Shaved Legs vs. Hairy Legs - Wind tunnel reveals all!
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Do shaved legs really make a difference? We did a bunch of aero tests, and the results were pretty mind-blowing!
Here's what we tested:
Hairy Legs 🦵
Shaved Legs ✂️
Shaved Legs with Calf Sleeves 🧦
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Oddly, I've been looking for about 13 watts on my day to day walking efficiency. Shaved immediately and can confirm that I reached my coffee pickup in .02 seconds faster.
Rofl
The practical benefits are infinite.
That could be the difference between getting the last vanilla slice or not☝️
You're missing the other half of the equation, you need to walk up to ~40km/h to really feel the gains of shaving. Then, you will experience the true time savings
I was actually slower as I had to keep stopping to itch my freshly shaved arms and legs!
Also think about the difference in a non-wetsuit swim. As far as I know, all Olympic male swimmers will be shaved down. My old swim coach used to use the analogy of dragging a branch with leaves thru a stream vs with the leaves removed.
this is the funniest part to me. The resistance compounds with the density of the fluid, and to be real he's objectively one of the slowest swimmers amongst the guys he routinely finishes among,.It's framed as a bike decision, but he'll gain so much more in the water than on the bike by shaving for any swims which aren't full suit. It's crazy to me that he wasn't before.
And the apology to Erin....priceless! 🙏💗👊
I also believe that the shaved surfaces helps in heat dissipation. Also easier to apply sun screen in a more even, thinner application. I've been shaving since my racing days in the 1990s. I can tell the heat difference after only 2 weeks of growth.
Good to see Jan in this :)
Wait what? When?
@@nimbra2all the time, e.g. 0:50
@@iamtheonenonly250 he’s every freaking where 🐐
As a road cyclist without a TT bike and darth vader helmet I'd like to see the difference for a typical roadie doing a solo break away
Missed the trick of shaving legs then test them shaving arms test again, to see difference between a full shave and just legs :) nicely done anyway
And calf sleeves on unshaved legs
I would imagine the effects would be even more pronounced on the swim given the density of the medium you're moving through, though the speed is obviously slower.
I was always under the impression the legs were shaved just in case of a crash, no hair to trap dirt and gravel in an open wound...Regardless, as a man of extremes I "undoubtedly" expect Lionel to shave his head and eye-brows before Mt. Tremblant!
That is another reason why people shave legs! You're not completely wrong, it's also easier to treat your wounds if there's no hair all over the place
For me, a mountain bike racer on the West coast USA it was for wound care and poison oak treatment. Also it was easier to keep cool, I'm half hobbit. Never shaved my arms though.
Yeah, that's complete bs. When you hit the pavement you're gonna get dirt in your scrapes no matter what.
@@jonathanechevers6265 Well, true but it's gonna be less dirt
@@jonathanechevers6265 for me it just made it easier to clean the wounds and poison oak rash, also made it easier to see them. I started regularly shaving my legs after I found an abscess on my leg from an infected poison oak blister that I never noticed because of the hair on my legs. That was when I was mostly mountain bike racing and doing a lot of road riding and racing for training so it made sense at the time.
The table is crazy. In drop position on a roadbike 32km/h @200 Watt has always been pretty solid for me. Seeing the 40+ even if it is TT .. 🙀
What about facial hair?
Not much of a difference due to the aero position. They do the test in the vid.
ruclips.net/video/1ODvUjAZvHs/видео.htmlsi=iaGo6mshTm4eC2Z-
Welcome to the shaved side of the world Lionel.
I felt that when he said “I hope this doesn’t make me faster, I don’t want to wear these” all the crazy stuff people wear nowadays even just to a group ride feels like overkill. I heard it’s fastest to have REALLY long leg and arm hair so I’ll keep going for that 😂
worried about how the calf sleeves look with that thing on your head... :D
What road speed was being simulated? I’d love to hear the watts saved at 15, 30, and 45kph.
Also, if slightly hairy arms and legs represent a 13 watt opportunity, what about different jersey materials and fit (skin tight vs relaxed)? Surely my torso contributes far more to wind resistance, right?
Glad you found some more free speed. Quick question. How about changing out the Bonts to the Velovetta's or Giro Empires with laces (but with elastic lace replacements)?
Quick reminder - this test was done ONLY on 1 person. We do not have data from any other person to see how their wattage changed and what’s the total average
I have exactly 20 *other* reasons to do it. You can use those too. I have a list.
