Hair styles

[alison_in_oh]

OK, next thing I'm thinking I'd better get under control before the season starts is my hair. I've never had an "active" hairstyle that I really loved, so I thought I'd poll the peanut gallery. ;)

Generally in the summer I keep my hair long enough to pull back into a low ponytail under my helmet, or a rough french braid when it gets a little longer. This is OK, I guess, but there are always escaped wisps of hair annoying the heck out of me, and it can get hot. What I'd really love is a short style, but hubby doesn't want me to go boy-short, anything else would get in my eyes, and anyway growout would be even more of a pain than the wispies.

How do *you* wear your hair? Is there a clip out there that would anchor the wispies without causing a pressure point under my helmet and/or a helmet that would let me wear my ponytail a little higher? I've had my current one for five years so I'm about due for a new one anyway. Anybody have a favorite hair elastic that won't slip or pull? I generally wear fabric-covered scrunchies but they definitely slip (I have had more than one kind motorist roll down a window to point out to me that my scrunchie fell to the ground when I stopped!). Other elastics I've tried either pull or break. How about braid techniques, any favorites?

C'mon, magic hair solution, LOL! :D

[Irulan]

boy short. Most of the time I don't even comb it, unless I wake up in an "elvis". :D Wash-n-go is what I call it.It is sooooo easy! Once in a while I miss being able to put it up and use combs and things. I had long for many years but cut it off when I had babies. My hubby whined a little but too bad, it's my head and not his. I never hassle him about his season beard, and we get along just fine.

irulan

[Jo-n-NY]

I also didn't want boy short so I went for layers. The sides are angled so nothing gets in my face, but I do have bangs as I have had my whole life. It is long enough that I have hair down my neck but because it is layered and not thick in that area I put that little bit in a pony tail with those little elastic hair ties and tuck it up my helmet because I can't stand anythin on my neck when I am riding. I also do the same when on my trainer, but without the helmet and just leave the little pony tail.

Just one idea for you. I guess it depends if you can wear layers or not.

[Veronica]

Pony tail for me . I have to get it in just the right spot though - either really high or really low, otherwise my chin strap bugs me.

There are helmets out there with pony tail ports now. My next one may have one of those.

V.

[bounceswoosh]

How do *you* wear your hair?

Short. I had long hair all my life until I was maybe 18 or 19. I got sick of having my ponytail wrap around my neck and choke me whenever I did a spinning maneuver (in martial arts).

I went from chin-length to boy-short and back to almost chin-length again. My long-suffering hair stylist has to deal with directives like, "I'm never going to use any styling products, so it has to look good straight out of the shower. It has to be long enough to tuck behind my ears so it doesn't get into my eyes. Oh, and I don't like bangs."

With a bike helmet, you can typically tuck all of your hair under the helmet. If your hair still gets in your face, a bandana may help; that's what I use under my hockey helmet, and I've seen some on TE that don't have ties:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=13842

(Haven't tried them myself, yet, though)

[DeniseGoldberg]

Short, short, short for me! I can't be bothered with styling or even drying my hair, so it has been short for years. I get an interesting bicycle-helmet look where my hair forms ridges from the vents on my helmet. Here's a shot of my head after a happy day's riding on a tour of Hawaii:

http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/579656-S-1.jpg

[fixedgeargirl]

I've had long and straight, wore it in two braids, one on each side. This helped control the wispies, as it gets the starting point of the braid closer to the front of your head. I was never able to French braid, anyway! Eliminates ponytail lumps which interfere with helmet fit. Also helps with the lost/loose elastic dilemma, you wind those little ones around the bottom and they stay.

Ah, but those days are gone. I had my hair nearly as short as Denise and got tons of compliments. That cut I could let go for 8-10 weeks before it started to make me crazy (too long around my ears, bangs in my eyes). In those last few weeks I lost the fun, spiky aspect that got me the compliments, but it was still no fuss. Then I got a student hair cut at an Aveda salon. She had a certain cut she had to do as part of her curriculum, which wasn't what I would have chosen. I was pleasantly surprised! It's longer, face-framing, feminine, though it's still short. I run a little product through to separate strands, finger comb and I'm done. Fits great under a helmet, too!

