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The Win Tunnel: Will Shaving your Arms Make you Faster?

Written by Zach Overholt
20 Comments
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In this episode of I’ll do anything for a few seconds gained, Specialized takes to the wind tunnel to test another follicle related matter. Yes, this time it’s about arm hair. Surely, we’ve all jumped on a bike and thought if only my arms were shaved I would have won. No? Well, Specialized has tested it anyways. The results? I guess if you’re really concerned about time we’ll see a lot more guys walking around with beards but otherwise hairless….
Zach Overholt
5,727 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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pmurf
pmurf
9 years ago

Next up on the Win Tunnel: Spraying your entire shaved body with Crisco….will it make you faster?

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Continuum
Continuum
9 years ago

I’d like to see if there’s a difference between shaved/unshaved/clothed arms and legs. We know that tighter fitting clothing is faster/better than loose. But where in the spectrum does it come when I wear say compression socks vs shaved/unshaved legs? Arm warmers or a long sleeve base layer could be substituted for arm comparison…

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alex
alex
9 years ago

What I REALLY want to know is: Will shaving my testicles make me faster?

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notAlex
notAlex
9 years ago

I’m curious about where in the spectrum long socks falls vs shaved/unshaved legs…

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Steve
Steve
9 years ago

If your dangus is sticking out you’re gonna go slower. Why didn’t you think of that?

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bongwater
bongwater
9 years ago

Does the excess cable housing to the rear derailleur make you faster?

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M ramos
M ramos
9 years ago

@alex…..no it will not …but cutting them off will probably make you faster ( makes you lighter)

As for me … I’m good / satisfied with my speed…nothing to cut but the volume of white rice

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john
john
9 years ago

@bongwater No it wont make you faster ..its the only way to get that Sram Red to shift.

These wind tunnel “stunts” are just a way to put The big S in the press.
they are a marketing company

You want real press compare other companies aero bikes to the big S’ in the wind tunnel.

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dad
dad
9 years ago

@bongwater It’s a SRAM rear derailleur, so while it may not make you faster, it *will* make it shift better.

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m ramos
m ramos
9 years ago

@ alex…no it will not – but cutting everything will ( it will make you lighter and fidget less in the saddle)

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Andrew
Andrew
9 years ago

A lot of the results these guys produce must fall within a margin of error. Would be more believable if they average results with more riders and a few more variables. For all we know his bib changed position or he angled his head slightly differently etc.

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Jake
Jake
9 years ago

I thought that cyclists shaved their legs and arms because testosterone transdermal cream is applied on a hairless area near the muscles they want to target. Downhillers probably put it on their testicles.

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Pistolero
Pistolero
9 years ago

funny these Spec. video… 19second in 40km, that’s it. They don’t mention what is the average speed used for that calculation, nor wind conditions, nor terrain… those 19sec are the same for cancellara than for a smoker like me??? I´m sure they are…

(deleted)

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satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

jayzus what do they pay that kid to run that wind tunnel? does he throw paper airplanes in it the rest of the time when he doesn’t have to manscape another employee? dress him up in a lab coat or at the very least give a clipboard or an ipad to hold.

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Nick
Nick
9 years ago

@Jenkins:

A-freaking-men. I always have to laugh at the people who come and comment on Spec. threads and trash everything and anything the company has ever done. I believe those comments say far more about the people posting them then those words say about the actual topic at hand.

I always look at the wind tunnel series with a grain of salt anyway; something fun to think about and pass the time. Nothing more, nothing less. They’re certainly not selling a bunch of S-Works razors as a result!

Full disclosure: Currently ride an Epic, and love the new SWAT bibs for riding. They are my new favorite bibs to wear on my mountain bike. When I eventually move on from the Epic, I’ll still buy Spec product, if only for the shoes, which are the only ones I’ve tried that don’t kill my feet after an hour of pedaling. But if all that makes me a ‘drone,’ then so be it. I’ll gladly be a drone happily riding my bike 🙂

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bongwater
bongwater
9 years ago

Still too long. Even for SRAM, the housing just has to enter the barrel adjuster straight.

Anyway, back under my rock.

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Jeffro
Jeffro
9 years ago

Consider F1. They do a lot more aerodynamic development, are working on a much more controlled model (vehicle vs human) and have the best facilities in the world at their disposal yet are constantly wrestling with correlation between their test results and actual on track results.

At best this is negligible result that you would never be replicate consistently in real life. Take it with a grain of salt. At least they are focusing on the human part of the equation, which as the largest contributor to frontal area. A previous poster made an excellent point, his head position could have been 5mm lower on the second run, thus producing the result.

I don’t have an issue with Spec Products, many are quite nice.

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edge
edge
9 years ago

what about shaved arm in an aero tuck? Seems the difference would be even smaller since the arms are parallel to the direction of air flow.

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Lance
Lance
9 years ago

Try cutting your balls off… So aero

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greg
greg
9 years ago

specialized isnt saying this is or isnt the way to go based on one test rider. they are merely trying to answer questions some of us out here in the consumer world may have. are they trying to sell you some new shave gel or arm sleeve to be more aero? nope. just sharing info.
they are not a marketing company. they are a bicycle company with a very strong marketing department. it’s so strong that it does their design and engineering department a disservice, as evidenced by the many, many people believing they are a marketing company. they have real engineers. they have real test labs. they have a very, very passionate team of riders and racers.

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