So after shaving the arms and legs you made back about half the watts lost by the disc rotors on a TT bike. Sweet!! Get me the razor.
I thought the whole point of shaving the legs (for cross country) was so when you come off, your skin doesn't rip out as much as there is no hair for it to grab onto.
Mama’s always right!! 😊
shaving yourself shaves time.
Haha!!!!! Love it!! Go Lionel!!!!
Wish he had just shaved the legs first and did a test before shaving the arms. Would have liked to know how those two’s impact separately.
So a Person with a 10 at chewbacca scale can probably Save 24W. Not bad. Thanks for the funny video
Watching this and my wife just told me "Dont you dare shaving your arms" ... :()
asking the real questions
“Hairy” legs. This dudes legs are me 3 days after a trim. Test this with an Italian or a Greek.
Shaving has never been about wind resistance. It’s all about weight saving. Cutting that hair off saves a lot of weight.
You could retest in a velodrome. Then you would see it in real
This seems like a poor way to test it I think just measuring the total weight of the hair and testing how it reacts aerodynamically is a better way to avoid factors such as fatigue, placebo, or simple human error to affect the results with this single person sample size
If you are spending energy thinking about this sort of thing, that is wasted on energy that could be spent on actually improving your health and athleticism, which will yeild a much higher ROI
And to show how silly other rules are…you can’t have a bottle in your jersey, but you can have this sharp metal extender to get the bottle in a similar position. 😂
can someone help me understand the data? If i already race with calf sleeves, does that mean its still worth it because of the arms a little bit of the legs? Unsure if it's worth trying lol
Сделать лазерный эпиляция, будет ещё лучше
I’m aiming for 20+ watts saved in that case with my Greek genes 🫠
Should've wore the calve sleeves with hairy legs as well
This is the test I really need
my first thought exactly, when he got off the bike for the first time and shave.
guy from the wind tunnel should think bout that - shows you level of "scientificness" of this crew...
@@wujekg It's honestly a fair assumption to assume that it wont make a difference since the sleeve covers the hair (and the added volume of the hair under the hair is miniscule)
@@piergiorgio919is it abt volume or surface area. If it’s surface area it might mayyer
5!!! More like 2or3 out of 10 on chewbacca scale 😂
Yea totally... I think high level cyclists and swimmers are heavily biased since they're frequently surrounded by shaved legs/bodies
Yep! It that was 5, then I should be 12🤣
Yeah... That's terrible news for me. If he saved 10 watts @40km/h being a 2 or 3, and I'm twice as hairy, that's an instant 5% gain for me. I guess I'll have to try!
@@edgarbran9822 I know the feeling, i reckon im three times as hairy, if i shaved i might not even need to peddle anymore haha
Yeah, his legs barely had hairs. My legs were black before I shaved them. Shaving off full grown hair took me soo long!
The faster you go the greater the effect. I’m never holding 45km/h. Be great to repeat test at 30 and 35km/h
40kmh with his cda is only 180w. If you can’t hold 180w go train harder before thinking marginal gains.
Apparently you need 228 W at a CdA of 0.212 to travel 40 km/h. You need 313 W to go at 45km/ h which was the test speed. To reach those numbers I will have to go train harder.
@@choanlpoto Don't be an elitist jerk. That is a crazy fast speed. I've been cycling going on 4 years minus the winters because of seasonal affective disorder, and my avg speed has never gone over 17mph/27kmh, but normally I'm more around 13mph/21kmh. Breaking 20mph/32kmh is a huge achievement
Imagine going 30 km/h and getting 15 km/h headwinds. Should have the same effect.
@@opliko I don't talk about speed but power. 180w is not a high power for any cyclist. And from his chart. With a good bike position you can hold 40kph with 180w
Just Frodo sitting in on a wind tunnel session , just another day in the office
Frodo consulting on shave vs keep growing aspect:) hilarious
I immediately shaved my arms and legs after watching this video! 😆
I’m now hairless from the eyebrows down 👍
😂
I don't think it matters that much when you're going 20 kmh.
@@jokuheppu3920 no one goes 20kph even age groupers ride at 30-35 on the flats
But do you even have a race?
Went ahead and shaved my back and satchel just in case. Scheduled velodrome for Monday.
But what’s the aero penalty for a mustache???
