Item: "Cyclists tend to shave their legs (think of Breaking Away), though debate rages in cycling magazines, online, and at meets as to the real reason. Some contend that hairless legs facilitate healing after a wipeout-- dirt is more prone to sticking inside a scratch on a hairy leg than a hairless one. But realistically, the urge to shave stems mostly from sex appeal: As in bodybuilding, a "smooth" leg is alleged to highlight well-developed muscles more alluringly than, uh, a "lumpy" leg. With colorful, shiny, skin-tight clothes, a tricked-out bike, a helmet, and alien-bug-like shades, shaving adds to the sexy-cyborg air of the serious cyclist."

Joe Clark, Lycanthrophobia

Last Updated 03/19/08