How and Why perfect shaving is good for cyclists and endurance athletes

Best practices for shaving

Shaving is seen as one of the more eccentric cycling practices, but once you have felt the smooth skin of a freshly shaven leg, you won't return to your unshaven ways. The hours in the saddle aren’t just for improving your FTP, but for developing those perfectly toned muscles that come springtime can make an appearance from beneath winter kit. So now that the daffodils are blooming and the frost is disappearing, it is time to shave the pins and expose them in all their paleness to the world. For those new to riding, shaving may look and appear like a foreign concept, so why do cyclists shave their legs, and how do you do it properly?

Shaving presents several benefits to riders.

For a start, the treatment of road rash is made much easier (and less painful) with a smooth hairless surface (think ripping off the plaster with half your leg hair attached to it.) If you're unlucky enough to tackle the tarmac every once in a while, you’ll know how painful it can be to treat road rash and wounds. Now add in extra fuzz and you’ve got an unpleasant situation on your hands – did someone say bring in the wire brush?

For the speed demons among us, studies have shown that shaven legs (and arms) lend themselves to being more ‘aerodynamic’ in the wind tunnel by helping riders cut through the air more easily than with hairy limbs. Shaving your legs won’t make you as fast as Dan Bigham overnight, but it will help you shave (pardon the pun) valuable seconds off your TT times, and make you faster where it counts, for a fraction of the cost of a new bike or 'watt saving' component upgrades.  

If you're a sports massage regular, shaving could also make your masseuse's job a lot easier. By creating a smooth surface, you're less likely to suffer follicle infections as well as making it less like massaging a cactus, a win-win!

Practicalities aside, looking and feeling like a pro is a big draw to shaving.

There's nothing more satisfying than pulling on a pair of UCI approved length white socks over a freshly shaven leg, and imagining you're Marianne Vos, or Peter Sagan as you ride up and down your local roads. So how do you get your skin to that serene state of smoothness?

Let's start with shaving. Investing in good quality shaving products will ensure a much closer shave and reduce irritation often accompanied by quick hack jobs in the shower. If you're returning to shaving after a winter of letting the forest grow, it's even more imperative you use quality stuff to prevent ingrown hairs and nicks from off the razor. 

VeloSkin’s traditional shaving cream uses a unique formulation of natural ingredients that promote a clean shave wherever you choose to use it.

We recommend using a brush to build a luxuriously thick lather and then apply it liberally onto your legs, arms, or even your face. Thanks to its moisturising and antibacterial properties, if used in conjunction with a sharp razor, our shaving cream will promote a superbly close shave, leaving your skin smooth and free from redness and razor burn.  

For the perfect shaving routine, use our post-shave lotion after shaving, which will soothe any irritation caused by the razor and moisturise the skin.

VeloSkin's post-shave lotion is uniquely designed with natural ingredients including Aloe Vera and Shea butter to keep your skin protected and moisturised. Using your hands, apply it straight from the tin to the already shaved area and rub it in until your skin is silky smooth and nourished. The sophisticated formula delays hair regrowth so you can avoid the prickly feeling for longer, and is gentle enough to be used right before a ride, so you can quite literally shave and go.

All of our products use natural and delicious-smelling ingredients, which used in conjunction with one another will help you nourish your skin and get that pro feeling. The VeloSkin range is developed by cyclists so we understand what your skin goes through on and off the bike, and how important it is to use high quality skincare so you look and feel amazing. Check out our full array of skincare products for cyclists here.

 See you on the road with those perfectly smooth and freshly shaved legs!