long or short?

[Mia]

Hey Girls,

Just a little question for you. My hair is kinda long, about three inches past my shoulders(and very thick), so when ride I just pull it back into a ponytail. I'm thinking of getting it cut just a little lower than my jawline, but was wondering...will it be in my way when I'm riding? Is it going to stick out from under my helmet and tickle me, or get sweaty and stick to my neck and face, or will it be a lot cooler not having all that hair laying on my back in a ponytail? My hair appointment is Oct 8th, and I'm going to go with whatever the majority says! :p

[Asphaltgirl]

two words... pig tails. (or is that one word?). Anyway, thats what I ended up having to do when my hair was shorter. now when I get it cut, my stylist pulls it back into a pony tail and knows what length to cut it--just enough to pull back and get the rubberband around it. whatever doesn't make it into the pig/pony tail gets bobbie pinned. I did try wearing a do-rag under my helmet but it was just too hot. figured it was easier just to deal with clips and pins.
~AG~

[caligurl]

hmmmmmm not sure about it bothering you and getting in your face... i know i can't stand to have my hair loose when riding my bike or working out... ICK! i HAVE to put it in a ponytail!

i'm trying to figure out the pigtails under a helmet???? :)

maybe you can use a sweatband/headband to hold it back away from your face if it's too short for a tiny ponytail? if it's too short for a ponytail... my best guess is yes.. it will get sweaty and stick to your face and neck....

[Asphaltgirl]

Caligurl-
yup, the pigtails were a bit tricky--you had to make sure that they were on the right head position so they fit under the helmet, if you got them low enough it worked. ah the things we do for beauty!

[tatormc]

My hair is about halfway down my back. If it's hot outside it goes into a bun at the base of my next cause the ponytail on my back is just too hot.

[Dianyla]

I'm of the opinion that one should go either really short (less than 2" all over) or long enough to keep the hair securely tied, braided, bunned, etc.

As for myself, my hair is down to my calves. :cool:

[Steph_in_TX]

Just below the chin can be an annoying length for helmet wearing. My hair was really short and that was great for cycling, but now that I'm growing it out, I'm finding it bothersome sometimes. A sweat band does help the front part stay back and out of the way. Mine isn't long enough yet to put in one or two pig tails, but I see how that would be nice to keep it off your neck. That's just my experience these days...

[DirtDiva]

I've had hair between chin- and shoulder-length for most of my life. I hate having it tied back and only ever do so when I'm in the shower or the bath and don't want to get it wet. Unless it's really windy, I don't have a problem with it under my helmet - I just tilt my head back and make sure all my hair is out of the way before I put the helmet on and it seems to stay there. I guess it depends what you prefer ordinarily; if loose hair drives you mad anyway, you'd probably hate it that way under the helmet too.

[Pedal Wench]

I used to always wear a ponytail, but just started doing a long braid. But, I realized that it was getting nasty and knotted from sweat and sunscreen. I just re-discovered braids. A single one that starts high enough to lift all the hair off the back of my neck, and the one strand isn't hot at all.

[KSH]

I have my hair layered up and some of hits a little below my shoulders.

It works out great! I can pull the longer part in a ponytail to keep it off my neck and I wear a headband to keep the shorter parts out of my face.

I think if your hair is too short to pull back in a ponytail, it could get annoying. But that is just me. I like being able to pull all my hair back and off my face when I workout.

[JanT]

I agree with Dianyla: long enough for a pony tail or really short. I've tried the mid-range, and it was alot of work to keep it looking decent with working out every day. When I was younger, I kept in long and in a pony tail for running. Now that I am a bicyclist, I wear it short. Couldn't stand the crunchy hair (from salt/sweat) after a ride. My daughter got her hair cut chin length, and it drove her nuts, always in her face. That wouldn't present a problem on the bike with a helmet, but would it bug you the rest of the day?

Also, consider your climate. If you live where it's warm year round, you might opt for a shorter doo. Otherwise, winter is coming, and the longer hair might keep your neck warmer.

