Commuting - Suggestions needed today: Keeping feet warm when wet

I'm getting a coworker broken in to commuting, but today'll be the first ride home in cold (40s) wet (raining) weather. I forgot to bring wool socks so I can't loan her any (I'll be fine, I have insulated 'waterproof' boots). Assuming she doesn't think to bring any wool socks for herself, any suggestions? Do plastic bags wrapped around your shoes help at all?

I'm getting a coworker broken in to commuting, but today'll be the first ride home in cold (40s) wet (raining) weather. I forgot to bring wool socks so I can't loan her any (I'll be fine, I have insulated 'waterproof' boots). Assuming she doesn't think to bring any wool socks for herself, any suggestions? Do plastic bags wrapped around your shoes help at all?


yeah no kidding right? my toes were frozen on the way in this morning. i just had some wool socks and my normal shoes. my shoe covers would have been NICE!!!!

by this afternoon though it should warm up to near 60. even in the rain that ain't bad. maybe cut up a couple plastic bags to make some toe warmers??? might help a little if you stick em between the sock and shoe.

i need some sort of industrial drying system at work, it sure would be nice to have dry clothes to change back into for the ride home. :D

Dude, where you been? I ain't seen you in a long while.

yeah no kidding right? my toes were frozen on the way in this morning. i just had some wool socks and my normal shoes. my shoe covers would have been NICE!!!!

by this afternoon though it should warm up to near 60. even in the rain that ain't bad. maybe cut up a couple plastic bags to make some toe warmers??? might help a little if you stick em between the sock and shoe.

i need some sort of industrial drying system at work, it sure would be nice to have dry clothes to change back into for the ride home. :D

I've heard grocery sacks (plastic) wrapped around the foot helps. Rubber-band it around your ankle? I just deal with cold, wet feet until I get to my destination, then change socks and shoes ASAP.

As far as a drying system... I put my damp gear (wring it out if it's WET gear) on top of my computer monitor while I'm at work. It took my cycling shorts and padded liner about 2 hours to dry on top of my monitor. Then about an hour for my shirt and socks to dry out after that, and then I left my shoes upside down on top of the monitor for the rest of my 8-hour work day and they were pretty much dry inside by the time I left.

I'd go with warm socks and plastic bags over the shoes - elastics or tie the handles around the ankle is a great idea, too.

I also personally just deal with it and immediately get my feet dry and into fresh socks (military experience taught me to take good care of my feet).

I have fenders, which help, and if I start to have particular trouble with wet feet (I hate having wet feet, admittedly) I would start wearing my leather boots to keep the wet out - I've not yet got to this stage. I don't have the cashflow for neoprene or anything like that right now.

I have used the plastic bag over the socks method. No point in putting them over the shoe with clipless pedals. The best combo was using that with shoe covers in pouring rain. My feet were the only part of me dry.

Dude, where you been? I ain't seen you in a long while.

I moved to Philly and now have a job where I actually work instead of spending half the day posting on bike forums ;).

Max-a-mill, I didn't realize it was going to warm up that much, probably won't be too bad then. For drying, do you have a fan? I got a little electric fan for $10 at k-mart, that I keep at my desk. In the summer I use it to dry ME off (mmmm sweat) but I also use it to dry my clothes. At my old job, the front of my desk had a piece of wood down to the floor, so I just drilled a couple small holes in the bottom of the desk and screwed in some little hooks. Then I hung clothes hangers off the hooks and had a great place to hang my clothes where no one could see them. Just set the fan on the floor pointed at them and they'd be dry after a couple hours.

My new desk is open on the front, but I'm still considering doing the same thing. If people can see my clothes, well, not that big a deal.

I have used the plastic bag over the socks method. No point in putting them over the shoe with clipless pedals. The best combo was using that with shoe covers in pouring rain. My feet were the only part of me dry.

Care to elaborate? I'd think as long as you didn't click/release more than a few times per foot, a grocery sack on the outside would be great. It would snap right into the pedal and maybe get a few smallish holes but they'd be within the binding mechanism, so no big deal. I'd rather keep my whole shoe dry.

I'd rather keep my whole shoe dry.

http://www.bicycling.com/images/cma/Lake_MXZ301.jpg
YOU need the Lake MXZ 301 (http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-1-324-15472-1,00.html)!

They're the most awesome cycling boots. I love 'em.

