farandaway

Are those booties that go over your shoes worth having? Do they work to keep out the cold down to say,35F? My toes are already getting pretty numb at 40F, so I'm considering making the investment.

nycphotography

Down to 35 absolutely. Not sure how much colder, but I expect to be ok down to 20.

I also use my wool snowboarding and/or motocross socks, and just don't tighten my shoes as much.

I might add a thin polyester base sock under the wool at colder temps.

The Weak Link

Yep. In the real cold I wear wool bike socks and Trek overbooties. A chemical toe-warmer, if it'll fit comfortably, does the job, too.

Real men just wear sandals, though.

cranky old dude

With studded soles for better traction!

stringbreaker

Love my booties they keep out the cold and wind. I have worn them on a couple of 32 degree days with just wool socks and a pair of running shoes for my 7 mile commute and my feet were warm until about a half mile from work when the bottoms of my feet started to get a bit cool. If I had worn my goretex hikers I think I would have been toasty the whole way. They also keep the shoes and feet nice and dry

jppe

Toe covers and wool socks work well for me down to around 40-45 degrees. Below that I use the booties and they are just super. Most are not very helpful keeping your feet dry in wet conditions though......However, you can do that with the right shoe and bootie.

Pat

Well I find 2-3 pairs of very thin polypro socks + plastic shoe covers works well into the high 30s. However lower than that I used neoprene booties. Those work well into the 20s. I do not ride in weather colder than that

1) because now I live in Central FL and it does not get that cold here.
2) because even when I lived in MI, anything below 20 degrees produced such a wind chill on the bike that I would not ride fast enough to get a good workout. When it was that cold, I switched to cross country skiing instead.

biffstephens

I have owned 3 pairs of booties....

Hated them all....I am not intrested in booties anymore..

webist

Just use a couple plastic sandwich bags.

Long deKlein

Wait..this thread is about SHOE COVERS? Never mind...

cyclinfool

I was given this tip about 6 weeks ago from my riding buddy, have used it down to 30 degrees. I had two pairs of fleece socks followed by the baggy and the shoe. It worked - but I just ordered a pair of shoe covers as I think they will work better.

robtown

I used booties for a couple seasons. With wool socks they work down to about 40F and help in the 35F+ range. I've since bought some Lake [Look] and NorthWave [SPD] winter riding boots. With those I get another 10F range. They are also a bit faster and more water tight.
The booties also tend to rub on the crank and make an annoying squeeking sound. They are definitely better than going without. Duct tape over mesh shoes and plastic sandwich bags over the toes also helps.

Paydirt

I use them when it gets below 45F - love them. Down to 20 they work well. Haven't got much experience below that.

roadiespinner

The Booties are a big help. But get them with some sort of re-enforcing material on the sole or they may wear out fast. Make sure they can be used with whatever cleat system you have.

Coyote!

>>> get them with some sort of re-enforcing material on the sole

Occasional application of a generous bead of GOOP acts as a sacrifcial layer on the soles of the booties. . .or any other shoe. Butt-ugly but who looks at the soles, eh?

>>> plastic sandwich bags over the toes also helps

Those long plastic bags that rural newpapers are delivered in work really well to give you an additional couple of degrees and bullet-proof water repellancy. Use 'em over the socks. The plastic seams are thin but make sure they are on the top or sides. Cold weather tights keep 'em in place. Add booties and you're good for the mid-latitudes.

cyclezealot

Even tho they are bulky and look funky, neopreme works best. I like my PI shoe covers, but dismounting at stop lights shreded them in just half a dozen rides. Winterized socks go a long way at reducing the need for booties.

BlazingPedals

Down to 45F, nothing
35-45F, catalytic toe warmers
20-35F, catalytic toe warmers and toe covers
below 20F, I usually get rid of my SPD pedals and use plain platform pedals so I can wear insulated boots.

I don't like covers because they tend to hold in sweat, and once my feet become sweat-soaked, it doesn't matter if I'm wearing wool, coolmax, or polypro socks - I get cold. So rides while wearing covers are usually short: 25 miles or less.

oilman_15106

Shoe covers work but the neoprene ones are useless when the get soaking wet.

tarwheel 

I've used Pearl Izumi toe cover (Calientoes) for years, and they keep my feet warm down to around freezing. I also wear wool socks, DeFeet Wooly Boolies, which are great. In the past, I've seldom ridden in temps below freezing, so the toe covers were fine. Now that I am bike commuting, I finally broke down and ordered some shoe covers (PI Cyclone) because I'll be riding in temps down to low 20s and teens this winter. I'm assuming the Cyclones will be warming than the Calientoes, and I can always use them both as well.

RickinFl

It took me years of riding to discover, but here's the trick- the thick socks and covers go over the outside of the shoes. Sounds strange, but it works like a charm. With a setup like mine, your feet are in a volume of warm, protected air. You just don't get that with socks inside the shoes and tight fitting covers over the outside.

It looks a little weird, too, but I don't mind- I've been on plenty of rides where I was the only one with warm feet. They can laugh at that all they want as far as I care

It works like this- you take a big bulky pair of knit wool socks that will fit over the outside of the shoe and cut a hole in the bottom of them for the cleats. I used hot glue to seal the cut edges so there wouldn't be any unraveling (this is something you must do or the socks will come apart). Next is a pair of light coated nylon rain covers of the sort that Burley used to sell, which also have a hole cut in the bottom for the cleats. A nice thing about this is that you double the socks back down over your ankles, and that joint stays nice and warm too. The socks provide the insulated air volume, and the rain covers keep your warm air in and the cold breeze out.

Warm feet on a cold ride is a really good thing.

Rick

tarwheel 

I bet you wear your underwear outside of your pants, too.

RickinFl

Yeah- I tried that, but the garbage bag body cover flapped too much in the wind.

Like I said, I've been laughed at, but I'm the one with the toasty feet.

Rick