve aerodynamics
Now this one has been the subject of much debate. And to a certain extent how much there is to be gained depends on how hairy you are. For example, if Andre ‘The Gorilla’ Greipel did indeed resemble a gorilla, he’d have a lot more to save (and shave) than someone who naturally has very fine and short leg hair.
But whether or not there are actually gains to be made from shaved legs is an interesting question. Fortunately, Specialized found the question interesting too, and establishing whether or not this was the case was made easier by the fact they now have an in-house wind tunnel.
So Spesh set out to test the theory with a pretty clued-in test subject – pro triathlete Jesse Thomas. Interestingly, Thomas also happened to be a rather hairy chap by his own admission (scoring a nine on what Specialized describe as their ‘Chewbacca’ scale – for obvious reasons), and had been testing equipment with his non-shaved legs in the tunnel that morning. So they shaved his legs, put him back in the tunnel and made an astonishing discovery – shaving his legs saved a lot. So much, in fact, that the gains added up to the equivalent of 79 seconds over a 40km time trial, or a 7 percent saving in drag, or 15 watts total. You can watch Specialized’s aero experts Chris Yu and Mark Cote test another rider here.
Not content to take the results of one person as gospel, Spesh tested five other athletes in the tunnel over the subsequent months and found an average saving of 70 seconds over 40km. To put that in perspective, Specialized’s own Evade aero helmet claims a 46 second saving over the same distance, their new Sub6 shoes claim a 35 second saving and even their brand new skinsuit only claims to save 96 seconds over 40kms. And all three are far more expensive than shaving your legs.
Of course, all seven of the guys Spesh tested were rather hairy, so at the high end for what you can expect in terms of savings but the point still stands that saving your legs to improve aerodynamics is no gimmick. It works.
There was also a theory doing the rounds a few years back that leaving a strip of unshaven hair on the side of both legs could improve aerodynamics as well. But that sort of crazy look should definitely be reserved only for those who are willing to risk widespread hilarity at their own expense in the pursuit of marginal gains…