[Mia]

Hey Girls,

Thanks so much for all the advice :p Knew I could count on you..think I will just leave it long. A pony-tail is a lot better than having little hairs in my face while I'm concentrating on a big hill! :D I could never pull off one of those little two inch pixie cuts plus I live in the Midwest, so we are just getting ready for the cold season. You're right, Jan T, the extra warmth will be nice this winter. Thanks again for all your help, now I can quit thinking about it. :p

[Grog]

One of those "What was I thinking????" moments:

I got my hair cut much shorter than I am used in June, thinking that it would be cool to have less hair under the helmet. I am not sure how it happened, but it turned out to be layered with many layers shorter than bottom-of-the-ear length.

Total mess: I have hair coming out of my helmet venting holes, it looks totally ridiculous, I can see it by looking at my shadow when I ride!!! I was SO mad. Still hasn't grown back enough for all of my hair to fit in a pony tail. :( Pins help... but it's really annoying.

I am not getting any hairdresser any close to my hair until has graduated to ponytail length, and I will make my instructions more clear the next time I guess.

So yes: extremely short or shoulder-length and longer...

Make sure you explain what we told you to your hairdresser!!! Most of them (those I know at least) are not really athletes so maybe even bring the helmet for a demonstration. :)

[Mia]

That is really funny, in a horrible sort of way :eek: ....I'm getting a visual of your shadow....Thanks for sharing, yes, that is exactly what I want to avoid! I always get my hair cut off, then half the time I hate it, and think...never, never, again! Then it gets long, and I think, wouldn't this look cute short?? Not this time...after all the good advice I have gotten, I think I'll just maybe get a loose perm, then I can wash and go after a ride.

[Grog]

after all the good advice I have gotten, I think I'll just maybe get a loose perm, then I can wash and go after a ride.

I have the chance to have vaguely curly (if unruly!) hair to start with. Wash and go is what you want indeed!

[latelatebloomer]

I've had all lengths of 'dos and found that super-short OR long are the easiest. I feel most attractive with longer hair, so I'm sticking with that - usually in braids when I'm being active. And then I discovered that guys seem to dig the braids. I always get a lot of compliments on my "braid" days. I'm very happy with my DH, but a compliment from another source is always a big ego boost.

[CorsairMac]

Long here: down to my hinney and I wear it in a single braid in the winter (keeps the back of the neck warm plus I wear a balaclava) and a ponytail braid in the summer.

[snowtulip]

Pigtails are great! I had just above the shoulder hair for a while (all one length, no bangs) and I loved having pigtails sticking out of my helmet. I think they actually helped me ride because I felt spunky with them. I now have short hair again and it works great under the helmet, but it doesn't have the same spunk factor.

If you stay long, go with the braid like Corsair Mac, she has beautiful braid hair! ;)

[roughingit]

Mine's two inches below bra strap length, and I just tie it in a pony or one long braid with an extra elastic at the top to keep strays from getting loose. Long hair is soooooo much easier to deal with than short! I have a genetic part (think seventies flowerchild hair here) and it's still visible even when my hair was less than an inch long! :eek:

[Mia]

Long hair definately seems the way to go. Can't wait to try the pigtails under my helmet and see if it makes me feel spunky! :p Also, never tried braids while riding, but that seems like a great option, too.

[LED_now]

I just shaved my head 2 months ago -- had psyched myself up for years, wanting to do it for years: had long mega-production (lol) rock'n'roll hair for years (entertainment industry job -- which I quit due to health issue & then discovered riding...).
It had always been ponytailed or 2 braids for riding. I'd recently expiremented w/various lengths, going shorter: to the shoulders, then chin-length (unh-unh), layered, bla bla bla never-ending saga, couldn't quite get the "me" back. But now with this:
I am thrilled with the result!
I feel gorgeous and it rocks harder than ever! lol
Not too mention no more coloring, detangling, dread-knot at the nape of the neck in winter, etc. etc. Too many reasons to list.
Hubby adores it. Lucky me, bonus.

