# Cold feet below 40 degrees Fahrenheit



## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

As a new road rider I'm still figuring out my cold weather gear choices. I've learned what I need to wear down to 20 degrees now but I can't keep my feet warm. Its not just that they get cold, they get frozen to the point I had to cut my ride short today.

Normally I wear thick smart wool socks with just my cycling shoes. The shoes are mountain bike shoes with somewhat of a mesh upper. I had a feeling wind was my problem so I bought some neoprene shoe covers as the solution. It felt great at first but I still didn't make it much further. Today's ride was 29 degrees and I planned on riding for two and a half hours. I made it a little over an hour before I decided to turn around for the 45min ride back to the car. My feet weren't to cold when I turned around but I knew they would be when I finished.

Besides my feet I was sweating slightly and had to remove a layer. My legs weren't warm but they weren't cold either. Is there anything else I can do to keep my feet warm for longer cold weather rides?

P.S. My feet never get this cold on the mountain bike. I've ridden in 30 degree temps for 3 hours mountain biking in the same socks and shoes without having this problem. Besides there being more wind on the road bike maybe the seat is cutting off my circulation?


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

For me, it seems most important to keep head, hands, and feet warm. Feet get tricky to take care of, especially under forty degrees. I wear some old - and I mean old - thick neoprene booties for the coldest/wettest weather. It works for me, but only becomes a problem if it warms up too much two hours into my ride, since it gets difficult finding places to store my layers. Make sure to tape the vents in the bottom of your shoes, too. Preheating my shoes helps in the coldest weather. I put them in a 125 degree oven prior to pushing off.


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

Wool is a great option. Even though it keeps you warm when wet, most socks are a blend. I found simply putting on a fresh very dry pair of socks, preferably heated in the dryer, works wonders. 

However, it got up to 72 F today. Bwahahahahaha.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Do you use the same shoes for road and mountain? You mentioned thick socks, so I wondered if maybe that was making the shoes a little tight, thus cutting down circulation. Otherwise, I think you're on the right track that it sounds like a circulation issue somewhere.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

+1. If the shoes are tight they cut down on the insulation properties of whatever socks you're wearing and also restrict blood flow. Shoes need to have some room in them if you want to keep your toes warm.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

If you're using thicker socks in your mountain bike shoes, you need to either loosen the straps or laces on your shoe or buy larger shoes for winter riding. Forget a proper "snug" fit; you do not want to crush the loft of a thick, winter sock, or inhibit circulation. Even minor excesses in either can lead to cold feet.

I assume you're using a good synthetic or wool sock; something that provides insulating qualities AND wicks moisture from your feet.

You do not need to have wet feet to get cold feet. In that micro-climate inside that winter shoe, if your feet begin to sweat and the moisture is not pulled off your feet, the moisture will suck heat from them. Sometimes it's better to wear two different socks rather than one bulky sock-wear a very thin sock liner to wick the moisture and a second sock to provide the insulation.

A couple tips: try putting on ANTIPERSPIRANT or baby powder on the bottoms of your feet before you ride.

The plastic in cycling shoes is notorious for sucking heat away from your feet. You could try switching to a winter-specific shoe for cold weather. I wear an older Shimano shoe similar to the XM7. The suede and leather construction is better suited to cold weather but I still need shoe covers below 40 degrees.

Next is the insole; the factory insole provides no insulation. Try an aftermarket insole found at most drug stores, shoe stores, or outdoor stores, specifically made for winter warmth. I once tried sticking aluminum foil in my shoes thinking it would reflect heat but it didn't do anything.

I wear neoprene shoe covers. I've also had good luck wearing plastic grocery bags over my shoes, then slipping on my shoe covers. They don't breathe well but they will allow heat build-up.

I think your feet never get cold mountain biking because there's less windchill and occasionally walking your bike when you have to stimulates blood flow.

You could try swapping your mountain bike shoes and pedals over to your road bike just as an experiment. I see nothing wrong with doing the swap seasonally if you want to continue road riding in cold temps.

If it's not a sweat or shoe issue, you've got to keep the blood flowing to your legs warmer so some of that leftover warmth can reach your feet. I had good success with wearing a pair of tall gaiters over my legs while riding. It didn't look "pro" but I was warm. Don't skimp; the taller the better.