Anyway for my coworker I think we'll try the plastic-bag-over-socks-inside-shoe method, unless it really warms up. I doubt the bags would survive the trip on the outside of her shoes, but we'll see what she wants to do.

Care to elaborate? I'd think as long as you didn't click/release more than a few times per foot, a grocery sack on the outside would be great. It would snap right into the pedal and maybe get a few smallish holes but they'd be within the binding mechanism, so no big deal. I'd rather keep my whole shoe dry.


First of all I am located in an arid state. Dedicated wet weather clothes are pointless for me IMHO. What works for me would not work in Seattle (for instance)

My commute is 28 miles each way. Of those miles maybe half are on streets with lights and such. Consequently, I clip in and out a fair amount and would destroy bags on the outside of a shoe.

My guess would be that it rains while I am riding every few months and a majority are during warm weather months. Warm weather rains require no rain gear.
Plus, it would look silly. :p
Sure my shoes get wet but that does not bother me. Socks then bag then shoes and finally shoe covers.

I moved to Philly and now have a job where I actually work instead of spending half the day posting on bike forums ;).

Max-a-mill, I didn't realize it was going to warm up that much, probably won't be too bad then. For drying, do you have a fan? I got a little electric fan for $10 at k-mart, that I keep at my desk. In the summer I use it to dry ME off (mmmm sweat) but I also use it to dry my clothes. At my old job, the front of my desk had a piece of wood down to the floor, so I just drilled a couple small holes in the bottom of the desk and screwed in some little hooks. Then I hung clothes hangers off the hooks and had a great place to hang my clothes where no one could see them. Just set the fan on the floor pointed at them and they'd be dry after a couple hours.

My new desk is open on the front, but I'm still considering doing the same thing. If people can see my clothes, well, not that big a deal.

Jeff, What are uriding these days? I saw a guy on an orange Giant road bike the other day on my way home and wondered if it was you?

I have used the plastic bag over the socks method. No point in putting them over the shoe with clipless pedals. The best combo was using that with shoe covers in pouring rain. My feet were the only part of me dry.

I've done that too, though mostly for wind resistance when it's cold out (lots of mesh on my shoes). Your feet end up getting a little more sweaty than usual, but it works in a pinch.

Jeff, What are uriding these days? I saw a guy on an orange Giant road bike the other day on my way home and wondered if it was you?

I'm on an orange Giant, but it's a hybrid (w/ a suspension fork). I've also got a big ol' homemade rear rack that is fairly distinctive if you get much of a look at it. Now that I've got the studs off, my tires are smooth 32s... but I still can't imagine anyone thinking it is a road bike ;).

I'll virtually always be wearing an AlertShirt, orange or lime, I've got a couple with the HHCMF logo on the back but they're mostly short sleeve... so far (except for one or two nice days) I've usually been wearing long sleeve or even a sweatshirt.

What do you ride? And where?

I ride either of these. I go thougth Chestnut Hill/Mt Airy and sometimes through the park. I used to work in center City but now I work in Ardmore. I miss the Kelly Drive/Forbidden Drive route.:(

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics051.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics052.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BriansPictures198-1.jpg

Woah, that face is WILD! Was that original? Or did you have that done somehow?

I live in Mt. Airy actually... You might ride by my house :).

Most bikes people have pictures of look so clean and nice... I should post a picture of my commuter :p

The face was done when I had the bike repainted. It is cast silicone stuck to the headtube. The orignal Trek headage was toast and I could not locate another one. The bikes look clean because the pics were taken just after the builds. Not so clean now.:p I will keep my eyes open for you. I would love to score a HHCMF shirt if you happen to find a L or XL lying around!;)

Last time I rode in the rain, I just put some of those plastic bags newscarriers use to keep your paper dry and put them over my SPD shoes and secured them with rubber bands in front of and behind the pedal. Then I tucked them up into my tights.

13 very wet miles later, my shoes and feet were still dry. The plastic was thin enough not to impede the SPD mechanism, and I was just very careful when stopped not to touch the ground too hard.

The face and paintjob were done by BF's very own Dr Deltron. /shameless plug

I reuse plastic grocery bags as pannier liner and lunch bag (not the same bag for sweaty clothes and food). Then I'll reuse them again on my feet in the rain. Then I'll use my inefficient electric space heater (drawing demand from our coal fueled power plant) to dry any wet stuff.