[alison_in_oh]

My long-suffering hair stylist has to deal with directives like, "I'm never going to use any styling products, so it has to look good straight out of the shower. It has to be long enough to tuck behind my ears so it doesn't get into my eyes. Oh, and I don't like bangs."

Hahahah, that's totally me! I also add the "I'm not going to come back for a minimum of 4-6 months so it should grow out nicely!" :D

[CorsairMac]

Very Very long. My hair reaches below the small of my back. I wear it in a single braid down the back most days - no french braid as I don't want the ridge under my helmet. I also use elastic bands with no metal (cuts down on the split ends). Scrunchies won't hold my hair unless I wrap the scrunchie reallll tight. I don't have problems with humidity here like most of you do so the heat in the summer isn't an issue for me. Fly-away also isn't much of an issue, low humidity. I have had long, short and military buzz!! I Hate having anything that requires a lot of maintainence re: visits to the salon more than twice a year! So I've just let mine grow. My helmet does allow a ponytail which I've done a few times - braided the ponytail and slid it throught the "keepers" in the back but I thought it felt "restrictive" and don't do that anymore. If you dampen your hair when you braid it and then put your helmet on while the hair is still damp, it should keep the wisps inside the helmet. Plus it'll help keep your head cooler!

[MightyMitre]

I had long and very straight for ever, then went for a boy short cut which was fun but actually turned out to be more work than long. At least with long I can scape it all back into a ponytail and it looks ok, where as my short style required product and maintainance to look good.

As far as I'm concerned less is more when it comes to the upkeep of a hairstyle untill January .....when I decided to get my hair permed!!!! It's now shoulder length and curley and I LOVE it - even though it's not exactly low maintainance. I love my curls. :)

I also find scrunchies just don't hold and I usually wear a bandana or cycling cap under my helmet to keep all the little bits in.

[bikerchick68]

mine is midlength... long enough to ponytail but it annoys me when I ride to have it that way so I just tuck it behind my ears and go!

I have realized that no matter what I do I end up with "Hair by Helmet" anyway :D

[LBTC]

Long long long hair....past the small of my back. I trim my own bangs (they have to be very short for biking or they get in my eyes) and almost never see a hair dresser as they are toooooo expensive! would rather spend the cash on bike stuff! :o

My favourite riding hair style is two long braids. Eliminates the flyaways, the squirrels nest, and the bump at the back of the helmet. it's actually become my trademark! giggle. I must admit, though, that in kickboxing this hairstyle is actually disorienting if we do a lot of spinning work. I just learned how to do that bun thing with a round holder doodad and a stick....that worked very well for kickboxing!

helmet head...hmmmmmm...I bought a cool hat to put on after rides. usually I don't care tho'

oh, yes, and ponytail elastics with no metal. yes, they all wear out and break eventually...

has anyone tried the team estrogen ponytail holders? they look like something I might order next time I buy something here!

Namaste,
~T~

[CorsairMac]

:confused: :confused: :confused: TE Ponytail holders??.......going to have to check that out. I guess I never thought of TE being such a "complete" shop!

[administrator]

I believe LBTC is referring to Kenzie headgear, found here (http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=7340)

They are made from a fabric-covered neoprene material and are designed to hold hair in place during high-movement physical activities like soccer, volleyball, etc.

[SnowMouse]

Having only brothers until I was 13, my Mum made things easy and we all had short hair, so as soon as I got a chance to grow it, it GREW! I've had long hair since and I always either braid it, french braid or go for two looped braids (I prefer this as I haven't got the weight on the back of my neck, I have thick hair from my Dutch father). I've been thinking about cutting it....but it's still just a thought....though reading this prompts me to leave it as I find hair in my face very annoying! I'd imagine a simple lycra headband would often do the trick to easy control though?

[Irulan]

Short, short, short for me! I can't be bothered with styling or even drying my hair, so it has been short for years. I get an interesting bicycle-helmet look where my hair forms ridges from the vents on my helmet. Here's a shot of my head after a happy day's riding on a tour of Hawaii:

http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/579656-S-1.jpg

I've seen that look before, on a guy:

[doc]

I know this is no help at all, but I've got VERY curly hair. I leave it at, or a little past, my shoulders. (Much longer when wet) Short hair = Bozo the clown. Boy short hair = Q-tip head. Both looks are to be avoided.
Good news, curly hair is all interlocked together. So I put my helmet on, push everything towards the back and I never hear from it or see it again. People always know its me. I always hear "was that you riding on such and such road yesterday? I saw a helmet and a lot of curly hair sticking out" Yeah. It's always me.