Lastly, below 30 degrees I would wear a second pair of tights. Two thin pair are better than one thick pair. If you were sweating in your upper body but had only one pair of tights on, try wearing a little less on the upper body and adding that second pair of tights. If it compromises your comfort and safety though, forgo the "less upstairs" idea because if you have to stop mid-ride and you're underdressed you'll freeze and risk hypothermia.

Forget the seat cutting off your circulation. Something I NEVER have tried however which might be an interesting experiment, is putting one of those wool seat covers over my saddle. It's possible today's thin plastic saddles suck heat from your body. It would definitely look "Fredly" but it might work. Now I'm beginning to wonder if taping one of those chemical hand warmers to the underside of the seat would do something. Hmmm...

I think riding for 2.5 hours at 29 degrees is asking a bit much unless you're dressed for the Iditarod. You could switch up your training to ride as long as you feel comfortable then finish off your training on the trainer at home.

I agree with fast ferd about keeping the head and hands warm. If you seal off your helmet vents with a helmet cover or duct tape you'll keep your head warmer. The old adage, "If your feet are cold, put your hat on" applies here.

I used to commute to work year 'round in Connecticut so I have a lot of experience with riding in the cold.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

looigi said:


> +1. If the shoes are tight they cut down on the insulation properties of whatever socks you're wearing and also restrict blood flow. Shoes need to have some room in them if you want to keep your toes warm.


Along the same lines, don't tighten the buckle/velcro/boa too much. As long as you're not one of those guys who yanks up on the pedals you might be surprised at how little you really need to tighten cycling shoes.

Put some tape on the vents. I'm not really certain how much, if any, this helps but it certainly doesn't hurt.

You can also get insulated inserts if the other stuff doesn't work.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

1.) Loosen shoes
2.) Add neoprene shoe covers
3.) Add chemical toe warmers
4.) Add felt insoles to insulate bottom of foot


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## jparman (Apr 18, 2006)

I have cold feet as well. Once i start to cool off, it feels like my body severely restricts blood flow to my hands and feet. Stone Cold. 
Below is what I've put together. Magic it ain't but it works for me. I still have cold feet though, but I can kinda tolerate it. 

Step 1, A quality wool sock.

Step 2, Fab up a footbed out of thin plastic. I used an old 3 ring binder, remove the insole in order to cut to shape and then put it at the bottom of your shoe before replacing the insole.

Step 3, Tape the bottom of the shoe if you have ports like mine for airflow. Peel and seal caulk will work on the bottom too. 

Step 4, Aluminum Foil the outside front of the shoe, top and bottom, before proceeding with step 5a.

Step 5a, Put an overshoe on like the louis garneaux thermal pro shoe cover over the shoe

Step 5b, Put on a neoprene/windproof/waterproof cycling shoe over the overshoe.

Step 6, WIN

Optional, a plastic grocery bag over your sock will enhance heat retention but will get clammy.


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## jfaas (Jan 31, 2014)

All of the previous replies. Plus, make sure your knees are warm. If your boney knees are not insulated enough, it will cool the blood running to your feet and no matter how much you insulate your feet, they will feel cold.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

Peter P. said:


> If you're using thicker socks in your mountain bike shoes, you need to either loosen the straps or laces on your shoe or buy larger shoes for winter riding. Forget a proper "snug" fit; you do not want to crush the loft of a thick, winter sock, or inhibit circulation. Even minor excesses in either can lead to cold feet.
> 
> I assume you're using a good synthetic or wool sock; something that provides insulating qualities AND wicks moisture from your feet.
> 
> ...


The pedals and shoes I'm using on the road bike I no longer use on the mountain bike (but they have been used in cold temps before on the mtb). For the mtb I switched to flats w/ 5.10 shoes. The 5.10s are a lot more comfortable and spacious but I'm not sure how I'd like flats on the road bike. I'll give it a try just for fun on a short ride. I did loosen the laces on my clipless shoes but maybe it wasn't enough. Even if the upper laces are a little loose I usually tie the bow a little tight. I just didn't think it was to tight to restrict blood flow. I was using new Garneai neo protect II shoe covers yesterday. They helped prolong the cold about 20mins but thats about it. So theres more to my problem.

