Cold Feet

[bikerHen]

I just finished a great 28 mile ride in 30 degree weather. By mile 10 my feet were cold, by mile 20 they had no feeling, by mile 28 I called DH to come pick me up. :( It took 15 minutes in a very hot, but oh so wonderful, shower to thaw them out! I recently purchased some neoprene shoe covers but they aren't doing the job. I saw some wind blocking shoe covers and am wondering if they would help. Does anyone have any experience with these products? My other problem is wicking, or lack there of. I had a long sleeve wicking base layer under a wicking jersey, with a windbreaker jacket on top. I stopped for a well deserved hamburger on the way home and while inside unzipped my jacket but didn't take it off. Did that stop the wicking fabric from doing it's thing? I was soaking wet and freezing by the time I was ready to go. Luckily I had a small hill to go up right away so I warmed up fairly quickly. I still had plenty of energy to finish the ride but was just too darn wet and cold. :mad: Bikerhen

[Grog]

Congrats! on your courage to start a ride in this cold weather. Be careful on the ice though!

Feet: I find wool socks to make a big difference. The toe covers help but not as much as the booties for me. When it's extra cold I have the neoprene booties with a more windbreaking bootie over it. Then I'm toasty, but there's always the risk of getting cold if I have to stop.

Top: Taking off the jacket would probably have helped the sweat evaporate instead of staying inside and making you wet and cold. Windbreaking fabric is usually less breathing. However, I still find that I am cold for a few minutes after a stop, even when I am "perfectly" dressed. Having just eaten will make things worse because your blood will be confused: help digestion in the stomach or warm up the extremities?? I just try to hit a hill (or go a bit harder for a few minutes) to warm up after a stop...

When I feel that it's really cold and that I'm not properly dressed... I turn around before it's too late, because if after 5 minutes I'm not feeling better, I will not feel better in 20 minutes.

[Duck on Wheels]

I haven't biked in weather that cold, but I have skied in colder. Wool is one part of the answer. The other is have big enough shoes. You have to be able to move your toes, even with wool socks on! The overbooties for windbreaking will help, but only if the shoes are big enough in the first place and you have wool for an insulating layer. It's entrapped air that keeps you warm, so the space for it and the fibres to trap it have to be there. The bike shoes that fit you in summer will be too tight for winter when you need wool socks. And if your shoes are too tight, your toes will freeze. When they hurt, that's a warning. When they stop hurting you're in real trouble! My son came home from skiing one day with boots half a size too small. His toes were dark blue. We had to take him straight to the hospital for thaw treatment (warm water) under sedation (because it hurts again as your toes thaw). Luckily, the damage was only temporary. Hopefully, he learned.

[annie]

! I recently purchased some neoprene shoe covers but they aren't doing the job. I saw some wind blocking shoe covers and am wondering if they would help. Does anyone have any experience with these products? My other problem is wicking, or lack there of. I had a long sleeve wicking base layer under a wicking jersey, with a windbreaker jacket on top. I stopped for a well deserved hamburger on the way home and while inside unzipped my jacket but didn't take it off. Did that stop the wicking fabric from doing it's thing? I was soaking wet and freezing by the time I was ready to go. Luckily I had a small hill to go up right away so I warmed up fairly quickly. I still had plenty of energy to finish the ride but was just too darn wet and cold. :mad: Bikerhen

Hmmmm, the neoprene shoe covers should do the job of windblock. Are your shoes at all tight? Or did you wear extra thick socks that made the shoes tighter? Too tight shoes will always, always cause feet to freeze. You need to keep every bit of circulation going. Your foot, through the bottom of the shoe, is connected to a cold, metal pedal. It is going to transmit that cold up to your foot eventually, unless you find a way to prevent that. This might sound silly, but what I've done is to put a thin layer of folded aluminum foil, shiny side out, under the insole of my biking shoe, over the area where the cleat is located. I also wear Wooly Bully socks (cushy wool socks) and the neoprene shoe covers. I am able to ride in temps in the 20's without my feet suffering too much. If it's colder than that, I add the chemical toe warmers to the mix. Fortunately, my shoes that I use in the winter are roomy enough to do this.

