Winter Footwear
12-06-13, 11:07 AM
#77
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Generally I find online "shoe conversion" charts to be useless.
i bought a pair of LG T-Flex MTB shoes this year. I went to the dealer who didn't have the ones I wanted in stock but had the size the "conversion" thing said I should be wearing. A 44. For the record my road shoes are 46's. I tried the 44 on, couldn't get my foot into it. I bought the 46's after they ordered them in for me.
my shoes are as follows,
Road
Sidi. 46
Lake. 46
MTB
Giro. 46
LG. 46
pretty consistent.
i bought these winter shoes in a 46 and they fit fine, and I am wearing a regular sock in them. I suppose I could have gone to a 47 to give myself a little more room, and if you prefer a heavier sock then I would do that. For me the same size with regular sock is working fine.
hope this helps.
i bought a pair of LG T-Flex MTB shoes this year. I went to the dealer who didn't have the ones I wanted in stock but had the size the "conversion" thing said I should be wearing. A 44. For the record my road shoes are 46's. I tried the 44 on, couldn't get my foot into it. I bought the 46's after they ordered them in for me.
my shoes are as follows,
Road
Sidi. 46
Lake. 46
MTB
Giro. 46
LG. 46
pretty consistent.
i bought these winter shoes in a 46 and they fit fine, and I am wearing a regular sock in them. I suppose I could have gone to a 47 to give myself a little more room, and if you prefer a heavier sock then I would do that. For me the same size with regular sock is working fine.
hope this helps.
12-08-13, 03:23 PM
#78
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Well I had a chance to test the LG ls100 0 degree boots this weekend and here is my review. I ordered a size larger. I normally wear a 43 and ordered the 44. They fit ok but I should have got 2 sizes larger. I like to wear a thicker wool sock but had to resort to wearing a medium wool sock and then they fit ok. I used them down to 5 degF and was quite comfortable. The added insulation and weather resistance was noticeable as compared to my regular shoes with the neoprene booties. I love them so far and the BOA fastening system works very well and is quick and easy to use.
Last edited by droy45; 12-08-13 at 03:29 PM.
12-17-13, 08:45 PM
#79
Senior Member
If you go the hiking boot route. I would recommend primaloft insulation over the thinsulate. I found out online that primaloft has twice the R value of thinsulate. And thru my own personal testing I did a few years ago trying to decide between which boot to buy. I wore a snow sneaker on one foot and the thinsulate boot on the other. It was about 12f outside. And within five minutes the thinsulate boot started getting uncomfortable. Twenty minutes later into my morning commute, that foot was pretty darn cold. I sent it back for a refund and kept the LL Bean Snowsneaker. That was six years ago, and I'm still using them.
We've had a lot of snow but no rain so haven't been able to test waterproofness it heavy wet. Thanks scoatw!
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12-19-13, 07:40 AM
#80
Junior Member
Well I had a chance to test the LG ls100 0 degree boots this weekend and here is my review. I ordered a size larger. I normally wear a 43 and ordered the 44. They fit ok but I should have got 2 sizes larger. I like to wear a thicker wool sock but had to resort to wearing a medium wool sock and then they fit ok. I used them down to 5 degF and was quite comfortable. The added insulation and weather resistance was noticeable as compared to my regular shoes with the neoprene booties. I love them so far and the BOA fastening system works very well and is quick and easy to use.
My suggestion is to go at least 2 sizes bigger if not three. a) they run very small, even compaired to last years, b) you're going to want to save room for a double pair of socks to up the r-value.
I have had customers use them with a fleece lined shoe cover and say it definitely ups the r-value under extreme conditions. I think it's because basically there is no insulation in the toe area whatsoever. The leather toe dimply transfers cold.
Keep in mind these boots are going to be awesome for way more then winter riding... well into spring and fall, so there are worse things then being a little cold at 5 degrees.... unless of course that's why you bought them and you ride in sub zero temps alot. Otherwise just throw in some toe warmers on those really cold days. I like to stick mine to the top of my socks.