The wool socks I used are a blend of wool and synthetic and come up to the knee (I normally use them for snowboarding). They are supposed to wick away sweat but I am questioning how well they do it. I'll use your advice about having on two socks. I can wear a good pair of my wicking running socks with another pair of long socks over them. The new insole is a great idea. The current insoles are paper thin so a winter specific insole could be a huge help!

I don't have any tights yet but if the above doesn't work that might be the next step. I've been using my slim fit winter running pants with my bib underneith. The pants are a little vented but between the socks and bib underneith only my knee is exposed to the mild amount of wind that comes through. Its not that I can't afford to buy tights, its just as a guy I never invisioned I would be wearing them.

These rides are ontop of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia so I have been bringing my camelbak suffed with a very warm down jacket, extra gloves, socks and room for removing layers. I do bring this for safety reasons so I don't get stranded with a failure and feeeze to death. Water bottles are still on the bike for extra space in the camelbak. So I could have taken my outer layer off which was a wind breaker jacket with no insulation. However then my arms would have gotten cold from the wind which would have made my hands cold. So I dealt with a sweaty but warm core.

Just incase I can't ride for longer than 2 hours in these temps I did buy a set of rollers yesterday on my way home. I really need the smooth out my pedaling anyway. So I can deal with shorter rides and hopping in the rollers later.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

jfaas said:


> All of the previous replies. Plus, make sure your knees are warm. If your boney knees are not insulated enough, it will cool the blood running to your feet and no matter how much you insulate your feet, they will feel cold.


Ha wish I saw this before my last post! That could very well be my problem or at least part of it. With how cold my feet were I doubt there was a single issue causing it. My knees have been the only thing exposed to wind. I guess tights are next on my shopping list.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Fajita Dave said:


> Ha wish I saw this before my last post! That could very well be my problem or at least part of it. With how cold my feet were I doubt there was a single issue causing it. My knees have been the only thing exposed to wind. I guess tights are next on my shopping list.


Seriously? You were wearing shorts at 30 degrees? That will do all sorts of stuff, including risking injury to the knees themselves. The traditional rule among European racers, at least for training rides, is cover the knees if the temp is below 20C -- that's 68F. I round that to mid-60s, but otherwise that rule works for me. Some tights or leg warmers are definitely in order.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

JCavilia said:


> Seriously? You were wearing shorts at 30 degrees? That will do all sorts of stuff, including risking injury to the knees themselves. The traditional rule among European racers, at least for training rides, is cover the knees if the temp is below 20C -- that's 68F. I round that to mid-60s, but otherwise that rule works for me. Some tights or leg warmers are definitely in order.


The bib shorts were mostly for the chamois. I had winter running pants over the top of them and knee high socks. The pants block most of the wind but not all of it. Since they were designed for running they're more breathable. Only just above and just below the knee was exposed to some wind through the pants. From other posts it does seem like I need a pair of tights though.

Since I have some good ideas to try for my feet maybe I can get some more experienced info on cold weather gear in general! This was my full kit from top to bottom.

For 29 degrees:
My normal vented road helmet with no blockage (hair still got a little sweaty on climbs).
Snowboard goggles to keep my eyes from watering on downhills.
Beard keeps my face warm.
Gauntlet style winter motorcycle gloves (have been used down to 9F on motorcycle).
Base layer on top was Underarmour Cold Gear with a high neck.
Mid layer was a short sleeve summer cycling jersey.
Top layer was a non insulated wind breaker.
For my legs I wore my summer bib shorts as a base.
Breathable winter running pants (not a skin tight fit and let's some wind through).
Good quality knee high wool socks with synthetic blend for moisture wicking.
Mtb shoes with a 50% mesh upper but no vents in the sole.
Garneau neoprene shoe covers with the bottoms of my pants sealed inside.

My core did get sweaty but my arms would have been cold without the jacket. I guess wind proof arm warmers and leaving the wind breaker off might fix that? My legs weren't cold (knees even felt fine) but they weren't exactly warm either. Honestly I felt like the way I dressed on my lower body was the best balance between sweat prevention and warmth. With that being said it may have contributed to my cold feet.

On my 20 degree ride the only things I changed was the helmet, added balaclava and Underarmour leggings. Used my snowboarding helmet and had to open the vents and remove the balaclava 6 miles in. With the Underarmour base and my running pants my legs got sweaty. So I figured that would be to warm for 30 degrees. Sounds like one good pair of cycling tights would be the solution.