Wet and cold are the worst!:eek: Generally, I just make it a point not to stop when on a cold ride. No matter what marvel of wicking material I've tried, I still sweat enough to become chilled when stopped. It's just not worth it. So I go out and ride and don't stop till I get home. :rolleyes: Then take off the damp stuff and hop in a warm shower. :D I am NOT as brave or determined as some who do really long miles in the cold. 30-40 miles is more than enough and then I can do it non-stop and keep moving and not get too uncomfortably cold. Maybe not how you want to do it, but it's the best I could come up with. :rolleyes:

annie

[Trek420]

Trust her, she's from Norway. They know from cold. ;) Bikeless, I didn't know this about Bjern (my nephew). I wondered why he's called Bjern-9-toes (just kidding).

Oh the things we learn on this board. :)

[Geonz]

I agree - make sure your blood can *circulate* out to those extremities. It helps me when I pretend I'm in yoga class and "open my chest" to let blood to my hands, and basically flex things a lot and try to talk the blood into getting out there. My left foot got cold after 7 miles at -1 F, but I'm good for 30+ miles if it's over 20 - but I also try not to stop! (It could be that I'm better insulated than most people, though :rolleyes: :rolleyes: - oh, and the genetics are NOrwegian and Celtic and German...)

[DeniseGoldberg]

When I ride in temps in the 20s and 30s, I add toe warmers to the mix. My cycling shoes have just enough room in them for my normal (admittedly lightweight) SmartWool socks plus a toe warmer stuck to the bottom of my feet. I cover my shoes with Pearl Izumi AmFib shoe covers. I suspect that your neoprene covers should provide the same level of insulation. The difference is really the toe warmers.

I get mine from REI - Heat Treat Toe Warmer (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=575&parent_category_rn=4500521&vcat=REI_SEARCH). There are other brands out there too, but these work for me so I haven't looked any further. There is a 20% discount if you buy 10 or more pairs. And since one of my co-workers also insists on riding in cold weather, we usually buy 10 at a time & split them.

--- Denise

[salsabike]

When I ride here in Seattle and the temp's under 40, I wear SmartWool mountaineering socks--the warmest socks REI could show me, since my toes get really cold. Those seem to work, and you can always add the neoprene shoe covers over such socks if you need to--they will also help.

Re wicking layer: I also got this from the women cyclist/employees at REI---Ibex makes great jerseys from fine merino wool; to quote the REI gang precisely, "Wicks great; doesn't stink". They're not cheap but they're well worth it. Before you buy full price from the Ibex website, try Sierra Trading Post--they often have some kind of ibex top on sale at a great price.

[bikerHen]

Thanks for your suggestions! I do wear wool socks, they were the first thing I tried before the neoprene booties. Tight shoes may be something to look at. I am blessed with square feet! Very short and VERY wide, so finding shoes is always a bit of a problem. My shoes fit well with summer weight socks, but maybe the thicker wool IS making them too tight. And I REALLY like the idea of toe warmers!:rolleyes: I think there is a trip to REI in my very near future. As for personal insulation? I'm not even going to go there. :eek: I would love to have some better/warmer/wicking clothes but . . . since I'm still in the plus size catagory my choices are very limited. And the stuff is so expensive I keep putting off buying better clothes on the off chance I REALLY WILL be smaller next winter! BikerHen

PS: DH Just walk by and I said I might need new shoes. He said . . . OK!?! :eek: :D :eek: :D

[DeniseGoldberg]

bikerHen -
I don't know if another discussion of layers would be of any use to you - here's a thread where my answer included a list of the clothes I usually wear when riding in cold weather. And most of my layers are not biking-specific: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=4757

--- Denise

[newfsmith]

The coldest I have actually ridden in was a -4F/-20C air temp, with windchill that made it a -22F/-30C. For that you simply can't wear cleated biking shoes. It is far easier to find leather winter boots with insulation in wider widths than to find wide women's biking shoes anyway. My normal shoe size is a 61/2 W, that day I wore 71/2WW boots with a pair of thin wool liners and a heavier pair of wool socks. After 40 minutes of riding, my toes were starting to get cold, but not the tingling, burning cold. Mini toe clips make this a fairly efficient setup. Good waterproofing helps keep your feet dry from snow. By the way, the same day, wool chopper mitts with leather overmitt kept my fingers equally happy.