[SnowMouse]

:D That's hilarious.....a windy ride, no less!

[LBTC]

Hey, Snowmouse! I had super short hair until I was about 20 myself...for my formative years, that's just how my mother thought it should be. I often was mistaken for a boy. I hated that. When I was a teenager I just didn't know how to go about growing it!! When I got to about 20 I wasn't making enough money to afford the hair cut every 3 weeks that short hair required, so....bite the bullet and grow it. when it got long enough to put stuff in it to hold it back (that was totally new to me!!), nothing looked good and I realized it was because my hair was the colour of the mice and deer that live here. voila....one little box and some help from DH and my hair is the colour it was as a child! I've had litttle more than a trim in the last 17 years, and I can't imagine being without it.....although I occasionally, on hot hot days, pine for the buzz cut I had in grade 11. I seriously did not look like a girl with it, tho....

so, yes, I can tell you, blondes do have more fun

did I have a point?? :eek:

so how do you do a loop braid?

Namaste,
~T~

[shewhobikes]

I finally have a cut that is short and choppy enough so that I can scrunch it around with some product while blow-drying for 5 minutes and have a look that says, "her hair is sort of fgoing everywhere.. was that what she meant to happen???" :D ha! and the helmet then becomes not much of a problem.

[bounceswoosh]

I finally have a cut that is short and choppy enough so that I can scrunch it around with some product while blow-drying for 5 minutes and have a look that says, "her hair is sort of fgoing everywhere.. was that what she meant to happen???" :D ha! and the helmet then becomes not much of a problem.

When I've tried to use a blowdrier or product on/in my short hair, I've realized that I have no idea what to do. It ends up just looking wrong, nothing like what my stylist does. I have one day every 6 weeks or so (my hair grows quickly and probably gains about 2" in 2 months) where my hair looks good, and the rest of the time I just pretend I don't care!

[SnowMouse]

LBTC.....I know everybit about what you're talking about....and I had a hairdresser call my hair colour mousy brown! :eek: When I started growing it out it had no style, and the word mop head was appropriate....and I'm still learning new ways to tie it and so on. My favorite way to wear it for skiing is in a low pony tail, with 3 more elastics lied at equal distances to the end. I left it at it's colour, because it's so dry, that colouring it, destroys it.

I do two loop braids simply by splitting the hair in two so you'd be making two pony tails, but I braid each one and then tuck them under....then the Heidi name starts flying about! :p I find this the most comfortable way to wear my hair riding.....although it's just no good for when you're in a hurry.

[Irulan]

When I've tried to use a blowdrier or product on/in my short hair, I've realized that I have no idea what to do. It ends up just looking wrong, nothing like what my stylist does. I have one day every 6 weeks or so (my hair grows quickly and probably gains about 2" in 2 months) where my hair looks good, and the rest of the time I just pretend I don't care!

my hair people know I'm active, and that it has to look good by either air drying it or just running a comb through it wet. No "product" for me.

How many of you keep a hat in your bike bag for post ride helmet hair?

~I.

[bounceswoosh]

my hair people know I'm active, and that it has to look good by either air drying it or just running a comb through it wet. No "product" for me.

That's true for me as well, but it still never looks quite as good when I'm done with it than when Sarah is. It makes sense; it's her job to make people look good.



How many of you keep a hat in your bike bag for post ride helmet hair?
~I.

Not I; people are usually too busy gawking at the blood and the mud to notice my hair =P

[DeniseGoldberg]

I've seen that look before, on a guy:

Oh - now you're making me jealous. He has much better ridges than I do, but then again it looks like his hair is longer than mine too, and I just can't compromise there!

[alison_in_oh]

Oh - now you're making me jealous. He has much better ridges than I do, but then again it looks like his hair is longer than mine too, and I just can't compromise there!