Seems obvious if it's a handlebar moustache!?
now its getting interesting
Some sport (ice skating?) use skinsuites with raised stitches to lower drag, by causing turbulence that help close the airstream behind (the golf ball effect). By that reasoning the optimum should be a strip of stubble down the outside of the legs...
Shaved being faster has been known for decades! Like actually known not kinda sort of.
Yeah it's astonishing a "top pro" such as sanders doesn't do this. It would be like insisting the aero bars do nothing, or refusing to wear a skinsuit or aero helmet because "it looks dorky"
I always thought it was debunked though. With swimming it makes a difference, but with the marginal difference it makes in a medium 800 times denser than air, it was concluded that in cycling it was negligible.
I absolutely shaved for my last triathlon because of this wind test video
Must have been a very quick turnaround between video and your event
@@2Calam haha it was his first aero testing video a few weeks ago
@@joshuafoulds8107 What do you mean it was uploaded 4 days ago??!! Are you a time traveller? 🤣
@@cyclingcolumbus no, shaved arms and legs just made me that fast!
@@joshuafoulds8107 Aha! Had he already mentioned it in one of his vlogs? Congrats for your triathlon!
Would have the calf sleeves alone on top of unshaven legs bring the same benefit?
Jan cameo! See you in Tremblant Lionel!
I thought they removed the full...is he doing the 1/2?
Bro’s toying with us with his Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream pot … like I train so much I can indulge real bad 😂
How does 13 watts feel? Get on the indoor trainer. Set ERG mode to a specific value. Pedal at that effort for a while. Without stopping, add 13 watts to the ERG mode. How’s it feel?
competing at your level you need to be doing EVERYTHING!
Should've tested the mullet in between!!!
With the amount of hair I have on my legs I would gain 30 watts if I shave 😂
Maybe shaving your chest would reduce your average heart rate? 😂
Because I'm nowhere near driving 45 kmh, the question is how many watts do you save at 35kmh or 40kmh
Drag scales with the square of your speed. (35/45)^2 is 0.6 and 30 makes it 0.44, so I'd guess around 5 to 7 watts. Probably more complex than this but close enough.
its displayed in the charts
Haha, ditching the sugary ice-cream may also safe 13 watts.
You need something to live for after you start shaving arms and legs...
Has anybody in the comment section ever ridden 40km/h at 188W ? Because I know IRL I need to pump out about 250 to reach that speed.
Yeah me too haha. I have a ''old'' 2018 canyon speedmax. Not super optimized at every marginal gain possible, yet I have done a bike fitting and the position seems quite aero. And I need to pump around 290W for 42km/h and 275 for 40
First of all they might be talking about aerodynamic drag excluding rolling resistance, drivetrain inefficiency etc. Second, you will never be as aero and efficient as pros for many reasons, so don't compare yourself too harshly. Last weekend I've done 70.3 with 40 km/h avg and avaraged 232W (no drafting at all), which I consider pretty good.
@@jank4809 That is really good, well done!
Also, mea culpa, I wrote the comment mid-video. The chart towards the end seems to be adjusted for RR and whatnot since it lists 315W for 46km/h which is probably realistic.
@@byt4fse2maybe on a mtb lol
Do you have a custom skin suit and an optimized position?
Where's the "shaved legs" checkbox in Zwift? Until then I'm not gonna bother
I was seriously thinking that Lionel, by now in his career, has already figured out what most amateurs know, but it turns out he still has stuff to discover. My god.
Yeah honestly seems so weird that he thought it wouldn’t be faster.
Doesn't strike me as the sharpest knife in the drawer, to be honest. The results must be more dramatic for the swim
@@philipk4475 Problem with the swim data is how much a wetsuit or swim skin affects that - similar to the above comment, what is the effect on cycling with unshaved legs but aero socks? For swimming, does being shaved make a difference when wearing a wetsuit or other covering?
hi lionel. there is no way you're a 5 on the chewy scale. you're about a 3. I'm a 7 so will gain so many watts, I'll probably be beating you.
Ill just train more, thank you very much 😀
yea I ain't gon make my self look like a girl. masculinity all the way
If u shave ur eye brows you will go faster as well.
Why not test calf sleeves on unshaved legs so I don't have to shave them?
Just think, if you'd listened to people years ago and done a proper wind tunnel test you'd have benefited from all this free speed when you were competitive and probably had your Kona win. I love you Lionel but you are frustrating.
damn i’m hairy af. about to gain at least 30 watts
Don't forget the moustache, gentlemen
I'll die before that gets removed
This video was brought to you by Gillete
I totally expected a plug for those sleeves. Then they all turn in the same results as just shaving your legs. Thank you for saving me money!