[Duck on Wheels]

My shoes fit well with summer weight socks, but maybe the thicker wool IS making them too tight.

PS: DH Just walk by and I said I might need new shoes. He said . . . OK!?! :eek: :D :eek: :D


Yep. I bet it's the shoes. That time Bjørn nearly froze his toes off ... He'd been out in -17C for two days. The first day (up the mountain and put up the tent) went fine because his boots were just big enough for the lightweight wool socks he was wearing. But after a night in a sleeping bag, the socks were damp. So he changed to the spares he'd brought along, which happened to be thicker. Just enough thicker that it made his boots too tight. You gotta have that air space and wiggle room.

P.S. I'm puzzled by some of the acronyms on the site. I think I get some. LBS is local bike shop? DP is domestic partner? But what's DH? domestic husband? as opposed to wild husband? darling husband? darned husband? I guess all might apply depending on context.

[yellow]

Another take on it...I found that my feet sweat so much with all that stuff on that they get soaked...and then get cold because of the ambient temp. But then I am kind of a chronic "overheater". My thermostat doesn't work very well.

Experiment with different combinations and beware of moisture buildup!

[wavedancer]

I wear neoprene shoe covers and big enough shoes that I can wear my thicker Smartwool socks. I found that my feet still got cold from stepping off the bike and the cold radiating up from the cleat. I fixed that by adding a thin insulating insole from a pair of water shoes. Big eough shoes to add insulation seems to be key.

For insulating layers on my body I prefer something with a light power-stretch fleece next to my skin. I seems to do a better job of keepiing the moisture away from my skin. I don't feel as damp and cold when I stop moving.

[sydney_b]

When I ride in temps in the 20s and 30s, I add toe warmers to the mix. My cycling shoes have just enough room in them for my normal (admittedly lightweight) SmartWool socks plus a toe warmer stuck to the bottom of my feet. I cover my shoes with Pearl Izumi AmFib shoe covers. I suspect that your neoprene covers should provide the same level of insulation. The difference is really the toe warmers.


Me too. I bought my shoes a little large so I can put the toe warmers in. With my wool socks, this makes for a very a-ok ride. I also use wind-blocking toe covers on my shoes. This seems to be working very well for me here in the midwest with long riding temps from 20-35 degress F.

My work commute is only about 30 minutes, so I don't use the warmers for that, just the covers.

On top, I start with a wicking long-sleeve underlayer on top of which I use either a light wool sweater or even nothing but my outer jacket. The outer jacket is a Louis Garneau cycling jacket with good venting in the back and highly breathable. I keep raingear in a bag, but don't need it often.

Legs get PI winter weight tights + shorts for the padding. If really cold, I use some Marmot poly pants on top of those. Combo works great. Went for a 2h ride last night with temps ~25 F in comfort.

/s

[bikerHen]

P.S. I'm puzzled by some of the acronyms on the site. I think I get some. LBS is local bike shop? DP is domestic partner? But what's DH? domestic husband? as opposed to wild husband? darling husband? darned husband? I guess all might apply depending on context.


When they say yes to buying new equipment a DH is definitely a darling husband.:D When they say no to another bike they are a darn husband!:mad: But most of the time a DH is a dear husband. :p

I'm trying really hard to not drop everything and go shoe shopping. But I really have enjoyed my cold weather rides and want to continue with them. We still have a good two and a half months of cold weather so I think I'm going to break down and get a better pair of cold weather pants and I'll take all your wonderful suggestions and work on finding the right combo for my top. We aren't getting a lot of snow here these days so the roads are mostly dry. I have to ride my mtb because of all the sand and gravel, but it still beats the trainer! I talked to a fellow on the trail yesterday that was riding a cyclocross bike that looked kinda nice. :rolleyes: But, well, see the first paragraph to see what DH thought of that.:D BikerHen

[CorsairMac]

I have real problems with my feet getting cold Rhode Island Red - so I wear SmartWool heavy socks, SealSkinz Socks (REI) and Neoprene covers when the temps are below 25. I also flex my toes while riding so the cold from the cleat doesn't "seep" in. So far this winter (which has been darn cold for NM), my feet have been fine down to 0 temps.


and Bikeless: yes LBS is Local Bike Shop, DH=downhill or Dear Husband depending on the context - it could also mean other things if that Husband is now an ex. ;)

[Bike Goddess]

I wear wool (Smart Wool) socks year round rain or shine. Covering up the holes in the bottom of your shoes will help as well. Masking tape will work just fine!

