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Interestingly, bicyclists have been shaving their legs anyway, ignoring the scientific consensus. Maybe common sense and personal experience is underrated.
by Hermel 9y ago
Interestingly, bicyclists have been shaving their legs anyway, ignoring the scientific consensus. Maybe common sense and personal experience is underrated.
- vanderZwan 9y agoI don't think this example generalises quite to that conclusion: as the tests show, the differences are huge, having bigger advantages than getting top-of-the-line bike equipment. Assuming that we're already reaching the tail-end of the bell curve for human performance in cycling sport (which seems likely to me), suggesting minimal individual performance differences, then being at among that group despite a 7% performance disadvantage seems downright impossible. So especially at the top there would be an incredible selection against anyone with hairy legs. But I guess you could say that natural selection beats human belief.
- pbhjpbhj 9y agoOr cyclists like to shave their legs and want an excuse? Or shaved legs gives a psychological boost (more committed), is better for injuries, or when getting physio/massages; or a combination. Edit: It's curious to me, because in other areas it seems some degree of surface detail reduces drag (golf balls, aeroplanes too I've heard) - I wonder if short stubble is actually better and that's the effect you get using real legs. That would account for a plastic model only having a small gain.