Hee, you really pull that 'do off, Denise, but I don't think I have the facial structure. Your pic does remind me though of how my husband grew his hair out for our wedding...the honeymoon in Hawaii did some fascinating things by way of helmet hair! :D Unfortunately he learned his lesson and has never again let it get that long...so now he just gets what we call "Darth Maul" sunburn marks on his head!

I think helmet hair (in my case, wisps of hair cemented to my face by sweat) is a badge of honor. And anyway I tend to start and end rides at my house (making my ride partners meet me here if necessary!) so I don't end up wearing helmet hair in public very often.

The post-ride stench is another story entirely. :eek:

SnowMouse - if you want to color your hair without damaging it, consider henna. I've done mine twice now and it looks great, natural, and best of all it's healthier than before dying it! I like being a redhead every so often. ;)

I'm tempted by those TE ponytail holders and headbands.

All - anyone see the movie Constantine? Gabriel's cute short blond curly style was part of what made me start thinking about hair again! I thought, "That's long enough in the front that you could stick it behind your ears and/or headband it under a helmet!" And I learned when I was 18 with a perm that curly hair still looks good when it's greasy and sweaty!

But I am really trying to keep chemicals out of my hair for now, so no perms for me (despite having them on and off since I was small!) Hubby liked it curly too. :) Ah, well.

[SadieKate]

You guys are making me laugh!!! I know all too well the dreaded helmet hair look. Not fair that hubby doesn't get it.


How many of you keep a hat in your bike bag for post ride helmet hair?
My friends have learned that if they bike with me long enough, they get a winter hat knitted for them. . . http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sadiekatel/album?.dir=7548&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.sbc.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos This doesn't even come close to the actual fashion collection! :p

[Veronica]

Do you think maybe you have too much time on your hands? :D

V.

[SadieKate]

Better than eating, cheaper than therapy. Besides, you wouldn't believe the math required to design a properly fitting hat let alone a sweater. Might be a good project for those rugrats you call students. :D

[Trek420]

short gal, short hair. till my college days loooooooong ago it was long, down to my waist.

it's at my shoulders now and I can't wait to see my styleist and get it cut short. I sweat a LOT so I wear a headband but that's just to keep the sweat out of my eyes. :cool:

[alison_in_oh]

Better than eating, cheaper than therapy. Besides, you wouldn't believe the math required to design a properly fitting hat let alone a sweater. Might be a good project for those rugrats you call students. :D

Yay knitting!

[Barb]

My hair is pin straight and baby fine. Think a million strands of thread coming out of my head!!!! I cut it short a year ago and really like it. Now I'm thinking a perm would be good. I definately have to do the blow dry with product route and I am NOT good at it!!! Cross your fingers that my perm will leave me with a wash n go 'do (please not a wash n go fro!)

[JanT]

Short. It's the only way to survive the Phoenix heat. I know it's time to get it cut when it sticks to my neck, and feels crunchy with dried salt at the end of a ride! I used to wear it long and in a pony tail when I ran half-marathons, but helmets require short hair. I found how great short hair is when I lost all mine to chemo, and thus got to wear it at various short lengths. When I found out I could get ready to go to work in half the time, not having to mess with the curling iron to look respectable, I never let it get very long at all. Gel, and blow dry with a curling brush. With helmet head, I can just use my fingers to rustle it up again and look halfway decent. Well, except in July, August, and September, when the head melts. Then, no one else looks good either! Who cares?

[LBTC]

sadiekate...wow! those are awesome!!

snowmouse....I have dry hair tooo....and have been dying it for 15 years.....but it's pretty healthy because of several things: I never comb or brush it while it's wet, I never use a blow dryer, I try to not wash it every day, and, in fact, I wash it at night and sleep on it wet (it takes about 4 hours to dry if it's not braided or anything...) the only product I ever use is something called silk and I only use it if I am braiding my hair wet which requires me to break rule number 1. I LOVE being a blonde!!

Barb, have you had a perm before? Just curious. I've had a few and....well, if a perm lasts more than two weeks I"m incredibly lucky :eek: . this hair does not hold curl. it's pretty fine, too, so just curious if you'll run into the same problem!

If anyone tries those TE pony holders, please do a review! It will probably be a few months before I make another purchase online....if I get to it first, I'll buy them anyway and do my own review! :)

OH! and how could I forget the inverted ponytail?? Yeesh, I wear that at least as often as a ponytail - works great with the bike helmet because the bump is spread out to either side....I find my helmet cinches up perfectly, and I can start the pony at almost a normal height, not really really low....

