Rugging up for winter

The colder months will soon be upon us and it'll be my first
winter cycling.

I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything except
my feet, you don't get much wind chill running or hiking so
it's never been an issue before. One thing I learned early
on in life though is that cold feet equals misery.

So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost free?
Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something completely
different?
--
Cheers
Euan

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
> The colder months will soon be upon us and it'll be my
> first winter cycling.
>
> I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything except
> my feet, you don't get much wind chill running or hiking
> so it's never been an issue before. One thing I learned
> early on in life though is that cold feet equals misery.
>
> So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost free?
> Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something completely
> different?

I just wear big thick wooly socks with plain Shimano SPD-R
MTB shoes and that works for me.

--
| Joel Mayes | /~\ ASCII Ribbon campaign Accordionist | \_/
| stop HTML mail and news Musician | / \ Music Teacher |

 

"Joel Mayes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything
> > except my feet, you don't get much wind chill running or
> > hiking so it's never been an issue before. One thing I
> > learned early on in life though is that cold feet equals
> > misery.
> >
> > So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost
> > free? Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something
> > completely different?
>
> I just wear big thick wooly socks with plain Shimano SPD-R
> MTB shoes and that works for me.

This can apparently cause reduced circulation which leads
to chilled/numb feet. Typically I suffer, but when I have
my wits about me, I try to put on my toe warmers. These
are little adidas? neoprene covers for the front part of
your shoe - reduces the wind and water getting in.. I've
never tried full "booties" though. They seem a bit too..
um... wanky ;-)

hippy I'm sure I'll learn...

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:

> The colder months will soon be upon us and it'll be my
> first winter cycling.
>
> I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything except
> my feet, you don't get much wind chill running or hiking
> so it's never been an issue before. One thing I learned
> early on in life though is that cold feet equals misery.
>
> So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost free?
> Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something completely
> different?

Depends on how long your ride is. I used to ride the 8kms
home and it didn't matter how cold it was, because I was
only a short time away. Still, the rain can make your feet
very wet, and that can result in very cold toes. I'ld
suggest something waterproof for feet (I've read of people
using milk bottle halves over their feet - I just use them
as splash guards on my mudguards, and under the bottom
bracket to protect the axle and shifter cables).

dale

--
[email protected]

 

"Dale Stanbrough" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:MrNoSpam-
> Depends on how long your ride is. I used to ride the 8kms
> home and it didn't matter how cold it was, because I was
> only a short time away. Still, the rain can make your feet
> very wet, and that can result in very cold toes. I'ld
> suggest something waterproof for feet (I've read of people
> using milk bottle halves over their feet - I just use them
> as splash guards on my mudguards, and under the bottom
> bracket to protect the axle and shifter cables).

I saw a guy riding with plastic bags taped over his feet...
come on, neoprene ain't that expensive

My actual point... Even if it is a short ride, shoe covers
of some sort could be useful in keeping your cycling shoes
dry. Nothing so bad as putting on wet gear the next day!

hippy

 

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> "Dale Stanbrough" <[email protected]> wrote in
> message news:MrNoSpam-
> > Depends on how long your ride is. I used to ride the
> > 8kms home and it didn't matter how cold it was, because
> > I was only a short time away. Still, the rain can make
> > your feet very wet, and that can result in very cold
> > toes. I'ld suggest something waterproof for feet (I've
> > read of people using milk bottle halves over their feet
> > - I just use them as splash guards on my mudguards, and
> > under the bottom bracket to protect the axle and shifter
> > cables).
>
> I saw a guy riding with plastic bags taped over his
> feet... come on, neoprene ain't that expensive
>
> My actual point... Even if it is a short ride, shoe covers
> of some sort could be useful in keeping your cycling shoes
> dry. Nothing so bad as putting on wet gear the next day!
>

Nothing worse than wet gear at the end of the day!

