Hairy or smooth
 

I plan to do some record setting bike riding this year and as age is catching up with me, I need every advantage. I pose this question: Since my legs are not even close to the template shape, do I leave them unshaven to produce a boundry layer or shave them in hopes that they will be a smaller object moving thru the air?

I know the difference is small but riding over 24hours it should be of some cumulative benefit.

I opened this thread with mild concern...

What do the pro's do? Why do they do it?

"In terms of actual aerodynamics [not much]. But I know that if I ever looked down while I was on the bike and saw hairy legs I immediately felt slower." —Tour de France stage winner Davis Phinney

and some more takes on it
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...ave-their-legs

Dimples

In that case, shave them! Oh, for the love of Macgyver, please oh please shave them!

I'm pretty sure the only reason pro's started shaving was to keep hair out of scabs after the innevitable crashes.
Aero wise the effect is minascule. Looks wise, when I raced, my legs were sexy as hell either way. :D

Keep the hair: use "product" to form it into trip strips at just the right point, based on prevailing wind vectors... :)

I like the gel idea!

I've raced for years and only shaved my legs once. Didn't care for the look.
I am a massage therapist, hairy legs don't matter for that.
In 30 years of racing I've only crashed and scabbed up my legs once.

I really was wondering about the hair creating a boundary layer for a minuscule advantage. And mostly for fun

that's FUNNY!!! :D :thumbup:

Just think of the waxed hairs as being micro vortex generators (wink,wink)!