I really can't thank you guys enough for the help. I didn't expect to need a drastically different set of cold weather gear compared to mountain biking.


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## kjdhawkhill (Jan 29, 2011)

Fajita Dave said:


> The bib shorts were mostly for the chamois. I had winter running pants over the top of them and knee high socks. The pants block most of the wind but not all of it. Since they were designed for running they're more breathable. Only just above and just below the knee was exposed to some wind through the pants. From other posts it does seem like I need a pair of tights though.
> 
> Since I have some good ideas to try for my feet maybe I can get some more experienced info on cold weather gear in general! This was my full kit from top to bottom.
> 
> ...


You'll find it really is a balancing act. There's a lot of potential overlap, but not quite every item will be used on both. The wind on the road is entirely different than the wind in the woods, so it's very rare that I wear soft shell full bibs on the trails. 

I like to layer on top and wear a wind blocking thermal bib or 3/4 length bib on the bottom. Cold weather specific shoes stretched my riding temp by about 10 degrees/hour.



Running or general athletic pants aren't good for blocking real wind, the kind of wind you create riding a bike on the open roads.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

kjdhawkhill said:


> You'll find it really is a balancing act. There's a lot of potential overlap, but not quite every item will be used on both. The wind on the road is entirely different than the wind in the woods, so it's very rare that I wear soft shell full bibs on the trails.
> 
> I like to layer on top and wear a wind blocking thermal bib or 3/4 length bib on the bottom. Cold weather specific shoes stretched my riding temp by about 10 degrees/hour.
> 
> ...


I'd like to avoid buying winter shoes for now. I'd was planning on buying road specific shoes soon for spring when I'm going to ramp up my mileage. I'd rather try all of the cheap solutions first like warmer insoles. Tights won't be cheap but at least it's a clothing item I don't already own. I think next winter I'll definitely have some cold weather shoes.

I knew the pants wouldn't block all of the wind but I was counting on that to prevent excessive sweat. That doesn't seem to work as well as I was hoping!

On the other hand from everyone's suggestion of looser laces. I did some experimenting on the rollers tonight and found you can leave your shoes ridiculously loose! Almost to the point of not having to tie them at all. It wasn't a cold environment but circulation did feel better.

I hope I do find more overlap between mtb and road cold gear. The cold feet thing really caught me off guard. I've been mtbing in 30 degree temps with soaking wet feet from stream crossings and my feet were never as cold as they've gotten on the road bike! On the mtb I just wear a single layer unless it's windy or below 25. Usually not wind resistant gear for breath ability to reduce sweat.


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## SwiftSolo (Jun 7, 2008)

Dave,
Get a pair of Specialized Defroster shoes. Chemical toe warmers that stick on to your socks work really well inside of these shoes as they have a fairly good sized toe box and do not let air blow through (not good shoes to use on days above 60 F). You can get the toe warmers by the box really cheap at Costco.

I use this combination a lot. 
https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP...e35deao0&w=300&h=225&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0


Fajita Dave said:


> As a new road rider I'm still figuring out my cold weather gear choices. I've learned what I need to wear down to 20 degrees now but I can't keep my feet warm. Its not just that they get cold, they get frozen to the point I had to cut my ride short today.
> 
> Normally I wear thick smart wool socks with just my cycling shoes. The shoes are mountain bike shoes with somewhat of a mesh upper. I had a feeling wind was my problem so I bought some neoprene shoe covers as the solution. It felt great at first but I still didn't make it much further. Today's ride was 29 degrees and I planned on riding for two and a half hours. I made it a little over an hour before I decided to turn around for the 45min ride back to the car. My feet weren't to cold when I turned around but I knew they would be when I finished.
> 
> ...


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Dave -- Winter clothes are an investment. They last a long time and you kind of build up the inventory over time. Unless you are OK with spending a lot of money up front, just get a few things every season. 

I'd recommend some tights w/o a chamois. You wear them over your shorts and they don't need to be washed often. A balaclava keeps your head warm. I have several of them that vary in weight. Neoprene shoe covers work as well as winter shoes, but in the long run, winter shoes are more cost effective. Hell, I knew a guy who used plastic bread bags in his shoes. Anything that blocks the wind helps. That said, I don't think there's any way to avoid getting cold feet when you ride more than an hour.