Next day is usually no problem as I invested in a clothes
dryer with a shoe rack and auto-sensing. Works great.

My order of extremity protection priority:
1/ Gloves - feels like chinese bamboo torture under the
finger nails
2/ Ears - headache city
3/ Shoes - just because they get cold eventually

 

I got two ways...

My Louie Garneau? shoes come with 2 footbeds - a summer one
which has lots of ventilation holes...but also comes with a
winter one which is a bit thicker and has not as much
ventilation....

If that doesnt work well - ill just get cover thingos for
my shoes....

I wont be riding outdoors too much during winter anyway -
will be back in spinning for 3 months (no weekend riding -
too busy skiing!)

 

"hippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Dale Stanbrough" <[email protected]> wrote in
> message news:MrNoSpam-
> > Depends on how long your ride is. I used to ride the
> > 8kms home and it didn't matter how cold it was, because
> > I was only a short time away. Still, the rain can make
> > your feet very wet, and that can result in very cold
> > toes. I'ld suggest something waterproof for feet (I've
> > read of people using milk bottle halves over their feet
> > - I just use them as splash guards on my mudguards, and
> > under the bottom bracket to protect the axle and shifter
> > cables).
>
> I saw a guy riding with plastic bags taped over his
> feet... come on, neoprene ain't that expensive
>
> My actual point... Even if it is a short ride, shoe covers
> of some sort could be useful in keeping your cycling shoes
> dry. Nothing so bad as putting on wet gear the next day!
>
> hippy

Waterproof booties are good against spray from a wet road
and they help keep your feet warm. My pair are useless
against a tropical downpour because water runs down the leg
and into the shoes...

The best thing for warmth is to keep your torso warm. As you
get colder, the body spends more effort in keeping your head
and chest warm and lets your extremities get cold. Keep your
head and chest warm and you'll find that your extremities
don't need so much rugging up.

Free advice - proof that you get what you pay for... Ritch

 

G'day,

'Cold' & 'wet' need to be treated differently. 'Cold' you can dress for. invest in a good quality 'wind vest'. The type that zip up at the front & are quite thick on the front. The back is often 'netting' type material to let heat escape. Naturally arm & leg warmers are a must. Over shoes will keep the feet warm. Mine cover the shoe & velcro around the heel......Wet is another matter, there is no such thing as waterproof shoes or covers, they all leak, all will allow some moisture in, be it from the top or the bottom.....get used to wet feet if you're riding in winter,

cheers,

Hitchy (only 265 days till Summer)

 

"hippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Joel Mayes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything
> > > except my feet,
you
> > > don't get much wind chill running or hiking so it's
> > > never been an
issue
> > > before. One thing I learned early on in life though is
> > > that cold feet equals misery.
> > >
> > > So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost
> > > free? Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something
> > > completely different?
> >
> > I just wear big thick wooly socks with plain Shimano SPD-
> > R MTB shoes and that works for me.
>
> This can apparently cause reduced circulation which leads
> to chilled/numb feet. Typically I suffer, but when I have
> my wits about me, I try to put on my toe warmers. These
> are little adidas? neoprene covers for the front part of
> your shoe - reduces the wind and water getting in.. I've
> never tried full "booties" though. They seem a bit too..
> um... wanky ;-)
>
> hippy I'm sure I'll learn...
>
>

hey... who you calling wanky. I wear full overshoes that
have rubber soles from Dean Woods. They keep my shoes dry
for that hour long train commute I do after my 21k ride to
the station. I had some really expensive ones but they were
crap for keeping me dry but did still keep them warm.