12-19-13, 08:22 AM
#81
Junior Member
I litterally ride twice a day sometimes when the snow starts flying and it has been flying here in the midwest with between 10 and 12" in the last week. I'm crazy for it.Words cannot express how magical it is to ride through a small rural town in ohio all decked out with christmas lights with the snow falling straight down heavily at 10pm on a week night with not a car on the road. Magical is the only term that does it justice.
Last night I road with a buddy and we just road through a suburban park for an hour and a half. Some tracked, some untracked, some plowed, some open fields. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, fox, cat, and possibly even coyote track, though probably dog. Less then a mile from his house. Moon so full and bright reflecting off all the white snow we could have ridden without lights. Afterwards had a brew and a bourbon with he and his wife and crazy dog. Dog only had a tiny bit of bourbon though. LOL.
Places that you normally would completely overlook in the summer can hold hours and hours of riding fun and adventure in the winter. If getting out on the road bike in summer is about riding as fast and efficiently as possible, pushing all the limits then snow biking is the exact inverse. It's all about conserving energy, trying to relax and keep the bike moving in the right direction while often going no faster then the minimal amount to keep upright so you can turn it on and bust through a drift when you need too and then recover.. all while riding at a minimum of 70-80% of your threshold. The key is relaxing and keeping a good steady rythm even while the bike tires are spinning anf even fishtailing a little.
I love it. Best part. Burning calories like a crazy mother. I swear an hour and a half of riding in the winter burns more calories then two hours of riding in the summer.
Somewhere there is a Calvin and Hobbs post on winter riding where his dad is just thinking "man! It's snowing today! That means I get to burn twice as many calories!"
Love of the white stuff is such an odd and demented addiction. I try and try to explain it to people, but until you've been out there on one of those magic nights when all the world is lit by the moon and covered in white no amount of words will do it justice.S
some pictures I've probably posted here before:
Endorphine overload by mmeiser2, on Flickr
A few snow riding pics I've taken over the years:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeiser2/tags/snow/
winter cycling flickr group
www.flickr.com/groups/603272@N21/
12-19-13, 11:42 AM
#82
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It is. I love clipless ESPECIALLY in the snow. It really helps even out my pedal stroke in the deep stuff and gives me a nice, slightly higher cadence helping me relax, keep a straight line and conserve energy. However I totally get that they are not fore everyone. I just hate it when people let their bias preceed their opinion. There are some crappy winter biking boots out there that aren't waterproof, apparently nashbar makes one. You get what you pay for and winter biking boots are expensive, but the vast majority of the ones I've tried in the $200 and up range are totally waterproof and absolutely worth it if you ride several times a week all winter long. For me they are the game changer as the alternative is to not ride in the winter or not ride as much.
I litterally ride twice a day sometimes when the snow starts flying and it has been flying here in the midwest with between 10 and 12" in the last week. I'm crazy for it.Words cannot express how magical it is to ride through a small rural town in ohio all decked out with christmas lights with the snow falling straight down heavily at 10pm on a week night with not a car on the road. Magical is the only term that does it justice.
Last night I road with a buddy and we just road through a suburban park for an hour and a half. Some tracked, some untracked, some plowed, some open fields. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, fox, cat, and possibly even coyote track, though probably dog. Less then a mile from his house. Moon so full and bright reflecting off all the white snow we could have ridden without lights. Afterwards had a brew and a bourbon with he and his wife and crazy dog. Dog only had a tiny bit of bourbon though. LOL.
Places that you normally would completely overlook in the summer can hold hours and hours of riding fun and adventure in the winter. If getting out on the road bike in summer is about riding as fast and efficiently as possible, pushing all the limits then snow biking is the exact inverse. It's all about conserving energy, trying to relax and keep the bike moving in the right direction while often going no faster then the minimal amount to keep upright so you can turn it on and bust through a drift when you need too and then recover.. all while riding at a minimum of 70-80% of your threshold. The key is relaxing and keeping a good steady rythm even while the bike tires are spinning anf even fishtailing a little.
