Getting cold feet...literally!

[Scilly Suffolk]

Two pairs of socks? Beware of reducing the circulation to your feet: better to wear one pair of Winter socks, than two ordinary pairs.

I couldn't recommend plastic bags for anything but the shortest of rides: your feet will be unable to "breathe", so as well as being just as wet with sweat as you would be with rain, you will greatly increase the chances of developing a nasty fungal infection.

The same goes for tin foil, but you could try either of these over just the toes/upper foot, just not the whole foot.

I have just bought the same overshoes as MattHB recommends from Planet X. I rode 100km yesterday in those, these and these: it wasn't much above freezing and my feet were soaked from the snow melt and the mist, but my feet were warm.

NB Unless you shell out Assos amounts of money (or buy proper Winter boots) then you won't get waterproof overshoes, they work on the same principal as a wetsuit: although water resistant to some extent water will eventually penetrate, but it is trapped and once warmed by body heat provides insulation.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

None of you are even remotely considering wearing proper winter boots like me. Why? Is it because of they don't fit in the clippy thigmy on your pedals, or just because it's not cool - actually quite warm
Just idle curiosity, I'm away to bake a cake ...

 

[yello]

Wrong on 2 counts there Pat! Winter shoes have been mentioned and you can get them with clippy thigmies.

I hope you read the recipe before baking that cake

 

[potsy]

I invested in a pair of winter boots, not worn my overshoes since, nice pair of thermal socks and the boots have done me fine down to -6c.
My reasoning is they will be used for 4-5 months of the year, and should hopefully last a good few years if looked after, also less faffing about than placcy bags and overshoes

 

[MattHB]

I invested in a pair of winter boots, not worn my overshoes since, nice pair of thermal socks and the boots have done me fine down to -6c.
My reasoning is they will be used for 4-5 months of the year, and should hopefully last a good few years if looked after, also less faffing about than placcy bags and overshoes

Which boots did you go for pots?

 

[yello]

Two pairs of socks? Beware of reducing the circulation to your feet

This is a very good point, and one I should have picked up on. Poor blood circulation can make hands and feet cold... and the body apparently responds to cold by reducing blood flow to extremities (to protect essential organs) so it sounds like a bit of a vicious circle!

 

[potsy]

Which boots did you go for pots?

Shimano MW80, paid about £100.

 

[Passion For Pedalling]

My feet keep freezing too! So painful. I only have summer shoes with big air vents on the top of the toes. This makes for unhappy cycling! I need overshoes, but they just look so monstrous and ugly ugly ugly!

 

[Muddyfox]

I wear sealskinz waterproof socks, they keep my feet toasty, this winter ive not even had to wear my neoprene overshoes

+1 On the Sealskinz .. wore mine out yesterday on the bike and my feet were lovely and warm for the whole ride

 

[italiafirenze]

I've got an older version of these: http://www.pbkblog.com/northwave-winter-cycling-shoes-pbk-review/2010/

I tried double socks, belgian booties and thick neoprene Rapha overshoes, all rubbish. These boots have meant I've never been bothered by it since.

I imagine any similar goretex lined boot would be as good.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

My feet keep freezing too! So painful. I only have summer shoes with big air vents on the top of the toes. This makes for unhappy cycling! I need overshoes, but they just look so monstrous and ugly ugly ugly!

Tape them up.

 

[Passion For Pedalling]

Tape what? The air vents?

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Tape what? The air vents?

Yes. For a little more insulation you could trim some vinyl/carpet/what ever is lying around to fit the vents and tape that in place.

What ever you do won't be as effective as overshoes though. Overshoes will also keep all that nasty road-crud from rotting and discolouring your shoes too.

 

[Bicycle]

I now use overboots thingies when I ride in really cold weather. I don't know what they're called, but I bought them on LBS advice as being the best ones for wearing with either road or MTB shoes.

Before I had the over-bootie things, I slapped gaffer tape over the vents on my road shoes - a sort of mesh triangle above the toe. The shoes still look a bit cacky where I peeled several lots of tape away over the years, but it was effective.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Wrong on 2 counts there Pat! Winter shoes have been mentioned and you can get them with clippy thigmies.

I hope you read the recipe before baking that cake

wait, where's my glasses???