 

"Ritch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "hippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > "Dale Stanbrough" <[email protected]> wrote in
> > message
news:MrNoSpam-
> > > Depends on how long your ride is. I used to ride the
> > > 8kms home and it didn't matter how cold it was,
> > > because I was only a short time away. Still, the rain
> > > can make your feet very wet, and that can result in
> > > very cold toes. I'ld suggest something waterproof for
> > > feet (I've read of people using milk bottle halves
> > > over their feet - I just use them as splash guards on
> > > my mudguards, and under the bottom bracket to protect
> > > the axle and shifter cables).
> >
> > I saw a guy riding with plastic bags taped over his
> > feet... come on, neoprene ain't that expensive
> >
> > My actual point... Even if it is a short ride, shoe
> > covers of some sort could be useful in keeping your
> > cycling shoes dry. Nothing so bad as putting on wet gear
> > the next day!
> >
> > hippy
>
> Waterproof booties are good against spray from a wet road
> and they help keep your feet warm. My pair are useless
> against a tropical downpour because water runs down the
> leg and into the shoes...
>
> The best thing for warmth is to keep your torso warm. As
> you get colder, the body spends more effort in keeping
> your head and chest warm and lets your extremities get
> cold. Keep your head and chest warm and you'll find that
> your extremities don't need so much rugging up.
>
> Free advice - proof that you get what you pay for... Ritch

I stop the run into the shoes with the down pour with the
rain pants. They go right down over the booty cuff and then
I strap them to it using elastic. The rain pants are bright
yellow. Hey I am not one to care about looking cool. They
have reflective strips and look postively wanky but I am
dry and seen.

 

> I stop the run into the shoes with the down pour with the
> rain pants.
They
> go right down over the booty cuff and then I strap them to
> it using
elastic.
> The rain pants are bright yellow. Hey I am not one to care
> about looking cool. They have reflective strips and look
> postively wanky but I am dry
and
> seen.
>

I agree, after experiencing hypothermia from riding for
a couple hours in cold, windy constantly raining
weather because I wasn't wearing waterproof clothing,
only water resistant, I would rather be waterproof and
look wanky any day!

In my humble experience, most bike wet weather gear does not
keep you dry in seriously wet and cold conditions and you
are out for a long while. In these situations you gotta have
something like a Gortex jacket with hood (under the helmet)
wich seals around the wrist and neck and plenty of warm
stuff around your torso, waterproof pants which seal firmly
at the ankle, rubber gloves under your full finger riding
gloves (like surgery or catering gloves), warm socks and
plastic bags over your socks, inside the shoes, (if only
they made rubber surgery socks!) overshoes if you got them.
You sweat like a pig, but you stay pretty warm!

 

"John Doe" <[email protected]> wrote in message >

hey... who you calling wanky. I wear full overshoes that
have rubber soles
> from Dean Woods. They keep my shoes dry for that hour long
> train commute
I
> do after my 21k ride to the station. I had some really
> expensive ones but they were crap for keeping me dry but
> did still keep them warm.
>

I've got the same ones and I reckon they're not bad either.
It's not till you take them off that you realise how warm
you feet were

Peter

 

"John Doe" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

This is exactly what I do as well...better dry and warm feet
than looking cool

> I stop the run into the shoes with the down pour with the
> rain pants. They go right down over the booty cuff and
> then I strap them to it using elastic. The rain pants are
> bright yellow. Hey I am not one to care about looking
> cool. They have reflective strips and look postively wanky
> but I am dry and seen.

 

So you rode in Around the Bay in a Day last year as well?

hippy

 

"John Doe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I've never tried full "booties" though. They seem a bit
> > too.. um... wanky ;-)
> >
> > hippy
>
> hey... who you calling wanky. I wear full overshoes that
> have rubber
soles
> from Dean Woods. They keep my shoes dry for that hour long
> train commute
I
> do after my 21k ride to the station. I had some really
> expensive ones but they were crap for keeping me dry but
> did still keep them warm.

