How To Remove Leg Hair For Cycling?

You can never go into your full cyclist mode and mood with bushy, hairy, and gauche legs. Shaven legs are no indispensable requirement to become a professional cyclist, and Peter Sagan is the one to have his case on point regarding hairy legs.

During his time in 2016, when he was pedaling the Tour of Sans Luis, Peter Sagan turned heads with his rather unusual appearance. He decided to go cycling with untrimmed and hairy legs, a look that has become alien to the professional cyclists’ community recently.

Cyclists have been shaving and trimming their leg hair for 100 years now and they have great reasons to do so. Whether you simply desire the fit body aesthetics of a professional cyclist or the difference shaving makes to your aerodynamics, you would want to know how to trim leg hair for cycling.

8 Ways How to Get Rid of Your Leg Hair for Cycling

If you’ve already gotten your answer to why cyclists shave their legs, you would want to know how to trim leg hair the right way. That is to say without the entire process turning into a big hassle, as you would have to do this time and again.

Without knowing the right ways to shave your leg to complete smoothness, you might be left with bruises and cuts all over your legs.

Here are a few methods which make it easier for you to repeat the shaving process quite a few times as you’d need:

Shaving with Razor

Shaving with a razor is the most common method used by cyclists to trim leg hair. Safety or straight razors are easy to use, affordable, and safe way even for people who have never held a razor in their hands.

However, if you want something that would be easier to glide through the curves of your lower limbs, you may consider a women’s razor.

Women’s razors are uniquely built to be flexible enough to bend and move around the arcs and bulges of your leg. Men’s razors, on the other hand, are mostly non rotating, unpliant as they are made for the rigid and foursquare cut in men’s facial structures.

If you get yourself 5 blade razor and accompany it with a moisture strip or cream, you can bid farewell to tiny cuts even on the first shave.

Unfortunately, even if you have been shaving your legs with a razor for a while, there always remains the risk of razor burns. Additionally, razors, though affordable need to be repurchased once every few shaves as using the old ones becomes unhygienic.

With all the benefits, we should remind you that electric shavers are noisy, and more expensive as well. If you are out of charge, electric shavers have no work outdoors either. Between straight razors and electric, straight razors shave closer than the former.

Trimming with Body Hair Trimmer

Good body hair trimmer is another device that ensures easy removal of leg hair. If you are okay with rougher trims and don’t want the smoothest shave, hair trimmers are what can give you the most ideal trim of your limb hair.

Trimmers are specially made to be easy on shorter cuts and hence you can use them to trim your leg’s hair without hassle. If you are one with sensitive skin and electric razors are too harsh on your skin, the best alternative is a hair trimmer.

Although the batter life might only last a couple of hours, these are also hypo-allergic blades that do not cut or burn on first shavers.

Shaving with Electrical Shaver

The problem with handheld razors is how they have the shortest shelf life. If you have not washed and sanitized them properly after the first shave, razor burns could be an issue.

If you are willing to invest in one such device that makes your leg-trimming routine easier, you would want to have an electrical razor or shaver in your bathroom cabinet. The motor-powered electrical shavers use an efficient cutting mechanism that makes sure you get hairless skin in just one slide.

With these, you may choose between different styles of razors, including one that is cordless and rotatory. For us and busy cyclists out there who just cannot wait to get out to pedaling, there is no clean-up time post-shaving your leg.

If you are considering one of the best leg shavers for cyclists on the market, you may want to look at women’s electronic silk shavers with pivoting heads. These are long-lasting, good for sensitive skin, and leave you with sating skin after use.

Brands like Philips and Panasonic are the best electrical shavers for trimming every corner of your lower limb. Hence, you may want to ensure the brand’s reputation and the make of the device.

Epilating with Epilator

Epilator is a device that removes hair from the roots without using wax or other creams. You can either choose between a dry epilator or a wet epilator.

As you can already guess, this isn’t the most painless method since it includes removing every hair from the roots. To use epilators, you would want to hold the device at a 90-degree angle, making sure that you hold it light without pressing against your legs.

Similar to shaving, stretch or pull your skin and begin shaving in the hair growth direction. This is worth noting that epilating should not be done in the opposite direction of hair growth because it may lead to injuries.

If you want results that last longer and can stand the pain involves, we recommend epilating with an epilator even for skins that cannot stand most chemical creams.

These devices remove leg hair for cyclists for up 6 weeks. Even if you have fast hair growth, they would be smooth as butter for at least 4 weeks.

The major difference between epilating and waxing is why we prefer epilators over waxes. When you use this device, the hair that grows back is soft and thin, instead of thicker and darker hair.

Waxing

Waxing is the process of removing hair by applying hot wax on the skin and pulling them in a direction opposing the growth of hair on your legs. With natural wax, store-bought wax, and wax strips, waxing is a trusted way of removing body hair.

