Road Cycling - Socks?

I've noted a few cyclist lately that don't wear socks under their shoes. I can't imagine that this is confortable.

Does anyone else ride without socks?

~Apollo

:)

I ride in sandals... No socks of course.
Wearing shoes without socks is also a bad hygiene.

My friend doesn't wear socks during wet rides to prevent soggy feet. He keeps his socks in the truck so he can use them after he comes back from a cold and wet ride.

How about having two pairs? ;)

Well, he rides a long time and he says he doesn't want to get prune skin. :p I tried no socks one time and I must say I was a little more comfortable than having them. I think it must have been the thing with wet cloth sticking to my feet that's uncomfortable for me. My shoes are big (tennis shoes) so I guess I have more breathing room when my shoes get wet.

Of course, that'll change when I get cycling shoes ...

It's nasty.

I had a friend that sweated like nobody's business- the amount of sweat he put out while riding would solve the drought situation in Australia- they could simply roll his sweaty body across Sydney until the forest firest went out! :lol:

Anyway, he went through shoes like crazy. Turns out he wasn't wearing socks. Plus, his feet smelled like funky Doritos when he'd take the shoes off. I'd almost be in tears when he would take his socks off. I finally got him to wear a pair of socks. I bought them. He wore them, and was shocked at how comfortable his feet felt, and how nice his shoes felt afterwards. Now he rides with socks all the time.

I could never go without socks. Can you imagine the bacteria colony that would be festering in those shoes? Uugh!

Ick...toe cheese ;)

I'm glad to hear most of us ride with sock on. It is much more confortable and better for the environment.

I've got Tri style cycling shoes and don't wear socks. Even though I sweat like a pig, I get plenty of air through my shoes and my feet stay relatively dry. I don't ride in socks since when I'm in a race, there's no way to put socks on wet feet coming out of the swim leg anyway.

Very true. My wife does Tris too and says it takes too much time to put on socks coming out of the swim.

for me it isn't a matter of sweat --> it's a matter of comfort. i get some chaffing so socks are a simple solution.

Cycling socks own me. Can't imagine the funkiness in my shoes if I rode without 'em.

It depends. My Sidi's are well ventilated and comfortable enough without socks and when it's really hot, who wants another layer?

I wear wool socks...from Vintage Velos...I very much prefer them over cotton. :)

I love to go without socks in every day life, but for riding I get to much chafing without them.

In an attempt to improve ankly tanning, I tried little footie type socks - all they did was wad up in the bottom of the shoe, so I guess it's white ankles for now.

For those who have the sandles - how are they for riding? I love to wear sandles, but I'm afraid for riding they might also chafe.

It's a lot easier to wash socks than to wash shoes. My shoes would be foul-smelling sweat-encrusted wrecks by now if I didn't wear coolmax socks (or smartwool in the winter) whenever I wear shoes.

Sandals are even better, of course. SPD sandals rule! :)

RichC

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
his feet smelled like funky Doritos

I think if you had compared them to Cheetos I would have truly lost it. When I was growing up, I used to stop off at the video arcade in the mall across the street from my house on my way back from school. One day I found myself grasping the controls of a game that had just been frequented by someone who had been eating Cheetos and licking their fingers. I had orange smelly slime all over my hands. YUCK! I nearly got sick on the spot. To this day, I can't stand the smell of Cheetos.

Cycling socks completes the sense of being a cyclists when you are out.. yes, Socks own me, was that not another entry. Favorite socks- my beer stein socks, have two sets of socks with road bikes on them.. Often wear them out with just my street shorts and tennis shoes so people know my idenity and my Bonjour socks.. Bonjour socks for my Bonjour jersey/shorts combination.
Think I count when wearing socks, shorts, cap, jersey,& gloves- I say Bonjour 14 times. when someone passes me by, one Bonjour is enough. thank you.

No socks for me , just another thing to lose , when I can't find find my cycling shoes I know no one has nicked them :D Going tubeless !!!!

My favorite bike socks is a pair of sockguy socks. They say
"Your bike sucks!". They made me laugh so I had to buy them.

Well, most real trackies I know don't wear socks on the track. I'd say about half of them don't wear socks on the road. They don't seem to have a problem with it. I'm just a sock person...

I just don't understand how there could not be increased friction without socks.. Cycling socks breathe, prevent chaffing, I would think, and look cool.

I just don't understand how there could not be increased friction without socks.. Cycling socks breathe, prevent chaffing, I would think, and look cool.
I wear my beer stein socks, they know it is not coffee I want following a ride.

Do they make speedplay sandals? I might have to pick up a pair.

Not only do i wear socks when cycling, I own ~20 pair of de-feet socks. I tossed out all my old cotton "tube" socks. I still have two pair of black dress socks. :)

Originally posted by theshinu
Do they make speedplay sandals? I might have to pick up a pair.

For Frog cleats, I imagine any SPD-compatible sandal would work. I don't know of any sandals that have Look-style 3-bolt patterns which you could mount Zero or X cleats though. It'd almost be a little silly if they did since the cleats aren't very walkable in the first place.