Official Rules of the Scottish Cyclist: facial hair

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17. Facial hair is certainly not prohibited, in fact it may be extremely useful to insulate the face. This is especially practical for long-distance tours.

Full facial hair: approved

Full facial hair: approved

However in freezing conditions this may become uncomfortable.

nanobikerdotcoms frozen facial insulation, via flickr

nanobikerdotcom's frozen facial insulation, via flickr

Style, of course, is of no consequence to The Scottish Cyclist. See the full list of The Official Rules of The Scottish Cyclist.

Further reading: the Daily Record’s report of how Mark Beaumont’s beard helped his round the world record cycle.

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  • Cowspassage

    I thought it was clean shaven for racers, the full Brian Blessed for tourists and audaxers, and maybe a goatee for aging MTBers in denial about their lost youth.

    Oh, and sometimes an ironic moustache for ironic cyclocrossers.

  • owen_p

    Indeed Cowspassage, those are the traditional rules, but what I am really aiming to rebel against is The Official Rules of the Euro Cyclist, rule 21:

    Facial hair shall be restricted to (at a maximum) a goatee, and even this is discouraged. Moustaches, beards, and any combination thereof are EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in all instances. Stubble is, however, advisable in virtually ALL euro-situations.

    Rather, The Scottish Cyclist doesn't try too hard to look good. That would be poncey and “Euro”. rule 1: practicality. rule 2: cost (i.e. low).

    Maybe clean-shaven is best for racers, but only on the grounds of practicality (i.e. aerodynamics), not on the grounds of appearance or style.

  • Cowspassage

    Fair enough. Cycling has had some great recent goatee wearers. Like Fllloyd Landis. And Stefan Schumacher.

  • owen_p

    Hmmmm. If there are any full beard-wearing racers you can think of, let me know.

  • bazzargh

    How about Dave Zabriskie AND Julian Dean? Zabriskie's is particularly impressive, must've taken a lot of glue http://adrianfitch.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/bea…

    As for Landis… thought that was just a lengthy 5-o'clock shadow from his naturally high testosterone level

  • Cowspassage

    Have you considered the hallmark of the 1970s, the prodigous side box? Here's a photo of Roger de Vlaeminck, in national team colours, followed down the stairs by Eddy Merckx at a Belgian national squad get together – http://bit.ly/6JFoDB

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