Winter Footwear
 

I live in the upper Midwest. This is my first year back on a bike, the warm months sure were lovely. But now it's getting cool and I was wondering about cycling footwear. I haven't bought any official cycling shoes yet. I was wondering what people here wear on their feet in cool/cold weather. I know about layering socks but you have to have a big enough shoe/boot to fit them. Is there a recommended light boot for cycling? I have a mountain bike and will be riding on all kinds of terrain if that matters.
P.S. I hate the cold but want to keep riding. I could start riding South and not look back.

Im using LL Beans boot , You might consider one of their insulated ones , oversize with room for thick socks.

Lake MXZ303 or similar by Shimano.

It depends on what kind of pedal set-up you have. Do you use toe clips or clipless? What kind of cold are you talking about. Forty degrees or Twenty degrees or lower. You could probably go with shoe covers in forty or thirty degree weather. Most will fit practically any shoe. I use them over my sandals when it gets cold. If you plan on riding in frigid temperatures then you'll have to go insulated. Keep in mind most insulated cycling shoes like the above poster mentioned will be well over $200. If your going with an insulated hiker boot, you can get a good pair for under $100. I use LL Bean Snow sneakers and they keep my feet warm down to about 6f-8f. I've had them for seven years now and look to get a few more out of them. Whatever you go with its suggested you get a size bigger to handle two pair of socks. I did that. When I double up I use a work sock with a quality thick wool sock over that. Works good.

I like flat pedals and low,insulated winter boots. Like a winter hiking boot. See Sorrel ,Keen etc.

lots of cool thermal cycling shoes/boots out there. lots of folks are satisfied with them. my feet, tho, always need a little something extra so I use chemical toe warmers, or hand warmers when I use larger footwear.

Just concluded a fall ride on the divide wearing shimano sandals. Very versatile for conditions ranging from hot to cold and rain or snow as they can accept multiple layers of merino wool socks and shoe covers, either plastic bag or something more extravagant in the Eskimo mukluk condition. That said I have extensive snow experience and would recommend either a lake winter boot or there are some new cheaper and light options by Lois garneau for sub $200. Get them a size bigger so they can accommodate heavier merino wool socks or even two pair. Even the best shoe covers can't even compare as typical bike shoes will always fail. There is nothing so bad as underestimating footwear in the winter.

As a cheaper or more versatile option you might try Power Strap pedals which will work with any winter boot. Just make sure you get the longer straps.

Personally I love clip less, especially in the snow. Crank brothers tend to shed snow well. I often sell the entry level mallet to first time winter riders for it's price, ability to shed snow and platform. However I run Time atac pedals for all that plus durability. I have my eye on a pair of wolvhammer boots by 45 North for the this year. Do note winter boots may seem expensive but thw longevity on them is superb. They are a great investment.

the wolvehammers are pretty damn good. This will be my second year using them. They are rock solid... Heavy...but good!!!!

I just ordered and received a pair of these Louis Garneau 0 Degree Ergo Grip:

http://media.nashbar.com/images/nash...-NCL-ANGLE.jpg

I think they'll do nicely (but I'll report back once it actually gets cold).

For me: 50F+ normal footwear. 40-50F: High top mountain bike shoes with light wool socks. 15-40F Lake MXZ____ shoes. 15F and below: platform pedals, over sized hiking boots with a couple pairs of heavy wool socks.

put your foot down on Icy roads and you will want studs on the shoes too .

Interesting. I can see the shoes at Nashbar via your link, but when I went back to Nashbar to look for them, they didn't turn up. Not even when sorting all the cycling shoes by price and looking in the right area.

Anyone have any experience with the Exustar shoes?
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=344977

I've noticed that, too. I found them with a google search for winter bike shoes.

I didn't find the ones you found; I'm not sure which ones I would get. The ones you found (Exustar) are probably easier to put on (velcro instead of laces and zipper) , the Louis Garneau look like they might (??) be better sealed.

Another platform pedals + regular winter boots commuter here. I use felt insoles in the boots, and 1-2 wool sock layers.

--J

That makes sense. I'm just concerned about warmth. It doesn't snow a lot here in Texas and I don't ride in it the once in a while when it does. On the other hand, that could be fun.

I just ordered these:
http://www.backcountry.com/images/it...LGN0988/BK.jpg


Tried last years version in 47, but had to send back. Here's to hoping 48 is wide enough...

From where did you get them?

They look (not surprisingly) similar to what I just ordered. I'll be curious to here your thoughts on yours once you get some experience (and, for that matter, I'll be interested to see what I think of mine when I actually wear them on a bike in cold weather. :) ).

Cheers,
Charles

I ordered from http://www.backcountry.com/ .

More then I wanted to spend. But i figure they'll last quite a while as they will be maybe 4 months / year usage.

Might be too warm for NC.

I'm going to try and commute 1 day /week at 46 - 52 miles rt. I'm slow so working on that. I've been doing it most weeks so far and loving it! It has been great for my health.