Just got some Merino wool underwear from REI- long sleeved top and tank tops (on sale). Have worn the sleeved top under my jersey 3 times now in 35-40 degree weather, in rain showers, and in wind. Works great!

I also bought a Goretex parka at Performance Bike a couple of years ago that I use for cold days. Since Goretex breathes, it helps with condensation. I'm not nearly as wet using this plus my warmest long sleeve jersey and my wool undershirt.

I recommend wool for year round cycling. It's been great for my feet even in 90 degree weather! I'm going to try the long sleeved wool top for the Death Valley century in March. That will be the warm weather test!

[fixedgeargirl]

Lake and Sidi (and maybe others) make insulated winter biking boots. I haven't tried them, since they don't make them small enough :( , but do know they are out there.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Lake and Sidi (and maybe others) make insulated winter biking boots. I haven't tried them, since they don't make them small enough :( , but do know they are out there.

A friend at work just got the Lake winter boots. He was thinking that they would be sufficient without shoe covers and without toe warmers - but the jury is still out. He said they are warmer than his normal cycling shoes, but not as warm as he'd expected.

--- Denise

[bikerHen]

After enjoying the thrill of the hunt for new shoes I finally found a pair. Unfortunetly, not the ones I intended to get. I decided I don't ride enough in the cold to get special shoes just for that. And beside, no one in town had any that fit. The mtb shoes I ride with are really pretty thick and heavy. I did get a pair of wind stopper socks that helped quite a bit on my ride yesterday. Still not perfect, but I'm going to add toe warmers next time and see if that combo works.

What I did get was my first pair of "real" road bike shoes. They are going to be great for warmer weather riding, well ventilated and are a perfect match to my bike. :D And since I've been thinking about upgrading my pedal system, this seemed like the perfect time to do that as well. So I now have new shoes, new pedals and can't wait to try them on the road. :D

[RoadRaven]

I have posted last year sometime in another thread about this

Probably because i am a scrooge, and in NZ we also have this mentality that we can come up with solutions on our own, I have resisted all ways of keeping my feet warm (such as neaoprene booties) and still use plastic bages.

I cut the corners off the ends of bags, slip them over my toes (no bag is visible outside of the shoe) and I find the plastic reduces the wind chill 100% and my toes do not freeze. i do not have to resort to thick uncomfy woollen socks or spend money I am reluctant to anyways...

However, that being said, it snows about once every seven years where I live, and I have never biked in snow or sleet... maybe then I would be getting both neoprene and wool! :p

[SalsaMTB]

You'll be amazed at the difference toe wamers make. I feet used to freeze before I tried them. Since using them, warmth is no longer an issue for me feet! Let us know your experience with them if you give them a try!

[pkq]

Gaerne makes some nice winter cycling shoes. Some riders in Pittsburgh swear by them. They ride year round and try all kinds of stuff.

I wear SmartWool and lighter weight cycling socks with winter shoe covers over the shoes.

Hands are covered with Patagonia glove liners with PI winter gloves. Don't remember the PI model.

Torso covered with tee, thermal top, long sleeved cycling jersey, and old Performance rain jacket that is breathable and vented.

Bottoms covered with padded shorts, tights, and bottoms to Performance rain jacket.

This does just fine in temps down to lower 20's. Chemical warmers work, too. I have found riding the mtb makes staying warmer easier than road riding. You are going slower thus have less air flow to remove body heat especially from extremities.

When you go inside, you really want to delayer to prevent your clothing from getting too wet with sweat.

Glad to read you are riding in cold weather. It is invigorating.