[Mia]

WOW :eek: Shaved...how very brave of you! I am a big hair person, love hair! I love to cut it, color it, comb it, you name it. I cut my Husbands hair and his Grandpas' and some of our friends. I always said if I ever quit my current job (dealing black-jack at a casino) I would go to cosmetology school to learn to do hair professionally. I watched G.I. Jane on HBO last week though, and thought how liberating it would feel to be able to shave your head. Demi Moore looks great that way, I'm pretty sure I would not. KUDO'S to you for being so brave. :D

[kestrel]

Wow. Shaved! You must have a gorgeous noggin'!

Me on the other hand.. :) Would not be appropriate. :(

I like my hair below shoulder length (everything else looks sad) so I generally ride with it in a ponytail, single braid, or braided pigtails. Or twist my hair like the strands of a rope (looks very nice!) :) Its all tied very low. If I remember, I dampen my hair so I can do a tighter braid. I've done the roll my hair up in a bun and secure it with a ponytail holder, but that never stays. Besides, I had that the single time I've gotten harassed while cycling, so bad associations there (and with little red sedans).

I'm not sure if I could pull off the Pippi Longstocking look with my braids flying out of my helmet! That'd be AWESOME to see! :)

Now I'm almost tempted to get those fancy ponytail holders so I can have ribbons on the ends of my braids. Can you imagine? Hahaha..

[LED_now]

:D

"gorgeous noggin'" ha ha, my husband's expression ... a nice surprise to me!
hee hee hee :p

One last word: Something to remember if any of y'all decide to try it one day:

SUNSCREEN !! ;)

[Blueberry]

KUDO'S to you for being so brave. :D

I'm definately in the short camp - long enough to look OK in an office - barely! Works great for riding, though I do get interesting helmet hair. Apparently the hair gets sucked up through the vents when riding because I end up with hair ridges at the end of the ride. It's rather amusing.

That said, there's a big diff between short hair and no hair - wow! I can't imagine!

I did the long hair thing for a while, and it just got so icky when riding I couldn't stand it. I would wash it and pull it back wet - I never gave it a chance to dry! ICK! :eek: Plus the extra 15 minutes sleep in the AM is nice for those of us who aren't AM people! :o

I do agree with others that in between hair doesn't work so great. It's got to be long enough to pull back or short enough that you really don't have to worry about it. Now if I could just find someone to trim it for a more reasonable price (it seems the shorter it is, the more often I have to visit my stylist), I'd be in great shape;)

I could imaging vent tan lines - that would be interesting :D Guess sunscreen is a big deal!

[crazycanuck]

Hey there,

I have longish hair and got tired of having sweat from my helmet run onto my glasses and fog them up just as i was doing some sweet downhill run.

Anywho, i found a headbandy thing made by BUFF...no clue if they're sold overseas but man they're awesome...

C

[Raindrop]

I'm a short hair all the way. When I ride I do get some interesting "lifts" from my helmet, but I slap a ballcap on as soon as I'm done.

In my day to day life, I teach Spinning classes ( 7 a week) and I have to wear a headband cause I sweat like a very sweaty pig, plus I do personal training in between classes. Alll-in-all I just sweat...so short hair works for me. If I had better bone structure I would consider the bald look. But, I stick with short hair for now.

P.S. I enjoy my short hair...right now it's brown with blond and purple highlights. If it's going to be short...it HAS to be fun!

[Mia]

brown and purple.. :eek: ...hmmm....sounds interesting, very spunky! No way where I work would they let me get away with something like that! There is a woman I work with that let her daughters get pink highlights in their blonde hair...her inlaws freaked :D . I thought I had decided to leave it long.....now that head band thing that crazycanuck mentioned sounds pretty good. I don't bike to work or anywhere that I can't take a shower after anyway. I probably won't decide until ten minutes before I sit in the chair! I still have two weeks to make a decision. I have had about every length and color (not purple though :p) and I like short, I was just worried about it getting in the way for bicycling.
Thank-you everybody for all your input.

[emily_in_nc]

I would go long again and do the ponytail or braid thing if I didn't have to color my graying hair. I color it myself, and it's a pain to do with longer hair (have to buy two kits), and it tends to get more damaged and drier the longer it is. So, despite the fact that I like long hair and think I look good in it, I have decided that due to the coloring and my frequent-cycling lifestyle, short works best for me. It's so quick to blow-dry before work too!

