I wear LL Bean Snow Sneakers. I'm going on my sixth winter with them. I wear those when daytime temps maintain at 42f or below. They have superior Primaloft insulation, which thru my own experimentation blows away Thinsulate in sub freezing temps. And no wonder, I looked it up. Primaloft has twice the R value of Thinsulate. These, along with a good thick wool sock(or two) keep my feet warm down to about 5f-10f. Anything lower, then I wear NEOS overshoes, which the snow sneakers fit inside good. You can spend whatever you want on shoes. But in my mind, a good winter hiking boot will beat out a high priced winter cycling shoe. There are lots of riders here who swear by Lakes, and 45north, etc. But you don't get too many who say how those protect their feet when its 20 degrees out. Having your toes so cold that they feel like they might snap off is not fun.

This.

When it gets colder I add a base layer sock under the heavier wool sock... it is critical to make sure your winter footwear does not restrict circulation and going up a half size to handle multiple pairs of socks is a sound idea.

Has anyone tried the Keen Brixen Low? Is it just as warm as the regular Brixen, only not as tall? Or is it not constructed the same? If it would keep my feet as warm as the regular Brixen (at least the areas that it would cover), then it looks like it would make a great winter cycling shoe. Any comments?
https://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/pr...black!gargoyle

When I was a kid, I delivered papers on foot in Fairbanks. It was frequently 50 below (F) or colder. What worked best were felt shoes - all felt except for the heel, the upper felt about 1/4" thick, and with 2-3 pair of wool socks inside. These of course only work in a dry cold. I think the reason they worked so well was that it was easy for foot moisture to escape, so socks and all stayed dry. My feet would stay warm all day outdoors in these shoes. I have no idea if similar footwear is still available - this was 55 years ago.

Sorel still sells boots with felt liners: https://www.sorel.com/

I still use mine from 30+ years ago...

Those LLBean Snow Sneakers are classics. Locally, here in Fairbanks, the Keen Summit Country is popular for winter biking and I use them but the sole is rather large and can hit the crank if you're not careful. I use Powergrips with them which work very much like clipless, using the same twist of the foot for release.

If you plan on riding down to 0F I would not get the Brixen low. It's very important to keep the ankle area warm to keep the toes warm. You need at least ankle high boots. One of the warmest solutions for riding on platform pedals is just a pair of insulated leather work boots that are 8-9 inches tall. Get them 1-2 sizes large and wear with a thick wool boot sock. You can break them in with boot oil and hand action until the ankle area moves easily. All leather boots are better in this regard as synthetic products do not get as soft and supple as leather.

The tall lacing keeps cold air out of the lower boot. You want space in the toe box to keep the socks uncompressed and have a dead air space. What ever you buy, try the boots on with thick socks to make sure they are not snug fitting. Another good reason for the 8-9 inch lace ups is that the lacings will keep loose fitting boots on which will keep your foot warm. Low slip-ons are not reccommeded as they will have to be too tight to be warm. And they will fall of your foot if loose enough. Plus they will get snow in them when walking through snow. This will get your socks wet when you go inside and it melts which will lower the insulation value of your socks.

Loose fitting boots is the single most important aspect of a warm cold weather boot.

Boots... waterproof and comfortable all the way down to -40C

I was supposed to get some SnoSeal today but Freddy's didn't have it and I was too lazy to go to Dick's. SnoSeal is crucial stuff for leather boots that see lots of weather.

I just go one full US size up for my boots. Couldn't imagine going up two full sizes.

I have been trying to find something for winter riding too, thanks everyone for the tips! I think I will just go with my hunting boots, they are very warm and light.

I would try to put my "roadie" shoe covers over my regular shoes. I dont see why it would not work. They are relatively inexpensive and they come wind/rain proof with thermal layers etc. Some of them also do not look ridiculous, though you may have to search for a bit.

If the wind is the thing that is getting to you, than a cheap alternative is putting plastic bags over your toes before you put on your shoes. This effectively blocks the wind if you are wearing shoes that do not already do that.

Yup. I have a big black pair that come almost up to my knee... they are amazing at keeping my feet warm and dry. I have friends that have spent hundreds of dollars on their clipless winter shoes and I just gotta laugh... My big black boots are rubber up to the ankle so there's no way short of a nail puncture that I get wet feet. In my area there is almost always a lot of slush and salt on the roads. I also tried clipless commuting and found it to be sorely lacking compared to riding BMX pedals.

I've also had the misfortune of setting my feet down into slush-filled potholes and whilst the sorel boots did save me from a major soaker the top part of the boot can get saturated with water and eventually leak, I think... never happened to me but snow can come over the tops if you go trudging through snowbanks, obviously. But paired with BMX pedals these boots give me the grippiness I want and the warmth and dryness I crave in the winter.

The nice thing about boots like this is that if you live where it's cold enough many people have them already or know someone who has a pair cheap. They're easy to slip on and off at the office/shop where it's easy to store a spare pair of shoes in the winter.

It just depends where you live... cycling shoes tend to be designed for warmer weather and are well vented, the interface between the cleat and shoe is a point where water can enter.

I ride with my touring shoes which are sealed better up top, warmer, and have sealed the sole / cleat to prevent them from drawing in water... and then shoe covers go on in cooler weather.

I too wear hiking boots (one size too large with thick wool socks) when temps get down below 10F. The platform pedals are actually preferred in slick conditions because sometimes I get in loose snow and have to throw a foot on the ground quickly. In temps above 10F or so I have an older pair of Lake MXZ3XX (can't remember exact model) and they work ok but simply are too tight for colder temps.

The key to keeping extremities warm in the winter is to eliminate constriction. Get a BIG pair of insulated boots, put on warm socks, maybe two pairs, and make sure you have lots of toe wiggle room left as well as some room on the sides.