Winter Cycling - Is it safe?

Hi,

I have Shimano A520 SPD pedals and Specialized Taho MTB SPD shoes.

So far this fall I have been able to pedal with no cold toes in temps down
to 45 degrees but I want to 'be prepared' for temps down to 32 degrees(F).
( I have no intention of riding in the rain/snow...)

I have been looking at pictures of toe warmers and booties...

I have a free that twisting out of the SPD pedal might snag the bootie/toe cover
material in the pedal and generating a 'horizontal track stand' resulting in
pain and discombobulation...

Are my fears unfounded? and are toe covers/booties going to do the job down
to freezing temps?

Thanks,

Jerry

I have a pair of Sugoi Resistor booties. They have a very open bottom, and I have no problems with clipping out. My pedals are SpeedPlay Light Action.

As for warmth, it depends on how far you are biking. Biking in cold temps is a lot of trial and error, so you may want to start with some nice wool socks to see what that does. My commute is short (4 miles), and I was fine in my Sidi shoes at 30 degrees (in normal socks).

The Sugoi booties are thin... so if you do buy booties I'd read reviews to see what is out there. I notice Pearl Izumi has quite a selection. I think the biggest thing to look for will be wind resistance, but as it gets colder more insulation is needed too. That is wear thick booties plus wool socks would be the best combination.

One final thing is if you are avoiding snow, you may not have to worry about extreme cold. At least around here in Milwaukee... our temps usually aren't extremely low before the first big snowfall.

-Jason

I have the A520s on both my bikes. Never an issue with any booties I've used. So those fears are unfounded.

As for temps, I use booties down to freezing, and maybe they'll go some below. But at freezing I switch to my winter cycling boots, so I can't say how low booties will go.

I don't think riding in 32F require anything more than a couple of pair of socks. For me, booties are very over rated for commuting. Long rides I'll concede to booties. Commuting? Nah.

Since that shoe has so much mesh around the toe, one or two pairs of wool socks should do the trick. If your feet or toes are still cold then try the toe covers.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/phpThumb.php?src=/data/uploads/products/9027_021.jpg&w=290&h=290

You should have no issues with a properly constructed bootie -- they are made to clear the cleat..

If you need to wear insulated boots, I'd recommend Power Grips for very cold winter cycling. (http://www.veloweb.ca/commuterpages/wintervelos.html)