Portis

No, I don't want to post this in the Winter Forum.

I know that this gets far more traffice and my question is as much about clipless as it is about cold. This will be my 3rd season of cold weather riding. It will be the first time with clipless pedals. I have read a number of threads on the subject but still have questions.

I don't really want to shell out $190 for Lake Winter cycling boots. I know that is a good option except for the cost. My plan right now, is to find a cheap pair of oversized clipless shoes that i can wear 2 pairs of wool socks with.

Last 2 winters i have used simulated clipless (stiff soled shoes- no cleats) that were oversized and i just wore the double socks. My question relates to the cleats that i will now be using. Someone suggested that they can act as a heat sink and drain heat from your feet. Is this true? Sounds sort of like bologna to me.

Using clipless and oversized shoes i hope to be able to ride down to freezing and a hair below. I then figure i will have to give in and just use platforms or clips.Anyone have any experience they can relate with clipless and the cold?

SteveAZ

The only problem I had riding in sub freezing temps (this was on a MTB though a few *cough* years back) was that I'd break shoes. The soles would crack where the cleats were mounted. The other thing we did was to tape the vents, other then that I don't remember any other issues.

gmason

I have been riding in freezing and below for almost four years. I use SPD shoes/pedals. The only thing I have needed is thin thermal socks and shoe covers (for winter, not for water).

puddin' legs

A number of manufactures make booties of varying thicknesses for a whole lot less than $190 that work just fine. They're usually on sale in the summer for even less. I think I paid $30 for a very nice pair of P.I. booties...much cheaper than even crummy shoes.

hi565

you know you couldve searched for this in the winter forum


Anywho I think that is total bologna. Wehn im out in the winter I use a regular sock, plus my Performance booties. If its really cold Ill use my winter hiking ultimax liners. Ifs its nasty the ultimaz liners plus socks. Havent had to go there though.

oboeguy

Performance booties here, with Smart Wool hiking socks. Neoprene booties are really great for the cold. My feet still get quite cold when the temp heads down toward 20 and I ride for an hour or more, but I tend to suffer from cold extremeties in the winter.

I'm thinking of getting some of those fancy thin sock liners to add to my set-up this time around as I will be commuting in the early AM and late PM so it will becolder than I'm used to, at least in recent years, for winter riding. I used to live in upstate NY and commute but it was only 3 miles, so I didn't care about the temp. Anyhow, I'm wondering if the booties for my road shoes will fit on my new commuter MTB-style shoes. Hmmmm.

samp02

booties or shoe covers. Don't even want to think about winter and the cold.

Chucklehead

i know bologna is bologna...

but don't you mean baloney?

Portis

Actually I meant O.S.C.A.R.

Machka 

I've cycled with clipless pedals in the cold ... and by cold, I don't mean 0C/32F ... I mean -40C/-40F. Cold.

No, your cleats will not act as a heat sink and drain heat from your feet BUT what will happen is that your metal cleats will get very cold in the cold, and that cold spot under the balls of your feet will transfer cold into your shoe, and onto your feet, thus making your feet cold. Simple physics.

-- I use a pair of Lake mtn bike shoes that are a size too big. (Lake mtn bike shoes are cheap)

-- I wear heavy Kodiak wool socks that come right up to my knees (heavy duty hunting socks), and sometimes I wear a thin thermal layer under them too.

-- I use neoprene booties over my shoes, except on warmer (above freezing) days when I wear nylon booties.

-- And on very cold days I put handwarmers under the balls of my feet where the cleats are. Handwarmers can be found in your local Walmart or Canadian Tire for a couple dollars. You shake them and they heat up, and will stay warm for several hours. Don't go for the foot warmers - although they are larger, they don't stay warm for nearly as long.


If I'm doing a century in any temps below about -20C/-4F, then I would seriously think about switching to platform pedals and using my Sorels.

KevinF

I'm shaking my head in amazement at the thought of doing a century in temps of 20 below. I did a century once where temps were in single digits Celsius (and probably at times single digits below Celsius), and that was just way too cold for me. At -20 C, the ski slopes even begin to get deserted.