I'm a lot like Mia, though, I go back and forth, and before each trip to the stylist I seem to have a big internal debate about growing it out vs. getting it cut shorter vs. just getting a trim. I usually don't decide til the day of my appointment, and so much can depend on just how it decides to look that one day!

Emily

[Trekhawk]

:D

"gorgeous noggin'" ha ha, my husband's expression ... a nice surprise to me!
hee hee hee :p
One last word: Something to remember if any of y'all decide to try it one day:
SUNSCREEN !! ;)

LED - my husband is thinning on top and he wears a thing called a DoWrap under his helmet not only does it stop his head getting burnt but it helps with sweat. Its a nice thin material (100 % coolmax) he says he doesnt even notice he has it on under his helmet. Looks good as well when you take your helmet off. Could also be good for hiding that helmet hair when stopping on a ride for a bite etc. :)

[Mia]

I have the same problem as Emily_in_NC, I color my own hair(I have to use three boxes because it's so thick), and up until this next appointment have cut it myself...but it is also getting so dry and damaged feeling on the ends. I love the feeling of fresh cut hair, it's so bouncy and healthy feeling. My inner hippie is still loving the long hair though.....

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'm a short hair kind of gal - it gets cut every 4 weeks, and there are some months I wonder if a shorter time period would be better!

Here's a photo of my helmet head after a day of cycling in Hawaii (http://denise2003hawaii.crazyguyonabike.com) back in 2003:
http://denise.smugmug.com/photos/579656-S-1.jpg

[singletrackmind]

Well, it's been butt-length most of my life but last year I donated 13" to Locks of Love. THAT was an adjustment! Sooo much lighter, easier to maintain, and the shampoo/conditioner savings! I still had enough for a short pony and that's how I wore it. All that and I still prefer long and I'm glad it's back. I'll take the heat, the tangles, the leaves and sticks just to have my hair. I wear it in about 5 ponys spaced the length of it unless I'm lazy, then it's just one.

[roughingit]

If it's any consolation to those who are graying, many of us younger longhairs think it looks really awesome to see someone with long gray or silvershot hair! I just don't see why on earth society says that women must cut and colour their hair once they reach midlife and beyond :(

[Mia]

You're right...have you ever seen Twister? The woman that plays the Aunt has beautiful long gray/silver hair. I color my hair because I just get bored with it and love to try new looks, have only found one gray hair so far.

Also, DeniseGoldberg, that hair is just too funny :p . Looks like you have tiny little mohawks sticking out of your head :D

[latelatebloomer]

if I didn't have to color my graying hair. I color it myself, and it's a pain to do with longer hair (have to buy two kits), and it tends to get more damaged and drier the longer it is.

Emily, maybe you could try what I do. I LOVE the idea of being a mature lady with long silver braids - but am not ready for that look at 45 - AND I seem to have an allergy to hair dye (weird, not allergic to much else). A healthy, natural look is important to me. About 3 times a year, I go in for "half-head highlights." Using foil, the lovely Gina matches my natural colors and blends out most, but not all, of the silver. My hair doesn't fry, and I don't get lines or roots. And it's a lot less expensive than most color jobs.

And one day I'll wake up and say, enough, I'm ready to be the "Silver-braided wise woman of Applebachsville." Onna bike, of course.

[emily_in_nc]

Agreed, there is very pretty "silver" hair, and then there is drab mixed brown/gray ("salt-n-pepper") hair, which is what mine would look like if I didn't color it dark blonde. It will probably be lovely someday when it's all white, but it's going to be a long time getting there. I got my first gray hair at age 25, am 44 now, and still have plenty of brown mixed in (about 50/50). It's just not pretty hair and does make me look older if I don't color it. I don't feel compelled to do so by society, but only because I like the way I look without my salt-n-pepper hair much better!