I love it. Best part. Burning calories like a crazy mother. I swear an hour and a half of riding in the winter burns more calories then two hours of riding in the summer.
Somewhere there is a Calvin and Hobbs post on winter riding where his dad is just thinking "man! It's snowing today! That means I get to burn twice as many calories!"
Love of the white stuff is such an odd and demented addiction. I try and try to explain it to people, but until you've been out there on one of those magic nights when all the world is lit by the moon and covered in white no amount of words will do it justice.S
some pictures I've probably posted here before:
Endorphine overload by mmeiser2, on Flickr
A few snow riding pics I've taken over the years:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeiser2/tags/snow/
winter cycling flickr group
www.flickr.com/groups/603272@N21/
I litterally ride twice a day sometimes when the snow starts flying and it has been flying here in the midwest with between 10 and 12" in the last week. I'm crazy for it.Words cannot express how magical it is to ride through a small rural town in ohio all decked out with christmas lights with the snow falling straight down heavily at 10pm on a week night with not a car on the road. Magical is the only term that does it justice.
Last night I road with a buddy and we just road through a suburban park for an hour and a half. Some tracked, some untracked, some plowed, some open fields. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, fox, cat, and possibly even coyote track, though probably dog. Less then a mile from his house. Moon so full and bright reflecting off all the white snow we could have ridden without lights. Afterwards had a brew and a bourbon with he and his wife and crazy dog. Dog only had a tiny bit of bourbon though. LOL.
Places that you normally would completely overlook in the summer can hold hours and hours of riding fun and adventure in the winter. If getting out on the road bike in summer is about riding as fast and efficiently as possible, pushing all the limits then snow biking is the exact inverse. It's all about conserving energy, trying to relax and keep the bike moving in the right direction while often going no faster then the minimal amount to keep upright so you can turn it on and bust through a drift when you need too and then recover.. all while riding at a minimum of 70-80% of your threshold. The key is relaxing and keeping a good steady rythm even while the bike tires are spinning anf even fishtailing a little.
I love it. Best part. Burning calories like a crazy mother. I swear an hour and a half of riding in the winter burns more calories then two hours of riding in the summer.
Somewhere there is a Calvin and Hobbs post on winter riding where his dad is just thinking "man! It's snowing today! That means I get to burn twice as many calories!"
Love of the white stuff is such an odd and demented addiction. I try and try to explain it to people, but until you've been out there on one of those magic nights when all the world is lit by the moon and covered in white no amount of words will do it justice.S
some pictures I've probably posted here before:
Endorphine overload by mmeiser2, on Flickr
A few snow riding pics I've taken over the years:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeiser2/tags/snow/
winter cycling flickr group
www.flickr.com/groups/603272@N21/
12-20-13, 09:21 AM
#83
Senior Member
It is. I love clipless ESPECIALLY in the snow. It really helps even out my pedal stroke in the deep stuff and gives me a nice, slightly higher cadence helping me relax, keep a straight line and conserve energy. However I totally get that they are not fore everyone. I just hate it when people let their bias preceed their opinion. There are some crappy winter biking boots out there that aren't waterproof, apparently nashbar makes one. You get what you pay for and winter biking boots are expensive, but the vast majority of the ones I've tried in the $200 and up range are totally waterproof and absolutely worth it if you ride several times a week all winter long. For me they are the game changer as the alternative is to not ride in the winter or not ride as much.
I litterally ride twice a day sometimes when the snow starts flying and it has been flying here in the midwest with between 10 and 12" in the last week. I'm crazy for it.Words cannot express how magical it is to ride through a small rural town in ohio all decked out with christmas lights with the snow falling straight down heavily at 10pm on a week night with not a car on the road. Magical is the only term that does it justice.
Last night I road with a buddy and we just road through a suburban park for an hour and a half. Some tracked, some untracked, some plowed, some open fields. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, fox, cat, and possibly even coyote track, though probably dog. Less then a mile from his house. Moon so full and bright reflecting off all the white snow we could have ridden without lights. Afterwards had a brew and a bourbon with he and his wife and crazy dog. Dog only had a tiny bit of bourbon though. LOL.
