Does a beard affect cycling performance? The experiment by Specialized reveals it
Many professional and amateur cyclists shave their legs for various reasons, from infection prevention to possible aerodynamic improvement. In 2014, Specialized conducted an experiment in their wind tunnel, demonstrating that removing leg hair could reduce air resistance.
But... what about the beard? Does having facial hair influence aerodynamic resistance while pedaling?
The experiment by Specialized: beard vs. shaved face
Engineers Chris Yu and Mark Cote, aerodynamics experts at Specialized, conducted a test to measure the difference between riding a road bike with or without a beard. The experiment consisted of three rounds of 40 kilometers in a wind tunnel, maintaining a constant pace in each phase:
-First round: the cyclist pedaled with a beard.
-Second round: the cyclist shaved lightly.
-Third round: the cyclist was completely shaved.
The result? The beard does not slow cyclists down
After analyzing air resistance in each test, the conclusion was clear: the speed difference between having a beard or being shaved is less than 1 second per 40 kilometers.
This means that, if you have a beard, it will not affect your performance on the road. So, if you don't have time to shave before a carrera, don't worry: your performance on the bike will not be affected.
