long or short?

[Mia]

Hey Girls,

Thanks so much for all the advice 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! 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.

[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 ....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!

[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 back in 2003:

[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.

[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.. ...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 . 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 ) and I like short, I was just worried about it getting in the way for bicycling.
Thank-you everybody for all your input.