Cold Feet

[Dave 123]

View: https://youtu.be/cFPVWR2jzI4

 

[Bazzer]

Up to this winter I used thin overshoes as a windbreak and for the chilly rides, the addition of aluminium foil over one pair of socks but wrapped around the first third or so of my feet. I found the foil tended to shape itself to inside of my shoes, which made life easier, but it did need replacing after a few rides. I don't know if the benefit of the foil was psychological or physical, but for me it worked. This will be my first winter trying neoprene overshoes, but I already have an eye on the foil roll in the kitchen.

 

[Dave 123]

^^^ I might try tinfoil in the morning. I'm planning to go out early.... so it might not happen!

 

[Bazzer]

[QUOTE 5055699, member: 9609"]i've been using it under my had for years - but not to keep the cold out[/QUOTE]

Give it a try then in your shoes. What have you got to lose?

 

[iateyoubutler]

[QUOTE 5055451, member: 9609"]How do you all cope with this ?

another wonderful day out on the bike but with temperatures hovering around zero the feet have been suffering, probably end up with chilblanes like last year. Sitting here with my pasties soaking in a bowl of hot water

Has anyone experimented with 'Leg Warmers' you know the dance fashion thing from years ago. Would keeping the calfs warm make a significant difference to the toes.

Extra or thicker socks is no use as the reduction of blood flow negates the extra insulation, can even make them colder. The best I have come up with to date is just neoprene overshoes over top of what I wear in the summer. Seems daft but I am yet to improve on this.

Anyone tried two pairs of overshoes, ?[/QUOTE]
I`ve tried it all, different shoes, overshoes, different sock combinations, tin foil, carrier bags, nothing works, my toes still go numb in the cold. Only tried and tested method is to get off the bike and walk for a few minutes

 

[Aravis]

As well as the above advice, it's important to keep your core warm. Blood flow reduces to the extremities when your core is cold.

This is essentially my approach. I use the same sock/shoe combination in all conditions, including, this year, a 100 mile ride in January when the frost hung around all day.

I have Morton's Neuroma in my right foot and that's much easier to manage when the foot's on the cold side. So maybe it's partly psychological; if my feet are cold for a while I know I'll probably feel a benefit later.

 

[cm2mackem]

Feet Warmers x10 : http://www.decathlon.co.uk/Buy/8373955

 

[iateyoubutler]

This is essentially my approach. I use the same sock/shoe combination in all conditions, including, this year, a 100 mile ride in January when the frost hung around all day.

I have Morton's Neuroma in my right foot and that's much easier to manage when the foot's on the cold side. So maybe it's partly psychological; if my feet are cold for a while I know I'll probably feel a benefit later.

I always make sure my core is warm, and I`m usually sweating my t*ts off, but till have my toes going numb. It`s miserable

 

[Katherine]

Keeping your toes warm :

• Yes, to wearing a base layer under your cycle trousers / tights.
• You need your core to be a bit too warm for your extremeties to be warm enough.
• Pedal at a slightly higher cadence than normal gets the circulation going.
• fleecy shoe liners
• all socks, shoes etc to be warmed on the radiator
• don't start the ride with cold feet

Chillblains:

If your skin gets cold, it's important to warm it up gradually. Heating the skin too quickly – for example, by placing your feet in hot water or near a heater – is one of the main causes of chilblains.


What causes chilblains?
Chilblains are the result of an abnormal reaction to the cold. They're common in the UK because damp, cold weather is usual in the winter.

Some people develop chilblains that last for several months every winter.

When the skin is cold, blood vessels near its surface get narrower. If the skin is then exposed to heat, the blood vessels become wider.

If this happens too quickly, blood vessels near the surface of the skin can't always handle the increased blood flow.

This can cause blood to leak into the surrounding tissue, which may cause the swelling and itchiness associated with chilblains.

Some people are more at risk of chilblains than others.

This includes people with:

• poor circulation
• a family history of chilblains
• regular exposure to cold, damp or draughty conditions
• a poor diet or low body weight
• lupus – a long-term condition that causes swelling in the body's tissues
• Raynaud's phenomenon – a common condition that affects the blood supply to certain parts of the body, usually the fingers and toes

People who smoke are more at risk of chilblains as nicotine constricts blood vessels.

Chilblains can also occur on areas of the feet exposed to pressure, such as a bunion or a toe that's squeezed by tight shoes.