Places that you normally would completely overlook in the summer can hold hours and hours of riding fun and adventure in the winter. If getting out on the road bike in summer is about riding as fast and efficiently as possible, pushing all the limits then snow biking is the exact inverse. It's all about conserving energy, trying to relax and keep the bike moving in the right direction while often going no faster then the minimal amount to keep upright so you can turn it on and bust through a drift when you need too and then recover.. all while riding at a minimum of 70-80% of your threshold. The key is relaxing and keeping a good steady rythm even while the bike tires are spinning anf even fishtailing a little.
I love it. Best part. Burning calories like a crazy mother. I swear an hour and a half of riding in the winter burns more calories then two hours of riding in the summer.
Somewhere there is a Calvin and Hobbs post on winter riding where his dad is just thinking "man! It's snowing today! That means I get to burn twice as many calories!"
Love of the white stuff is such an odd and demented addiction. I try and try to explain it to people, but until you've been out there on one of those magic nights when all the world is lit by the moon and covered in white no amount of words will do it justice.S
some pictures I've probably posted here before:
I litterally ride twice a day sometimes when the snow starts flying and it has been flying here in the midwest with between 10 and 12" in the last week. I'm crazy for it.Words cannot express how magical it is to ride through a small rural town in ohio all decked out with christmas lights with the snow falling straight down heavily at 10pm on a week night with not a car on the road. Magical is the only term that does it justice.
Last night I road with a buddy and we just road through a suburban park for an hour and a half. Some tracked, some untracked, some plowed, some open fields. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, fox, cat, and possibly even coyote track, though probably dog. Less then a mile from his house. Moon so full and bright reflecting off all the white snow we could have ridden without lights. Afterwards had a brew and a bourbon with he and his wife and crazy dog. Dog only had a tiny bit of bourbon though. LOL.
Places that you normally would completely overlook in the summer can hold hours and hours of riding fun and adventure in the winter. If getting out on the road bike in summer is about riding as fast and efficiently as possible, pushing all the limits then snow biking is the exact inverse. It's all about conserving energy, trying to relax and keep the bike moving in the right direction while often going no faster then the minimal amount to keep upright so you can turn it on and bust through a drift when you need too and then recover.. all while riding at a minimum of 70-80% of your threshold. The key is relaxing and keeping a good steady rythm even while the bike tires are spinning anf even fishtailing a little.
I love it. Best part. Burning calories like a crazy mother. I swear an hour and a half of riding in the winter burns more calories then two hours of riding in the summer.
Somewhere there is a Calvin and Hobbs post on winter riding where his dad is just thinking "man! It's snowing today! That means I get to burn twice as many calories!"
Love of the white stuff is such an odd and demented addiction. I try and try to explain it to people, but until you've been out there on one of those magic nights when all the world is lit by the moon and covered in white no amount of words will do it justice.S
some pictures I've probably posted here before:
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12-22-13, 03:18 PM
#84
Senior Member
Only problem for me is my toes get really cold since my shoes almost always get damp in the winter. Don't have fenders on the bike so moisture from the road kicks up a bit.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
Last edited by zymphad; 12-22-13 at 03:23 PM.
12-22-13, 05:18 PM
#85
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Only problem for me is my toes get really cold since my shoes almost always get damp in the winter. Don't have fenders on the bike so moisture from the road kicks up a bit.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
I'm not sure your problem is only due to the moisture getting in but probably also from your own sweat wetting your socks.
You could try first to put a plastic bag under your wool socks.
Since you're not using cycling shoes you could go for overshoes like those tingley one:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ting...shoes&tbm=isch
or lacrosse one:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ting...shoes&tbm=isch
one option or the other with a plastic bag under your wool socks or some vapor barrier socks https://www.rbhdesigns.com/category/170/footwear.htm
Another solution would be to go with some neos overshoes
https://www.overshoesneos.com/Neos_Ov..._Villager.html
Last edited by erig007; 10-18-14 at 04:58 PM.