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## seppo17 (Dec 7, 2008)

Blue CheeseHead said:


> 1.) Loosen shoes
> 2.) Add neoprene shoe covers
> 3.) Add chemical toe warmers
> 4.) Add felt insoles to insulate bottom of foot


This.

Loosen your shoes, ALOT! Unless your going to be riding hard, have the toe and midfoot as loose as it can be.

I do a defeet wool sock, sidi road shoes, toe covers, and cheap performance neoprene shoe covers. That's good for me down to about 35, below that I will add chemical warmers.

I taped the bottom of my insoles with the insulated hvac tuct tape.

They make full insole chemical warmers. I end up using those during cross season, as you will destroy shoe covers fast in cyclocross.


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## ColaJacket (Apr 13, 2015)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Along the same lines, don't tighten the buckle/velcro/boa too much. As long as you're not one of those guys who yanks up on the pedals you might be surprised at how little you really need to tighten cycling shoes.
> 
> *Put some tape on the vents.* I'm not really certain how much, if any, this helps but it certainly doesn't hurt.
> 
> You can also get insulated inserts if the other stuff doesn't work.


I found that this helped keep my feet more warm than the neoprene shoe covers. For some reason the wind seemed to go right through them. Also, don't forget to take out your insole, and tape over the cleat holes. 

GH


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## dir-t (Oct 14, 2005)

You might try rubbing some talcum powder on your feet before rides too. My wife's feet get cold skiing and running because she sweats a lot. She says the powder helps her feet stay dry. I'm not so sure that it isn't a placebo effect but it would be cheap to try.


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## hfc (Jan 24, 2003)

I have 2 sets shoe covers, a thinnish set of Louis Garneau neoprene covers that I use in temps low 50's down to low 40's. I have thick neoprene booties with a rubber sole that I cut out a hole for the cleat. I got these from a bike shop close to 20 years ago but they're basically diving booties. I've worn these in temps down to 28-30, feet covered in sweat at the end, but never any coldness. I wear same shoes year round.

I'm also a Virginia Blue Ridge rider. James River, Thunder Ridge area. Where do you ride Dave?


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## GearDaddy (Apr 1, 2004)

Fajita Dave said:


> I'd like to avoid buying winter shoes for now. I'd was planning on buying road specific shoes soon for spring when I'm going to ramp up my mileage. I'd rather try all of the cheap solutions first like warmer insoles. Tights won't be cheap but at least it's a clothing item I don't already own. I think next winter I'll definitely have some cold weather shoes.
> 
> I knew the pants wouldn't block all of the wind but I was counting on that to prevent excessive sweat. That doesn't seem to work as well as I was hoping!
> 
> ...


Minnesota guy here, who has ridden at times in temps of -20F.

- Must have room inside the shoe for your toes to move. Even normal warm weather comfortable fit is too tight. Don't wear a thicker sock if it makes the fit inside the shoe to be tighter.
- Add warmth layers to the outside of the shoe. I don't find that neoprene is superior for adding warmth, but it is certainly good at blocking wind/water. Even better is to have a bootie that fits snug around the shoe. Multiple thin booties works even better.
- If you're using a normal cycling shoe/cleat, then it will help to use a different insole or try to plug holes in the bottom of the shoe. Heat loss will in fact occur through the connection to the cleat.
- It will work better to use a non-cycling boot and use toe straps instead. Or just ride with flat pedals.
- Chemical warming packs work pretty well too.
- Winter specific cycling shoes work! If you're serious about winter riding, these are worth the investment.
- It can make a difference if your core is not bundled up enough, because your body compensates for having a cold core by reducing circulation in your extremities. But, this doesn't sound like a problem for you, as you described that you're plenty warm in your core. I don't think you're under-dressing on your legs either.
- If your feet start getting cold, it always works as a backup plan to just get off the bike and jog. They WILL warm up again.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

I know I will get a few disagreements here, but what I have found that in the end, dry feet = warm feet, wet feet = cold feet. It is a delicate balance due to sweating. A few guidelines below that I follow:

1) Do not put your shoes and fresh dry socks on until right before you go out to ride. If you have them on too long while you are indoors, your feet will sweat before you leave, then will catch cold when you go out. Wear a fresh pair of socks, not the ones you've been lounging around the house in.

2) Make sure your shoes are good and dry from the last ride before you go out to ride again. Leave them in front of a heat register overnight to dry out. If you don't have hot air heat, put them in front of a fan overnight. Take the insoles out of them while they are drying.