Treating chilblains
Chilblains often get better on their own after a week or two without treatment.

It may help to use a soothing lotion, such as calamine or witch hazel, to relieve itching. Your pharmacist may also be able to recommend a suitable product.

If your chilblains are severe and keep returning, speak to your GP. They may recommend taking a daily tablet or capsule of a medication called nifedipine. This works by relaxing the blood vessels, improving your circulation.

Nifedipine can be used to help existing chilblains heal, or can be taken during the winter to stop them developing.

Preventing chilblains
If you're susceptible to chilblains, you can reduce your risk of developing them by:

• limiting your exposure to the cold
• looking after your feet
• taking steps to improve your circulation

If your skin gets cold, it's important to warm it up gradually. Heating the skin too quickly – for example, by placing your feet in hot water or near a heater – is one of the main causes of chilblains.

The following advice should help:

• stop smoking – nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, which can make chilblains worse
• keep active – this helps improve your circulation
• wear warm clothes and insulate your hands, feet and legs – wearing long johns, long boots, tights, leg warmers or long socks will help, and it's a good idea to wear a clean pair of socks if you get cold feet in bed
• avoid tight shoes and boots – these can restrict the circulation to your toes and feet
• moisturise your feet regularly – this stops them drying out and the skin cracking
• eat at least one hot meal during the day – this will help warm your whole body, particularly in cold weather
• warm your shoes on the radiator before you put them on – make sure damp shoes are dry before you wear them; if your feet are already cold, make sure your shoes aren't too hot to avoid causing chilblains
• warm your hands before going outdoors – soak them in warm water for several minutes and dry thoroughly, and wear cotton-lined waterproof gloves if necessary; if your hands are already cold, make sure not to warm them up too quickly to avoid causing chilblains
• keep your house well heated – try to keep one room in the house warm and avoid drafts
• if you're diabetic, regularly check your feet (or ask someone else to do this) – people with diabetes may not be able to feel their feet and could have infected chilblains without realising it

 

[Slick]

If you can keep you feet dry, these bad boys kept my feet warm from freezing night shifts in dock yards to dealing with cold steel decks of a north sea oil platform.

https://www.philipmorrisdirect.co.u...aqINKm83qdfKwUSvP_ronADLm-NKukrRoCPJwQAvD_BwE

 

[PaulSB]

Plus one for these. I use the same thickness of sock year round. In winter I add a trainer sock, footwarmers and then a pair of waterproof socks. Shoes are one size too large and worn loosely fastened and lightweight overshoes.

Feet Warmers x10 : http://www.decathlon.co.uk/Buy/8373955

 

[Mr Celine]

Aldi merino wool cycling socks. Another pair of thin wool socks on top. MTB type cycling shoes. Neoprene overshoes. Cycling shorts underneath winter cycling trousers.

This seems to work quite well considering I get cold feet in the summer as well.

 

[GlenBen]

After having the same problems for years I thought I would try winter boots. Theyre all far too expensive, but I found they do work. I just use a wool sock in them when its below/around freezing or normal socks above.

Prior to that, bbb extreme winter overshoes were the best Id found for keeping warm, theyre not even slightly waterproof though.

 

[summerdays]

[QUOTE 5055918, member: 9609"]Yeah But - the last thing you want in the winter is for your core to be a bit too warm, that promotes sweat, getting wet with sweat when it is really cold is a potential risk to hypothermia.

But I certainly agree with your point that its is all a bit more complex than warmer socks and shoes.

I need a function or an app that can tell my body to start pumping some of that heat to my extremities, there is more than plenty heat being generated whilst cycling.[/QUOTE]
I'm a Reynaud's sufferer, and I do keep my my core as warm as possible. That means that I often carry a down gilet in my pannier, and in really really cold weather a down jacket. If I loose my circulation in my hands or feet, then they go on to bring up my core temp, I maybe don't cycle as hard, but if I'm that cold I'm normally getting slower anyway.

I also wear two pairs of socks inside warm boots (old ones have worn out so I'm on the hunt for some fleece lined boots at the moment), and find it's important to keep both my ankles and my wrists well covered (with leg warmers on both).

 

[ianrauk]

+1 for the Specialized Defroster boots. They are brilliant at keeping feet warm in even the coldest of temperatures. Well worth the money.