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, maybe you could try what I do. I LOVE the idea of being a mature lady with long silver braids - but am not ready for that look at 45 - AND I seem to have an allergy to hair dye (weird, not allergic to much else). A healthy, natural look is important to me. About 3 times a year, I go in for "half-head highlights." Using foil, the lovely Gina matches my natural colors and blends out most, but not all, of the silver. My hair doesn't fry, and I don't get lines or roots. And it's a lot less expensive than most color jobs.
And one day I'll wake up and say, enough, I'm ready to be the "Silver-braided wise woman of Applebachsville." Onna bike, of course.

Great post! I didn't see it when I wrote my last one. What is your natural color, and how much gray do you have? Your highlighting sounds gorgeous, but I have medium brown hair with quite a lot of gray, and I am pretty sure I'd have roots if I only had your procedure done three times a year. It does sound pretty, though. And I LOVE the long silver-braided woman imagery! Yeah, I could see myself like that as well...but I might be 75 before my hair is all silver. My mom is 70 and hers still isn't quite all there!

Emily

[Mia]

Hey Emily,
Checked out your recovery blog a little bit, Wow..you look way too young to have gray....very cute hairdo, nice color. New here, so I don't know what kind of accident you had, will look up the post later. My DH had a pretty bad dirtbike accident a few years ago...recovery is definately a long road. Congratulations of starting to feel better.

[emily_in_nc]

Hey Emily,
Checked out your recovery blog a little bit, Wow..you look way too young to have gray....very cute hairdo, nice color. New here, so I don't know what kind of accident you had, will look up the post later. My DH had a pretty bad dirtbike accident a few years ago...recovery is definately a long road. Congratulations of starting to feel better.

Thanks, Mia - you're too kind! I am 44 but am usually told I look quite a bit younger - I am sure I wouldn't hear that too often if I didn't color my hair! I like the color I use (Natural Dark Blonde by Clairol Nice-n-Easy), and it's cheap, so I'll probably stick with it. My injury was a fractured pelvis (three places). It was quite serious, had to have surgery to put in a 6" metal plate to hold my ilium together. Fortunately, I am doing GREAT five months later. Not 100%, but much better than I'd expected. Thanks for your compliment! :p

Emily

[LED_now]

I do the "kerchief" thing as well. But on days without it - days u just gotta feel the wind - it has to be sunscreen ... Another good thing: Mine's too short for ever having 'helmet hair' again! lol 1/2 a cm :D

[Dianyla]

I often wear a Du Rag (bought in the ethnic hair dep't of almost any drugstore or grocery) in summertime just to keep any wispies out of my ears. If you have fine hair that is prone to breakage, it's a good idea to wear something snugfitting and silky in between your hair and the helmet.

When it's wintertime and really nasty out, I wear a pair of opaque tights/nylons on my head. My braid goes down one of the legs, the panty goes over my head, and I wrap the spare leg around the base of my braid. This keeps grit from getting into my braid especially on rainy rides, and it shortens my braid up to a safer length.

When I do two braids, I just put one down each leg. :p

[caligurl]

I often wear a Du Rag (bought in the ethnic hair dep't of almost any drugstore or grocery) in summertime just to keep any wispies out of my ears. If you have fine hair that is prone to breakage, it's a good idea to wear something snugfitting and silky in between your hair and the helmet.

When it's wintertime and really nasty out, I wear a pair of opaque tights/nylons on my head. My braid goes down one of the legs, the panty goes over my head, and I wrap the spare leg around the base of my braid. This keeps grit from getting into my braid especially on rainy rides, and it shortens my braid up to a safer length.

When I do two braids, I just put one down each leg. :p

oh.... i HAVE to..... call you.... PANTY HEAD! :p :p :p :p

[Dianyla]

oh.... i HAVE to..... call you.... PANTY HEAD! :p :p :p :p
Bwahahaha!!! Actually some of my friends tease me about the pantyhose thing. I keep threatening to switch to thigh-highs during the summer heat. :rolleyes:

[RoadRaven]

In the process of growing my hair again

Like Led, I had a number 1 in 1996 as part of my graduation... it is undoubtedly the best hair cut I have ever had... no shampooing or brushing - brilliant...
I was asked often if I was having chemotherapy or if I was gay...