Aaand with 1 video Lionel killed half of the calf-sleeve industry
Because I was a second later than usual from getting home, I’m shaving everything, balls and head included.
Don’t forget your eyebrows
I'm hoping they do zero cause I don't really want to walk around with these on, great quote on calf sleeves!
You should retest by shaving one or the other. Maybe it’s just the arms causing the gains, or visa versa.
Shaved cyclist legs have absolutely nothing to do with aerodynamics but have everything to do with post crash wound care and massage.
We’re going to need to see your documented test data.
One doesn't exclude the other
FWIW......the leg shaving thing wasn't started for aerodynamics - it was about roadrash
Alright, this means for me that I should, very at least, stop wearing an MTB rider-like pants outfit (‘cuz I liked it) for my tiring Brevet rides…
Besides, as I am an Asian, my Chewbacca Scale would be like 1 to 2 out of 10 anyway, compared to poor hairyball Europeans.
Appreciated the great video!
Imagine what analysis on: overthinking, correct rest, nutrition, training and misplaced marginal gain efforts would reveal...🥸😆 #overthinkingwrongthingsfordecades
-A fan that wishes this boi didn't burn himself out each year
P.s. I shave due to the HEAT (hair was evolved for warmth and so contributes to overall body heat = higher core temp = less watts, so thats another big benefit)
It goes the other way too...some cyclist suffered hypothermia this year in europe in a race. Maybe having hair would have helped for that :P
Took Lionel 2 weeks to finaly decide if it is worth it 🤣
I don't get why he needed to be pedaling at all. It's not like he was moving forward. I don't see how this can be treated under these conditions. Wouldn't it with better to have him on a track, actually moving, and measure that way?
Racing a higher category Crit with hairy legs is the sign of a sketchy rider. Shave your legs if you don’t want EVERYONE aggressively passing you the whole time. Truth
I'm so high on the wookie scale I'll save about 50watts. Good news!!
They arenot worth it except if you are riding at high speeds..your hair acts like a coil and holds or contains your energy .aura..witch feeds the cels..e ergizes your legs..if you shave your legs your energy potential is lower..hair also protects you against sun..and rsdiation..witch makes your muscles cook..ext..the only reason why you should shavr it is because of crashes..and cycling focuses on legs to much so your energy is not focused downwards to much..so you balance it..
and it seems to me that you have very small hairs on you legs and arms :) imagine someone with hairs like a bear :)
So wife is right... as usual
Hair on legs and arms aside, why do you have hair like Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys in 1997?
He must have shaved his legs before in his career right? Isn’t that standard stuff at that level? (Even most age groupers do it on raceday)
Cannot believe a professional athlete actually thought shaving wasn’t a benefit. Just doesn’t feel possible 😅
Some people gotta learn the hard way 🤦♂️
Would have been nice to get a leg-sleeve test first, THEN the unshaven legs, then the shaved legs. He may have just been warmed up in this test :D
It isnt 😅 Name the health or athletic benefit that comes with it... Thats what a real athlete should be thinking about, not artificially shaving time off a clock.
In my test I shaved my left arm and leg, marginally quicker but I spent the day going around in circles.
Can we get a toenail maintenance video??
You do t need to shave with a. Wet razor , hair clip it as close as your can with a. Hair clippers . If nothing else it looks far better
Oh my god it's Tony Vreski, I thought he died in the Nakatomi plaza!!!
I am a hairy mtfo and since I don't race, I'll keep my hairs and work harder.😅
Unless u are doing jet aeroplane speeds it can't make any difference
If you wear calf sleeves you don’t need to shave you’re legs tho?? Get the aero gains plus the boost of hair leg man power
can we just admit that cyclists like feeling smoother than the women they sleep with? it has zip to do with aero gains. its a kink thing. always has been.
I will keep my hairy legs, at least i have an excuse for my poor performance
the pain of fastidiously shaving yr body and then losing to somebody who didn't tho
Bruh, i can't even reach 45km/h without the help of downhills
I think Specialized had it at 15 watts for legs at 25mph.
Good to have a follow-up to the old Specialized test. Reproducible results!
You should have tested either arms or legs first. Imagine if the legs are only 2 watts.