Nope don't fit. Tighter then the previous year's 47's.
The 50's show back border available.
They look just the ticket but will have to go elsewhere.

Anyone else out there know of a source for size 50's winter shoes?

I ordered the Exustar shoes I was asking about above from Nashbar today. I ordered them one metric size larger on the theory that I am a winter wimp and need extra space for more layers of socks. They had one of their 20% off your entire order sales going, so that made it only $100 +tax & shipping. I'll update when I get them.

LaCrosse Alpha Camp Moc, or Hampton as it is known now - quite a handy boot and fairly low-profile, flexible neoprene material. Below 20°F I got cold toes, otherwise great general purpose boot for rain/slush/snow.

I think I'll be going the pac-boot route more often this winter as I do tend to get cold feet; choosing toastiness over bulk.

Since I'm not beholdin' to clipless, I just check the weather and just wear what I normally would for those conditions... around 20F is my cut off point for biking

I use clips and straps set loose in the winter. You can laugh but I use UGG insulated boots with wool socks.
I have rode in -40 F with windchill and my feet were never cold.
I have a nice pair of UGG Engineer boots that work and the soles are soft that makes walking on ice easy(walking flat footed of course).

I'm into mukluks. Those are lighter than traditional hard sole boots and sometimes warmer (used in some polar expeditions and in the canadian army). Also very comfy.
There is lots of kind available on the market

Here are some from Steger (pretty expensive). The big plus is that those are very wide which is not easy to find on the market. The downside is that they aren't made for long feet. My feet are 29cm long (size 12/13) and i wear the biggest size 15 and wouldn't mind one size up or 2.

My advice:
the traditional short mukluks for up to -20F
the yukon and similar for -40F and below (depending on your feet size vs the mukluks size) The yukon can do upper temps as well but you have to accept some slack after removing some layers.

Here are the yukon:
http://billstclair.com/blog/images/s...s2-600x518.jpg

I wear the camuksxtreme tinted in black which are totally waterproof (but don't breath as much as the Yukon which are snowproof)

There are some pretty cheap N-1 mukluks available online for 30$ (if you like the style)
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjgzWDEwMj...YZ!~~60_58.JPG

No laughing here. Even an hour on the bike with cold toes is no joke. Good call about loosening straps if you use them - that's one thing I do remember from way back when, they tend to lead to cold feet when tightened.

I'll be in Sorels this winter. Found I had to dismount occasionally to push through a drift, so good to have something that will work on the ground too.

One interesting type of shoe I did find while musing on icy weather cycling was orienteering shoes with carbide studs.

There is plenty of reasons that could lead to cold feet:

-the icy pedal that conduct cold to the foot
-the pressure between the pedal and the foot that restrict blood flow
-the shape of the pedals that affect the type of pressure on the foot and the air flow around the foot
-the type of materials used in pedals that affect the level of insulation of pedals
-the pedal fixation system (straps, pins, clipless..)
-cold wind which attack the foot from front
-too tight shoes/boots
-the shape of your shoes/boots
-not thick enough soles
-too tight socks
-how clean your socks are
-how old your shoes/boots are
-the type of shoes/boots (winter/summer cycling shoes, water resistant/proof boots, winter boots...)
-the type of insulation of the shoes/boots/socks
-the layer configuration that affect the wicking ability and effectiveness of the insulation
-where the insulation is on the shoes/boots
-shoes with not high enough shafts that let cold wind reach the ankle
-shoes/boots breathability
-the saddle that restrict blood flow preventing warm blood from reaching correctly the foot
-health condition
-how you sweat from your feet
-what you ate before your commute
-the lack of layers on the upper body/head/legs
-the type of garment you're wearing (windproof or not...)
-the direction of the wind during your commute
-the length of your commute
-at what time you commute
-the type of commute (one shot or with few stops, stop length...)
-where you put your feet when you stop
-the kind of commute (busy roads with cars passing by, through traffic or alone on the road)
-the level of intensity of your effort
-how warm your body is when you go out
-the room temperature where your shoes/boots were
-the time elapsed between the moment you put your shoes/boots on and the time you reach outside
-the time elapsed between each time you put your shoes/boots on (humidity)
-the humidity level inside your house and outside
-the temperature outside
-the variation of temperature during your commute
-the sunlight variations during your commute
-the road conditions (around freezing temp with half frozen water on the ground or dry roads, snow...)

-and probably more...

^
just reading that gives me cold feet!

They've got 30% of shoes today only, so anybody who was thinking about doing this...

Of course after I buy them, they offer a better deal!

For the really cold stuff 4°f and below I break out the NEOS Explorer Overshoes. They will handle anything that my area has to offer. I found out about them from folks who ride the Iditarod Trail Invitational. If its good enough for them, then its good enough for me. I've only had them for a few years, and the coldest I wore them was -6°f. My feet were just as toasty as they were when I started out 45 mins earlier.
http://www.naturescapes.net/store/im...xplorer-01.jpg