3) Take an extra pair of socks on your ride with you. If you get a chance to take a break indoors somewhere, change your socks. This makes a BIG difference!

4) Always wear wool socks. Wool-synthetic blends are OK, but 100% wool is better. I also do not like sock liners as they restrict movement too much which reduces circulation. My wool socks of choice are a brand called Peoplesocks. I wear them unlined. I don't like Smartwool as I have found them to not last very long. And while it may seem like a no-brainer to most of us, two words - NO COTTON.

5) Neoprene booties are a must.

6) Fleece tights are a good idea, but as long as your legs are comfortable and not cold, any wicking leg coverings are fine. I would certainly not have any leg skin exposed.

And I must once again try and dispel that old myth of "If your feet are cold, put on a hat". This myth has been debunked over and over again. See below:

Do We Lose Heat Through Our Heads? 

That is not to say that you shouldn't put a hat on if your head is cold. It's just that some falsely believe that it helps to overheat the rest of your body to keep your extremities warm. While it is true that if the rest of your body is cold, it will conserve heat and not spread it around. However, if the rest of you is not uncomfortably cold, it will not do your extremities one bit of good to make the rest of you uncomfortably warm. Just the opposite will happen if you start sweating profusely!

Hope this helps!


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

hfc said:


> I'm also a Virginia Blue Ridge rider. James River, Thunder Ridge area. Where do you ride Dave?


I live 20 minutes away from the Swift Run entrance to skyline drive. About 20 miles North of Charlottesville. I have access to practically limitless riding right out of my driveway. For now I do prefer skyline drive for the lack of traffic but the scenery is beautiful too! 

We have some more cold weather on its way so I have a lot of things to try! I have been making sure my feet, socks and shoes are dry before I start the ride. They haven't gotten sweaty on a ride yet so I assume thats not why they get cold. First change will be keeping my laces much looser. Just for the sake of experimenting thats the only thing I'll change on the next ride to see how much of a difference it makes. I already bought a few different pairs of socks to use; each of them 100% wool. I will have to tape the cleat holes up from under my insole and buy a better insole too. Winter shoes will be in my lineup of shoes to pick from next winter.

Geardaddy, when you say warmth layers on the outside of the shoe do you mean just stretching a large pair of socks over them? Thats probably a dumb question but I'm not sure if I can find socks that big.


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## namaSSte (Jul 28, 2004)

*winter shoes...*

tons of great advice given here already so I'm just going to go on record to say that I hate being cold and yet, feet and hands seem overly sensitive to it. That said, I finally broke down and bought some dedicated winter boots/shoes this year and its been an epiphany. I always thought it would be a total waste of money that would leave me angry about spending it only to still be cold. I was way wrong. I wear my 45Nrth Japanther's with a thin (summer weight) merino sock under a pair of crazy warm Heatholder socks and my feet have been fantastic on rides of about an hour and a half at sub 20F. Beyond that, I do start getting cold. Its not that feet like blocks of ice cold I used to get but cold all the same. Longer than 1.5hrs or colder than mid teens and I think you'd need something even more designed for that weather. For me, I'd stay no the trainer on days like that. In any case, research all of the pros and cons of the various winter boot options and do yourself the favor of investing in some good ones. I honestly think you'll find its some of the best money you'll ever spend if you are serious about riding in cold weather.


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## GearDaddy (Apr 1, 2004)

Fajita Dave said:


> ...
> Geardaddy, when you say warmth layers on the outside of the shoe do you mean just stretching a large pair of socks over them? Thats probably a dumb question but I'm not sure if I can find socks that big.