Happy hair, everybody!

Namaste,
~T~

[SadieKate]

Thanks, Alison and LBTC. Nice to know some people appreciate handwork. Some people tile and work on ships, others knit. :D

LBTC - Geez! I'd heard about the fracas up in BC. That's awful to actually be threatened. Sounds like some of these people just have no concept of respecting others. The one and only time I was threatened on a bike, the "threateners" told us that the area was closed for a special event that day and when we persevered told us that we might get shot by a stray bullet. They said all this was in their state permit. Unfortunately for them, the state attorney who wrote the permit (as well as the retired attorney who wrote the previous year's permit) were standing there with me. Moral of the story, don't threaten the safety of the wife of the guy who holds that kind of power over your organization. This guy (as you can tell, my hubby) loved giving them a little "hello" grin at the next meeting when they had to petition for the next year's permit. Guess what the happy ending was? So, hang in there. There are happy endings.

[massbikebabe]

Short!

I was always pulling my hair up or braiding so I finally cut it boy short and never went back. I tried growing it out again 2 years ago and my kids and husband thought I looked sick and tired with my hair long...so I cut it again

karen

[LBTC]

Some people tile and work on ships, others knit. :D

...and I take pictures!
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/picsie_chick/my_photos



LBTC - Geez! I'd heard about the fracas up in BC. That's awful to actually be threatened. Sounds like some of these people just have no concept of respecting others.

You hit the nail on the head, Sadiekate! No respect. They don't respect themselves, anybody else or the trail! Just figure everything is theirs to mess with any old way they please. very sad.

what have you heard about the fracas up here? it feels like we're so out of the loop...that nobody out in the world would have any clue of mountain biking's dirty little secret in williams lake....

I loved your story, though. Gotta love being able to show 'em what for!

Namaste,
~T~
...still waiting for the happy ending...riding hard anyway

[bounceswoosh]

OH! and how could I forget the inverted ponytail?? Yeesh, I wear that at least as often as a ponytail - works great with the bike helmet because the bump is spread out to either side....I find my helmet cinches up perfectly, and I can start the pony at almost a normal height, not really really low....


What's an inverted ponytail?

[LBTC]

What's an inverted ponytail?

make a ponytail
part the hair above the pony tail tie
grasp the pony, pull it up towards your head, push/pull it through the parted hair above the pony tail tie

it looks quite fancy and it's super easy!!

Namaste,
~T~

[Raindrop]

I'm in the short hair group too. I started with long hair and it's been getting shorter and shorter every year. Luckily for me, I have a hair stylist that I barter with (I train her, she cuts and colors my hair). It allows me to get it cut every four weeks and play with color. Right now I have dark brown (natural) interspersed with blond and fushia streaks. I know, it sounds a little punk. But it was my gift to myself after leaving the corporate world.

In any case, I still get helmet head and I haven't seen anyone running away screaming as a result, so I guess it's ok. :rolleyes:

[Veronica]

Hey - I wasn't dissing the knitting. It's beautiful stuff. (When is it my turn? Can you get cashmere yarn? :D ) Sometime I'll have to show you my cross stitch collection.

Tiling was not relaxing. It's still not done. We have to grout and seal. The project that never ends.

V.

[SnappyPix]

Short and curly one here. Had a brief, half-hearted attempt to grow it a few months back; I had a vision of how I wanted it to look, but it never bore any semblance to reality, I'm afraid! I actually managed to get to the interim stage - the one where every single day is a bad hair day and you want to apologise to everyone you meet for the state of the nest on your head. What a joy that was. Wiggy hair for weeks on end.
Now back to short and curly. Love it. The whole girly coiffeuring thing passed me by, I'm afraid - a constant mystery. What on earth do you DO with those instruments of torture? How did you learn to put your hair up like that - you know, where you twist it for a nano-second and it looks fantastic?!! Was it a college course that passed me by? Was it taught by the follicle fairy in the middle of the night? I'm quite happy to run a little bit of waxy gel through my neglected locks and, hey presto ... scrunched up, zany girl look (I like to think). Unmade bed, more like - but what the heck, it's easy to manage!

