Here is a question for the people who have experience with training in cold weather. When I ride in temperatures sub 30F my feet get really cold. I use neoprene booties and thick wool socks. Does anybody have experience with applying embrocation (DZ Inheat for example) to your feet before riding? How about heated insoles, do they work? Is it a problem to use heated insoles with carbon shoes or heat moldable insoles? Can you get insoles that don’t require a battery?
Thanks!
today I rode 3 hrs at 25 degrees F. I put one of those one-time-use hand warmers on top of each of my shoes, then put fleece-lines neoprene shoe covers (Performance brand) over that. No problem with cold feet. You can get the warmers in bulk for pretty cheap (google it).
I’ve also used a polar tec sock over shoes, then the heavy shoe covers over that. That generally works fine for 28 F and above for 2-3 hour rides. Below that temp, and my feet get cold for anything over 90 minutes unless I use the hand/feet warmers.
I tape the ventilation holes on my shoes in the winter and then put some neoprene shoe covers over them with normal cycling socks. That works for me down to about 25F. If it gets colder than that I put on wool socks. It is amazing how much warmth you get by just taping the holes on your shoes.
I ride in any temp. For my feet I use 2layers of socks. Base sock is thin wicking and second slightly heavier wool. Use a cheap hand warmer inside my shoes, on top of my toes. Outside is a set of neoprene boots. Feet stay warm down in -5 deg weather for about 1-2 hours.
Neoprene covers will generally do the trick alone. There will be no air movement through them.
Are the bottoms of your bike shoes vented? If so, you should cover that, perhaps with electrical tape under your insoles.
Stuffing your shoes with thick socks will sometimes ensure they get cold because they remove any warm air pocket that could develop in there and they squeeze your feet diminishing circulation.
But some sort of chemical heat should be helpful.
Thanks for the replies. I have covered the vents. As I mentioned, I use thick neoprene covers and wool socks, I will have cold feet instantly if I use thinner socks. I will try out the one-time-use hand warmers on top of the shoes.
This is probably obvious, but starting out with your shoes warm is a big help. Once in a while my wife puts my shoes on our unheated porch (“it’s not a shoe, it’s bike equipment”) or I leave them in my car overnight and that can be the recipe for a brutal ride if I am out of the chem-warmers.
The thin sock thing causing your feet to freeze quickly seems a little strange if you are using the neoprene covers. I ride with no socks during the summer, so thick socks make my shoes tight enough that they are actually colder.
Here is a question for the people who have experience with training in cold weather. When I ride in temperatures sub 30F my feet get really cold. I use neoprene booties and thick wool socks. Does anybody have experience with applying embrocation (DZ Inheat for example) to your feet before riding? How about heated insoles, do they work? Is it a problem to use heated insoles with carbon shoes or heat moldable insoles? Can you get insoles that don’t require a battery?
Thanks!
thick socks can cause too much pressure on your feet- and actually reduce blood supply (or warmth) to your feet and also cause numbness. so you really need a larger than normal shoe to use thicker socks. put your shoes/covers/socks on indoors where it’s warm. if you drive to start your ride- often your feet get exposed to the cold and stay cold- so think about keeping them warm when you ‘dress’ them.
try this combo- your feet will like it!
purchase grabber foot warmers (i put them on the bottoms of my feet and i don’t realize they are there after a mile or 2).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PDBUOU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001U8M3M4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0DVGQCCP3MD2G4BHNEWQ
a thin, but warm wool sock- such as- defeet woolie boolie
http://www.amazon.com/Defeet-DeFeet-Woolie-Boolie-Charcoal/dp/B001FV85XC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1294029241&sr=8-2
then i will use one or two booties- a thinner form fitting booty and a thicker 2nd booty- lots of cycling makers- you just have to experiment. i personally use this as my first booty (or only booty)-
http://www.amazon.com/Bellwether-2011-Aqua-NO-Cycling-Bootie/dp/B001QKZAD0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1294029495&sr=1-1-spell
and an older (not sold anymore) performance booty
+1 on the thick socks cutting off blood supply.
Cheap option- dog poop bags, directly on your feet. blocks the wind, doesn’t breath at all and keeps your feet warm. Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. I do this in sub 30 degree weather and my feet are fine.
Ya, I second the doggy bag. A plastic produce bag or grocery bag will work too. To learn more about Vapor Barrier Layers and how they work, long distance hiker Andrew Skurka has a great article on them…
http://www.andrewskurka.com/advice/technique/vaporbarrierliners.php
“Cheap option- dog poop bags, directly on your feet.”
That seems pretty unsanitary.
a thinner wool sock might do the trick, i use smartwool brand midweight dress socks. For shoes I bought some real winter riding shoes a few years back, which helps a lot, then I pull a pair of neophreme booties over them. I dress pretty warm head to toe, mittens, elmer fudd hat, big touring jacket, etc. I’m not as fashionable as the other guys, but they always seem colder when it’s 25.
you can get those same hand warmer things for shoes. they are almost flat and go under the ball of your foot. last time i used them (many years ago) they had a sticky side so that you could tape them to the inside of your shoes.
i used to use these in my ski boots and they were brilliant. i found that having warmth under the foot was a lot more effective than having it above the foot. like you, i have almost no circulation to my feet.
and as someone else mentioned starting out with warm shoes also helps a lot.
“Cheap option- dog poop bags, directly on your feet.”
That seems pretty unsanitary.
yeah but have you picked up some fresh dog poop lately? Very warm!!