12-22-13, 07:50 PM
#87
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Thanks @erig007. Will try the plastic my next ride and look into those products.
Also it can take several days for shoes to dry in general. So if you wear your shoes everyday moisture can gather inside and generate cold toes while riding.
To dry up your shoes you can put them on a heater or in a dryer or put some newspaper, some rice or some towel in them
Last edited by erig007; 11-09-14 at 09:44 AM.
12-23-13, 08:54 AM
#88
Senior Member
Only problem for me is my toes get really cold since my shoes almost always get damp in the winter. Don't have fenders on the bike so moisture from the road kicks up a bit.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
Would something like this work?
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...rmal-toe-cover
I wear sneakers with thick wool socks. Feet stay warm until toes get damp, so thinking this might be a great solution.
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12-23-13, 04:06 PM
#89
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I just use winter boots and wool socks. Wool's great b/c it stays warm even when moist/wet as is often the case with shoes (either sweat, outside, or both). When you come across a scenario where you need dry your boots quickly, stuff them full of newspaper. It sucks the moisture right out. Swap the papers out once or twice if needed.
10-17-14, 03:38 PM
#91
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My winter bike has mtb platform pedals, and I just wear a pair of leather tactical boots, with room for an extra pair of socks on colder days.
10-18-14, 04:41 PM
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Winter can be brutal on the feet, this is what I use and have been warm/comfortable down to -40 below (wind chill) in the rain/sleet/snow in the Dakota's.
1. https://www.zappos.com/chippewa-11-bl...-engineer-boot
2. Amazon.com : Sno-Seal Leather Protector All Season 7 Oz : Sports & Outdoors
3. REI Merino Wool Hiking Socks
1. https://www.zappos.com/chippewa-11-bl...-engineer-boot
2. Amazon.com : Sno-Seal Leather Protector All Season 7 Oz : Sports & Outdoors
3. REI Merino Wool Hiking Socks
11-02-14, 06:49 PM
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I've read on this forum that folks recommend Bean Boots for winter riding. Are these the hunting boots or the snow sneakers? I wear a pair of Merrells winter boots that are rated down to -20F. It works but it's ankle high and I've caught the top of boot in the cranks on occasion. I was thinking maybe taller boots would solve this problem as long as upper part is not so bulky that it limits mobility. Comments? Suggestions?
11-02-14, 08:03 PM
#94
Jedi Master
I got a pair of the diadora polaris 2 on sale this fall for 80 bucks. I wore them with neoprene socks today for a 2 hour ride in the high 20's F and my feet were getting cold at the end of the ride, which is about the same as my summer shoes with neoprene socks and the gore road thermo overshoes. When the weather gets consistently below freezing I switch to platform pedals with boots with gaiters.
11-02-14, 08:36 PM
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I've read on this forum that folks recommend Bean Boots for winter riding. Are these the hunting boots or the snow sneakers? I wear a pair of Merrells winter boots that are rated down to -20F. It works but it's ankle high and I've caught the top of boot in the cranks on occasion. I was thinking maybe taller boots would solve this problem as long as upper part is not so bulky that it limits mobility. Comments? Suggestions?
11-03-14, 08:03 AM
#96
Senior Member
I've read on this forum that folks recommend Bean Boots for winter riding. Are these the hunting boots or the snow sneakers? I wear a pair of Merrells winter boots that are rated down to -20F. It works but it's ankle high and I've caught the top of boot in the cranks on occasion. I was thinking maybe taller boots would solve this problem as long as upper part is not so bulky that it limits mobility. Comments? Suggestions?
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11-03-14, 08:09 AM
#97
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11-03-14, 10:56 AM
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Recently got a pair of Northwave Celsius Arctic GTX. It's dropped below 0°C a few mornings already this year and these are warm and cozy. Looking forward to really putting them to the test at -30°C.
11-03-14, 01:33 PM
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Why is that? Would you be able to share your experience/learnings applicable to a 12 km one-way commute?
Last edited by atrp2biz; 11-03-14 at 01:38 PM.