[cyclingnewbie]

My hair is collar length with bangs. I pull the front up to the top of my head and put an elastic thingy in it and catch the end of that ponytail in a lower one that catches the hair at the back of my head and makes a tail below my helmet. Any strays usually stay behind my ears, once I have my helmet on. My problem is my bangs. I push them up into the helmet, but post ride they are wet and standing up and over and all around. Sometimes I carry a hat in my trunk bag. Or, I use a headband to pull it all back and off my face after a ride. Somehow, standing around with other riders after a ride and fixing my hair with a headband seems so vain. I never know if I'm supposed to just walk around looking like heck and scaring people or, take the time to pull my hair back. :confused:

[Veronica]

Who cares what the other riders think. Do what seems comfortable for you. It's not vanity, it's comfort.

V.

[Jo-n-NY]

Because I know how much work goes into knitting as my mother in law knits and crochets, you do beautiful work SadieKate.

and LBTC your pictures are fantastic.

My craft is really not as creative, but I make soy wax candles.

[Veronica]

I've heard she knits on the back of her tandem. :p

[SadieKate]

V, I knew you weren't dissing knitting. Just a little friendly harrassment. :p

I loved LBTC'c bug pictures, actually all of the pics. There are a bunch of good photogs on this forum. We should start a thread of "what do you do besides bike or what do you do when the weather isn't cooperating?"

[snapdragen]

The project that never ends.V.

As a survivor of a bathroom remodel, you have my sympathy....... :)

[LBTC]

Thank you, Jo and SadieKate...<smile>

and I think soy wax candles are creative too! In fact, I'd probably want to buy some from you if you weren't so far away!! :eek:

Namaste,
~T~

[SadieKate]

I've heard she knits on the back of her tandem. :p

Actually, I call in the pizza orders from the back of the tandem. :D

[emily_in_nc]

I have gone through a hair transition in the last 9 months or so. Last summer it was shoulder length, bangs, and I wore a ponytail to ride in. But I sweat - a LOT - and my ponytail would be a dripping, wringing mess by the end of a ride. Nasty. I ride with other gals whose pony tail would still be perfectly lovely at the end of a ride. How I envy them!

Anywho, around Christmas I got it cut short and bobbed. Bottom of ear length. Okay, but I felt it made me look old (I'm nearly 44 and not happy about any signs of aging I see), so I just recently went for layered. Not boy short, but shortish. I use a little round brush to flip the ends up as I blow dry it, and I have gotten tons of compliments! It looks horrendous in the morning (I sleep crazy, and it sticks straight up when I get up - think Bride of Frankenstein), but once I take a shower and quickly dry it, I like it. It took some getting used to, but I think I am going to really like having short hair in the hot NC summer this year. It will be soaked after a ride, but at least it's healthy and soft (I color it, so it's easily damaged the longer it gets). It also drys much quicker, saving me about five minutes every morning before work, a huge plus.

And yes, I always carry a baseball cap to put on after a ride, no matter what my style! I also wear a sweatband (Headsweats brand - great - available at Nashbar) to keep the sweat from dripping into my eyes.

I'm short (5'2"), so I think short hair is probably my best "fit". But by fall, who knows, I may just have a hankering to start growing it out again! :cool:

Emily

[trigurl]

I have had my hair all different ways, except for real long - to my bra was the longest a couple of years ago. I have "lovely" almost curly hair, which is mostly frizzy during the summer months, I have always had bangs and I finally have let them grow out and can put them behind my ears now, I wear hats a LOT during the summer months and like to take them off and let my head cool off and with bangs it was impossible. B/c of the curl I can't do short I would have an afro type thing going on and b/c I have a lot of hair too long is miserably hot, so I keep it shoulder length maybe a little longer this summer and pull it back in a ponytail, I have a headband like you would use when you apply makeup etc to keep the hair out of your face, I wear that under my helmet it is very thin and it keeps the wisps out of my face and doesn't look bad when I take the helmet off, and in the winter I can wear it over my ears and keep them warm!

I would love boy short but when its short it is more work for me. I wore it that way almost all the way through school. Plus b/f doesn't like it that short, he likes long, but I told him when he gets up in the morning and washes it and blow dries it then it can grow :D