I'm thinking about those lycra TT-style booties that "fast"
people wear...

hippy

 

In article <[email protected]>, hippy wrote:
> "Joel Mayes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> > I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything
>> > except my feet, you don't get much wind chill running
>> > or hiking so it's never been an issue before. One thing
>> > I learned early on in life though is that cold feet
>> > equals misery.
>> >
>> > So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost
>> > free? Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something
>> > completely different?
>>
>> I just wear big thick wooly socks with plain Shimano SPD-
>> R MTB shoes and that works for me.
>
> This can apparently cause reduced circulation which leads
> to chilled/numb feet. Typically I suffer, but when I have
> my wits about me, I try to put on my toe warmers. These
> are little adidas? neoprene covers for the front part of
> your shoe - reduces the wind and water getting in.. I've
> never tried full "booties" though. They seem a bit too..
> um... wanky ;-)
>
> hippy I'm sure I'll learn...

I've never had a problem with numb toes, even on long rides,
which I guess is pretty lucky. My bigest problem is with my
hand if I don't ride without good gloves I my pinky fingers
are numb for a while at the end of even a short ride.

--
| Joel Mayes | /~\ ASCII Ribbon campaign Accordionist | \_/
| stop HTML mail and news Musician | / \ Music Teacher |

 

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The colder months will soon be upon us and it'll be my
> first winter cycling.
>
> I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything except
> my feet, you don't get much wind chill running or hiking
> so it's never been an issue before. One thing I learned
> early on in life though is that cold feet equals misery.
>
> So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost free?
> Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something completely
> different?
>
As everyone else has said, neoprene booties are the go. I've
got a pair of thin, but warmish ones, for when it's cold (-5
- 10 deg.) and some more waterproof ones for when it's
raining/snowing. Sometimes I even rub thick warmup oil on my
feet which tends to help stave off the biting cold.

Hands are very important too: I've got some thick neoprene
gloves that I wear in the mornings, and usually it takes
about 5 km for my hands to warm up after the first shock of
getting outside. If I go out later, then I normally wear a
pair of normal lycra gloves with some Danish bricklayers
gloves over the top, so you can take them off if it gets too
warm. They're a bit like cricket inner gloves. I used to
wear woollen mittens, which were ok until you inevitably put
a hole in them.

I normally wear three layers on top (undershirt/short
sleeved jersey/thermal long sleeve jacket) and that's
generally good enough for me. If it's wet then I make sure I
wear something woollen, as it seems to keep the warmth in
even when I'm soaking wet. For legs, I just use leg warmers
+ bib shorts, no matter how cold it is. Your legs still have
to move a lot.

Also this year I've started wearing a headband underneath my
helmet that covers the ears, which is fantastic because I
hate frozen ears.

cheers, Jeff
p.s. I live in Belgium for most of the year

 

> hey... who you calling wanky. I wear full overshoes that
> have rubber soles from Dean Woods. They keep my shoes dry
> for that hour long train commute I do after my 21k ride to
> the station. I had some really expensive ones but they
> were crap for keeping me dry but did still keep them warm.
>
>
>

Are those shoes from Dean Woods any good for going over
runners or are they only suitabel for bike shoes?

DaveB.

 

"hippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Joel Mayes" <[email protected]lid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > I'm pretty much sorted clothing wise for everything
> > > except my feet, you don't get much wind chill running
> > > or hiking so it's never been an issue before. One
> > > thing I learned early on in life though is that cold
> > > feet equals misery.
> > >
> > > So what's the best way of keeping the tootsies frost
> > > free? Do I need winter shoes, over shoes or something
> > > completely different?
> >
> > I just wear big thick wooly socks with plain Shimano SPD-
> > R MTB shoes and that works for me.
>
> This can apparently cause reduced circulation which leads
> to chilled/numb feet. Typically I suffer, but when I have
> my wits about me, I try to put on my toe warmers. These
> are little adidas? neoprene covers for the front part of
> your shoe - reduces the wind and water getting in.. I've
> never tried full "booties" though. They seem a bit too..
> um... wanky ;-)
>

When you get up at 5:00 am to train at the thermometer says
O degrees, then I am happy to be a wanka !!