nycphotography

Warm feet start at the calves, warm fingers start at the core.

Arm warmers help the fingers stay warm. Tall wool socks, thermal full tights, and warm boots help the toes stay warm.

How much of each you need and at what temperature is what you need to sort out for yourself by trial and error.

Personally, a too warm shoe can be used with a less warm sock to adjust. Or with an extra warm sock and extra warm tights. Depending.

And generally I need less foot support for winter, as I'm seldom hammering at vo2 max... my lungs dont like sucking down that much cold dry air. Usually I'm more zone 2-3, with a little 4.

Greatestalltime

I find that merino socks with a pair of neoprene socks over them is good for me down into the 20s Fahrenheit.

Down into the teens and below I’ll wear the neoprene as the lower layer which does seal in the sweat and works like the wet suit principle sealing in the warm liquid.


Works for me and I ride all year. Though, this year I was considering buying a winter boot to hopefully seal out water on the just above freezing wet days. But I’ve read mixed reviews on if any really work.

Fizik arctic R5 and north wave flash are the two I’ve narrowed my search to.

Carbonfiberboy 

I love my Lakes. It doesn't get really cold here, but 40° and pouring rain is not comfortable in road shoes. For rain, either with booties or boots, the trick is to put dry suit leg seals on your bare leg right above your socks, under your tights, and over your boots or booties. Then you always have dry feet no matter the rain. The only down side to my Lakes is that saddle height is different due to the thick soles and insoles.

PaulRivers

The biggest drawback of regular summer shoes for biking is that they attempt to design them to let air flow through them. The irony is that they're often not very good at that, while at the same time being just bad enough at it to make it difficult to use in the winter.

My experience was that it was worth buying even just a light winter shoe as they're designed with no airflow vents on the shoe because it's for winter. From there you can regulate how warm your feet stay with thicker pairs of socks - "Fits Socks" worked very well for me personally:
https://www.fitssock.com/collections...nt=32380185159

Greatestalltime

What are Dry suit leg seals? Yes. That’s the key is keeping the water from running down your leg. I have yet to figure it out and 2018 still has me scarred from 200+ days of rain riding.

Carbonfiberboy 

Like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bare-Replacem.../dp/B00BPEL0CW

One cuts the top of the seal down until it is still tight but doesn't cut off circulation.

Water still runs down your leg but doesn't get in your shoes. My policy is that I don't do rain rides at below 40°. That prevents the worst of the scarring. Gloves are the most difficult issue. Either Giro 100 Proof or thick ragg wool with maybe leather over.

Greatestalltime

I embrace the water on my hands and wear neoprene gloves in the hard rain. They are wet from sweat on the inside and stay warm because of the neoprene and more wet isn’t noticed.

Thanks a lot for the tip. I will try it for sure. I’ve tried many things. Velotoze work, but are pain getting on and rip easy. Your method sounds promising.

Carbonfiberboy 

The gloves sound promising. Wetsuit gloves? 1.5mm, 3mm, 5mm? Can they be easy to get on and off, the usual problem with wet gloves?

Greatestalltime

Mine are Sealsskinnz. They are great for that cold rain and will keep you warm when it’s dry too, but there is a different more “smooshy” feel to them and when it’s dry I like others a little better.

https://www.sealskinzusa.com/outlet/...ugh-gloves.htm

Mine were form Merlin and those are only small. That looks almost like them except mine have little chevron grippers in the palm.

I’d bet any neoprene ones would give you the same benefit if they’re thick enough. I’m guessing those are 3mm.



Yes. They’re very easy to get on and off when wet.

Carbonfiberboy 

Thanks for the response! I ordered 2 pair of 3mm NeopSkin gloves from (shudder) Amazon, one me for and one for my wife for tandem rain rides. They also have 5mm, but I think that'd be too warm. We'll see this winter! $16/pair..