Against the Wrath of Bombadil !!! A Winter Question
 

... About boots for riding bikes in the winter. Boots that would be warm, can allow for a couple (or three) pair of socks, and still be able to pedal a POP (plain old pedal) ... MKS touring pedals.

Also, for those who use POPs on their winter bike: Do you use any kind of toe straps or clips, or is it best to keep your feet free in case your tires slip?

And I might as well ask: Have any of you brave souls used a clipless pedal/shoe combination in the snow and lived to tell about it?

My winter boot is an Atomic RT130 although I haven't screwed in my cleats yet:D

Last winter I rode platform pedals with my trusty old Wolverine winter hiking boots. My feet stayed plenty warm. The only thing I did differently than when I walked in those boots was, when lacing them up, I left the ankles a little loose.

The only time I fell was when a group ride leader took us down a luge run of a sidewalk. Despite my studded tires, the bike went out sideways one time. Along with watching other people go down, I learned that it happens so fast that it doesn't matter if you're attached to the pedals (by whatever means) or not. That was the last of my defenses against clipless. (I had already grown weary of my feet flying off the pedals at inopportune moments.)

Several other riders I know (both men and women mostly from that ride) wore the clipless winter cycling boots from Lake. They're breathtakingly expensive, but I'm not going back to platforms and as a dedicated four-season cyclist, I'll get a few seasons out of them. As soon as they're available this season, I'm getting a pair for myself. It's my understanding that they're perfect for narrow feet, but that folks with wide feet like mine do okay by buying a size or two large.

If you can keep the feet dry- and keep the wind out- you are there. Something like a SealSkinz sock and an overboot and you should be OK. Only used the socks last year and got them out today for the ride that started at around 45 deg.

Get a pair of Gore-tex hiking boots that have Thinsulate. Get them in the size you want. They can be used for other tasks in the winter. I suggest Moreno wool socks, in whatever thickness you like. Don't forget to try on the boots in the evening after a long day.

I wear high top Totes over my dress shoes. If you can keep your feet dry, you are most of the way to keeping them warm.

I can't imagine anything but standard pedals, because one often has to slide one or both feet on the ground for stability, even with studs.

Paul

I went to REI today, to look at boots that the gang recommended. I'm still looking (got kicked out at closing time), but I did pick up these shoe covers for the time being: Sugoi Resister Bike Booties.
There were different kinds of shoe covers, but I liked these the best because they do not cover the bottom of my Timberland shoes:
* My MKS pedals have metal teeth that would probably saw-through anything that covers the bottom of the shoes that make contact with the pedal.
* My Timberland shoes have good tread that should give me a sure-foot in the snow, so I didn't want to cover the bottom of the shoes.

These will block the wind, but they will probably not be good for keeping snow off my socks if I ride through snow drifts.
I'll see if I can get some of the SealSkinz socks, to go with the shoe covers like stapfam suggests. And will keep looking for lightweight hiking boots.
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