Making your own bootie by wrapping a sock around the outside of the shoe and cutting a hole for the cleat to still fit would actually help. I was just suggesting that you can layer multiple booties to get more insulating effect. For best effect the booties should fit snug around the shoe to close any gaps for cold air to get underneath. Of course there is still the problem with cycling shoes where the cleat/sole is not very good at insulating. This is where the winter-specific cycling boots are much better.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Does anybody here have any experience with either of these?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013Q6VONG...=UTF8&colid=9FMG5A0TMQCN&coliid=I26O6AUIKS8FE 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VF3NG2...UTF8&colid=9FMG5A0TMQCN&coliid=I199MB2DJ5V18K


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

I use these in cold weather. 
warm feet below 35 typically isn't a problem..feet stay dry for a good hour in the rain too.

http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Izumi-Elite-Barrier-Cover/dp/B004N62JJ2


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

bahueh said:


> I use these in cold weather.
> warm feet below 35 typically isn't a problem..feet stay dry for a good hour in the rain too.
> 
> Pearl Izumi Elite Barrier Shoe Cover | Amazon.com



I use these too and they work. I was just wondering if anybody had experience with dedicated winter shoes like I posted in #29 so as not to have to wear the neoprene booties.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

Lombard said:


> I use these too and they work. I was just wondering if anybody had experience with dedicated winter shoes like I posted in #29 so as not to have to wear the neoprene booties.


It would be excellent if theres some good winter shoes that you wont need booties for. The Shimano ones look nice but its hard to say if they'd be worth the price.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Lombard said:


> I use these too and they work. I was just wondering if anybody had experience with dedicated winter shoes like I posted in #29 so as not to have to wear the neoprene booties.


I have a pair of Sidi GTX Hydro boots for road riding in cold weather. They are slightly warmer and much more convenient than my neoprene booties. They are fine down to the mid 30's for 90 minutes with smartwool socks. I could always put my booties on top for longer/colder rides. I found my boots off season for less than $200. Given how much riding I do below 55 degrees, I found them a worthy investment.

I have a pair of Lake boots that I wear for fat biking. They are much warmer than the Sidis.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Check boots out over on MTBR. That is where you will find reviews on the warmer ones. There is not much choice in the line of "road" winter boots.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

Finally got out to ride today. It was 20 degrees so I did have an extra layer on my legs. With the shoe cleat holes tapped closed from the inside, shoes tied very loosely and the same socks as last time my feet got cold at about the same rate as they did in 30 degree temps. Which I guess is an improvement since it was 10 degrees colder. Eight miles in my feet were very cold as usual with the wool blend socks. So I switched to some of my new 100% wool socks which were slightly warmer but in the end still kept getting colder. I did make it 22 miles in 20 degrees as opposed to 18 miles in 30 degrees so its definitely an improvement. 

This route was mostly downhill for the last half which is when my feet got extremely cold at a quicker rate. I think wind is my manor issue even with the neoprene booties. I guess they aren't thick enough to block all of the air flow. I don't have any plastic bags (at the risk of sounding pretentious I use reusable grocery bags). Of course some cold weather shoes are designed to fix that but with winter more than halfway over I'd rather not buy them yet.

Has anyone tried gore-tex socks?


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

One possibility as to why your feet were getting colder as the ride progressed, aside from the cold temps, is they were sweating. Now, you don't need to have damp socks or feel wet feet for a microclimate to form next to your skin, and moisture in the form of vapor pulling heat from your feet.

Try my earlier suggestion of antiperspirant or talc on your feet, both tops and bottoms. The plastic shopping bags may work but experiment with the bags INSIDE vs. OUTSIDE of the shoe but underneath the bootie.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Fajita Dave said:


> This route was mostly downhill for the last half which is when my feet got extremely cold at a quicker rate. I think wind is my manor issue even with the neoprene booties. I guess they aren't thick enough to block all of the air flow.
> Has anyone tried gore-tex socks?


I would say the fact that the route is mostly downhill for the 2nd half is a large contributor. But not as much because of wind as because you are not exerting yourself going downhill, so there is less blood circulation.


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## jaggrin (Feb 18, 2011)

For colder temps below 35 I wear regular cycling socks, plastic grocery store bag over those then woolly socks. I wear neoprene booties over my shoes. If its super cold and/or very windy I will put toe covers on the shoes before putting on the neoprene booties.


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## Fajita Dave (Dec 1, 2015)

jaggrin said:


> For colder temps below 35 I wear regular cycling socks, plastic grocery store bag over those then woolly socks. I wear neoprene booties over my shoes. If its super cold and/or very windy I will put toe covers on the shoes before putting on the neoprene booties.


The toe covers under my neoprene booties is a great idea for me to try. I did get some yak tracks insoles to put in my shoes. They have 2 layers of felt and a coating that reflects heat back into your foot. Only rode for 45mins in 20 degrees with them so far but my feet were definitely warmer for the time exposed compared to without the new insoles.


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