However, anything to do with waxing and wax strips sounds painful and we can’t lie that it isn’t. The biggest advantage of waxing is that it would pull every inch of hair out of your legs from the roots and leave you with the smoothest skin for 3 to 4 weeks.

Cyclists with lesser regrowth and longer regrowth time would be able to sustain the shaven leg for cycling even longer. For people who grow out leg hair pretty fast, waxing is not the recommended process of shaving or trimming out leg hair for cycling.

I’d also like to chip it in that waxing is not my most favorite method among all of the suggestions just because of how painful it can be.

Not to mention all the effort required, the mess created, and the high chances of irritation. The best wax alternatives are wax strips that you would find in any nearby drugstore. Buying from a better-known brand ensures milder abrasion if any.

Using Hair Removal Cream

A lot of cyclists have been showing more trust in hair removal creams to trim and get rid of their unwanted leg hair for that smooth, athletic, and fit cyclist look. What’s better than a cream that lets you remove hair painlessly, that too at the comfort of your own room, or bathroom!

Hair removal creams are as painless as a cream application can be without the risk and hurt of cuts and burns. If you have sensitive skin, you can always patch test the night before. What we like about removing leg hair for cyclists is these creams do not how your leg hair thicker or faster. This means you do not have to worry about thicker leg hair growth every week.

These creams, upon application, let the chemicals work to loosen the hair follicles. All you need to do is apply the cream, let it be for a few minutes, and gently remove it using a flat tool or towel to wipe the hair away.

The issue with hair removal creams is how they use chemicals that can be harmful to sensitive skin. Brands like Sally Hansen, Veet, and Nair make the most chemically balanced creams that work even in sensitive skins.

Electrolysis

An expensive and less sought-after method to get rid of hair for cyclists is electrolysis. This is not popular among serious cyclists but can work to remove leg hair permanently. This may be precisely the reason why women cyclists prefer electrolysis more than men.

This is a process that uses electrodes and electricity for hair removal. The process is painless but you may experience mild to heavy stinging as well as post discoloration.  If you want a permanent solution for a hair cyclist leg, you may opt for electrolysis but make sure to stay hydrated on the day of the treatment.

Laser Remover

Not the most convenient method of hair removal for cyclists, but laser removal of leg hair is also another option. In this method, a laser is used to penetrate the leg skin and destroy the hair follicle. This means your leg hair would be permanently removed.

Laser removal of leg hair is more common among women cyclists who prefer a one-time method without spending time every other week with a razor and hair removal cream.

Because it does not happen to damage the skin in any way, you may consider a permanent laser treatment if you have sensitive skin. Unfortunately, this removal makes most people uncomfortable from the snapping and painful feeling during the process.

We recommend that you consult a dermatologist before removing your leg hair with the help of laser treatments. This is also one of the more expensive methods of all.

How to Shave or Trim Leg Hair for Cycling?

Whether you are using a razor or an epilator, never go straight into the trimming or shaving without making sure you follow each of the necessary steps before and after removing the hair from your legs.

Here is what you need to do:

Step 1 – Exfoliate

Always start with exfoliating your legs. When you exfoliate you remove the upper layer of dead skin cells from your legs.

Not only does this ensure a smooth and easy hair removal, but exfoliation also prevents the growth of in grown hair. You can use physical exfoliates like a brush, lotion, and sponge, body exfoliation creams or you may just mix sugar and honey for a great natural dead skin remover.

Step 2 – Trim the excess hair

If you are too bushy on your legs, make sure to use a clipper or scissors to get rid of the longer hair first. Next, use any shaving foam, gel, soap, or body wash to lather up the shaving region. Use enough to make your skin slippery enough.

Step 3 – Shave or trim

If you are using a razor or epilator, this is the time to use the device. Be sure to read the instructions before using the hair trimmer. Always be vigilant of which direction you need to glide your hair removal tool towards.

To shave or trim, use smaller strokes without pressing into your skin too much. Make sure you since and reapply soap after each rinse.

Step 4 – Moisurise and soothe

Whatever method of hair removal you are using, always helps to lather up and moisturize your legs with a soothing gel or lotion once it’s dry.

Final Thoughts

Cyclists have been removing leg hair for over 100 years. If you are looking for an easy way to remove leg hair when cycling, you can try shaving with a razor, trimming with a body hair trimmer, shaving with an electric shaver, and using an epilator.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced cyclist, I recommend using a hair removal cream, such as Veet Hair Removal Cream. It is the least painful method and there is no risk of cuts or scratches.

Always remember to exfoliate before you start removing hair and moisturize your skin afterwards. You are now ready to get those smooth legs that so many others want!