Sporting reasons

It is a common practice for professional and amateur road cyclists to remove leg hair for a number of reasons. In the case of a crash, the absence of the leg hair means the injuries (usually road rash) can be cleaned up more efficiently, and treatment is not impeded. Professional cyclists also receive regular leg massages, and the absence of hair reduces the friction and increases their comfort and effectiveness. It is also common for professional swimmers to shave hair off their legs to prevent drag with the water from slowing them down.