Currently hair is shoulder length and to stop the bits that annoy me in my face, I wear a head band and tauck the hair at a back ward angle under it. Sometimes I tie my hair in a stump of a ponytail if its really hot, but not often.

Head band has the added advantages of;

- absorbing some sweat from my brow

- protecting my forehead from the sun (I don't put sunscreen above my eyes)

- helping to hold my helmet in place so it doesn't move in the wind

[Mia]

Definately like the headband idea...have to look into that one with the coolmax. Think I'm going to get it cut a little longer than jaw length. I have bangs and they are always getting in the way anyway, so I think I'll be better off with the headband. I'm ready for a change. I need something that is low maintenance! I might think differently tomorrow morning when we go for our ride though...we are expecting our first frost of the year so I might enjoy the extra warmth my long hair will give me! I am really hating the thought of winter and all those hours on my indoor trainer... :(

[LED_now]

Like Led, I had a number 1 in 1996 as part of my graduation... it is undoubtedly the best hair cut I have ever had... no shampooing or brushing - brilliant...
I was asked often if I was having chemotherapy or if I was gay...

Interesting bit, Road Raven - I've just gotten that 'feeling' for the first couple of times now - the gay vibe, feeling some gals projecting this on me.

Whether these gals are gay or straight gals thinking I'm gay, or whatever -
isn't it stupid that we are still living in a world where
A) there's a differential vibe and,
B) that a hair style could actually draw out such a reaction from people

?!?! ... Silliness. We might as well be still in the dark ages.

I've actually received a vibe from a girl the other day, a girl with whom I just struck up a little casual small-talk outside the coffee shop (about her bike no less) -- and I got the vibe that she assumed I was gay & for some reason, that mattered to her & the conversation was not welcome. ??!

Silliness. It never occurred to me that this might have been why, until I told my husband and he mentioned my hair. :rolleyes: What a weird world still in 2005.

[Mia]

Working with the public for many, many years, I have learned that first impressions are usually right. (although we do have a gray-haired woman in her 70's with a mouth dirtier than any sailor! :eek: ) And it's not until we "judge" somebody wrong that we even realize we are doing it. That's when I feel bad..."oh my gosh, I should never have expected so and so to be that way, etc." A lot of the other people that I work with have said the same thing. I think it must be a subconscious thing. Sometimes it's a good thing, because there are plenty of bad people out there and you definately want to trust your gut feelings. I just don't understand why, even if she thought you were gay, would she care about that?? I so seldom get to meet new women that are interested in biking I wouldn't care if she had a purple mohawk. She probably had a lot of personal issues of her own. More power to you for not caring....I read a Quote recently that I really liked, it said:

Be who you are and say what you feel,
because, those WHO MIND don't matter
and those WHO MATTER don't mind.
-Dr. Seuss

[RoadRaven]

Like Led, I had a number 1 in 1996 as part of my graduation... it is undoubtedly the best hair cut I have ever had... no shampooing or brushing - brilliant...
I was asked often if I was having chemotherapy or if I was gay...

Interesting bit, Road Raven - I've just gotten that 'feeling' for the first couple of times now - the gay vibe, feeling some gals projecting this on me.

Whether these gals are gay or straight gals thinking I'm gay, or whatever -
isn't it stupid that we are still living in a world where
A) there's a differential vibe and,
B) that a hair style could actually draw out such a reaction from people

?!?! ... Silliness. We might as well be still in the dark ages.

I've actually received a vibe from a girl the other day, a girl with whom I just struck up a little casual small-talk outside the coffee shop (about her bike no less) -- and I got the vibe that she assumed I was gay & for some reason, that mattered to her & the conversation was not welcome. ??!

Silliness. It never occurred to me that this might have been why, until I told my husband and he mentioned my hair. :rolleyes: What a weird world still in 2005.

Oh yes, I agree... and I have always believed if most people listened to their hearts they would probably find they were bisexual anyways... Judaeo-Christian and Islamic belief systems have given us patriarchal societies that must keep women under control and in their place. Two women together, fulfilled (not just sexually) was seen as a threat to men (and is still to some men - and women) and therefore should be supressed, mocked or ignored. Crazeeeee!

We are who we are, and certainly our hair should not dictate how we are perceived sexually...

Put the "wig" on the other head... plenty of male "celebs" have been perceived as sexy and masculine with longer, and even pony-tailed hair (yum, I do like long hair on a man) but as soon as you shorten a womans hair she becomes masculine or unfeminine... stoooopid!

[Hillandale]

One thing I have thought about doing with my barely-long-enough-for-a-ponytail hair is to try a hair net. I saw some of the really fine, nearly invisible ones in the drugstore the other day, and thought it might be a different solution to avoid the wild and crazy way my hair sticks out of the helmet if unrestrained. :eek: I know some of the women in horse shows use them to manage their hair under their riding helmets.

Hair nets make me think of my blue haired grandmother in the 1960's, and she would never have ridden a bike. My grandfather was featured in the local newspaper for riding around his small town on his bike when he was well into his 80's, but of course he didn't wear a helmet, or need a hairnet!

[Trek420]

Had hair down to my butt 'till '75, short low maintenance hair since then and now flecked with grey.

If it's hot I wear a headband mostly because I sweat...buckets....and if not my glasses slip and sweat gets in my eyes, stings because of the sunscreen...and I wear corkies to keep my glasses from flying off my face and down the cliff.

My favorite corkies are rainbow colored and *that*, my wise and wonderful TE gals *not* the short hair could be your subtle clue that I bat for the other team, or maybe the socks, rainbow bicycle chain bracelet...I've got a lavendar bike for crying out loud

Still most just don't get the vibe from me, dang.

But folks speaking as I do for all of my ilk I ride to ride.

It's always nice to see women out there as well as anyone anywhere who "speaks bike".

Now, I'm sure you're all just absolutely freaking gorgeous with your tree trunk like legs (see the OTHER thread) but may be flattering yourself (and thrilling your husbands simultaneously) if you think that gal was hitting on ya'. ;) :rolleyes: :D

Long or short hair we all get a good case of "helmet hair" after a ride.

I like to keep a hat in the car, one at work, one of those little cycle beanies in a jersey pocket. Wearing a beanie under a helmet acts like a visor too. I've been instructed it's a "bike fashion don't" to wear a MTB helmet on a road bike. Who knew? Who cares?

[Mia]

Hey Girls,

Well, October 8th is finally here...getting my new do today...I've decided to go ahead and cut it off :eek: . I think I'm going to get a bob a little longer than jaw length and just wear a headband to pull it back under helmet. After the hair appointment I'm heading to the LBS to meet my husband and getting a new mountain bike. :D . I've only ridden on the street so far, so I'm excited to try out the new bike. I think I'll like the new low-maintenance hairdo, thanks so much for all the advice.

[cindysue]

don't forget to post a pic! Have fun getting pampered at the salon :)

[Trek420]

cindysue reminds "don't forget to post a pic! Have fun getting pampered at the salon :)"

picture of the bike?

picture of the hair?

picture of the bike of course!

sounds of Trek as she shuffles off to make a note to self "when we open the women's bike shop it needs a salon and spa built in with helmet-friendly-hair-styles and sports massage"

Anyone use those pony-tail specific helmets? Whadya think of them? The only rider I know who uses one....is a guy ;-)

[nicolezoie]

My hair's just past my knees, and I have my hair in a coiled up ball at the base of my neck. I braid it first, then slide the braid into a home-made nylon hair sleeve, then roll it up to my neck. I also have curly/wavy hair and my scalp frizz can get so totally out of control after a ride - helmet hair isn't just for "shorties". I haven't worn my braid down my back since someone in a car tried to reach out and grab it a couple years ago. Sometimes I'll put it into a low bun and pull a snood (hair net) over it all. During the winter I use a do'rag for a little warmth (it doesn't get that cold here) and a headband to cover my ears.

[Trekhawk]

sounds of Trek as she shuffles off to make a note to self "when we open the women's bike shop it needs a salon and spa built in with helmet-friendly-hair-styles and sports massage"


ooohhh sports massage. That would be heaven. :)