Sidi Winter Freeze shoes -- opinions?

[KathiCville]

Hi.........I found Sidi Winter Freeze shoes for a pretty good price at Nashbar over the weekend (sale price plus a 20% off coupon = @$100 versus the retail price of $229). I went ahead and ordered them in a couple of sizes while they're still in stock. (Return one; keep one).........

Here's the link (not that there's much info):
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...All%20Products

Anybody have this particular model? If so, what do you think of them? I've read mixed reviews about how warm they really are. (Which might be why they're on sale??).....I'll probably send 'em back if the reviews are mostly negative....Both sizes I ordered are larger than what I would normally wear, so I'll have plenty of room for socks and circulation.

I mainly ride a road bike. Planning to ride through the winter if I can keep my toes and hands warm enough. I've got plenty of gloves at this point, plus SmartWool socks and a Goretex "sock" liner. And I bought a few of the hand and toe chemical warmers yesterday to try out. (Can you tell that I have a horror of cold, LOL!?) ...................Thanks!

[Velobambina]

I have the Sidi Diablos (MTB winter boot/shoes).

The good news: they are warmer than using regular cycling shoes w/whatever other layering you do (shoe covers, wool socks, chem toe warmers, etc). They aren't the holy grail of feet comfort but they help a lot. If you ride a lot in colder weather, they are worth the investment.

A tip--size up. I usually wear a 40.5 in ladies Sidis and I went w/a 41 in the Diablos. Gives me room for thicker socks and to allow the air to circulate

My rule of thumb is:

50 degrees and above, I can make do w/regular Sidis and if necessary, wool socks, toe covers.
Under 49 degrees, Diablos with wool socks & toe covers.
Under 45 degrees, Diablos w/wool socks, toe covers, shoe covers.
Under 35 degrees, Diablos w/wool socks, toe & shoe covers, chemical toe warmers.

I'm hoping that the Sidi heated insoles that Santa is bringing lessens my reliance on chemical toe warmers.

Ironically, the Lake winter shoes seem to work equally as well as the Sidis and were almost $200 cheaper than my Diablos. I got a pair of the Lakes on sale--excellent deal--in Fall '06. Toe/Shoe covers will NOT work w/the MTB style of Lake winter shoe/boot. The only downside of them is they are a bit clunky. Think Herman Munster. That said, no problems riding in them. Walking is fine, too, but you won't be able to go far and you might have the urge to scream, "LILY!" LOL. I've found these boots to be my go-to "cold & wet" weather gear., but they work well on dry/cold days too. Thank you, SheFly, for recommending them to me last year.

[ccnyc]

I have these. This is my second or third winter (can't remember) with them. The new Sidi boots have Gore-Tex and neoprene and are over $300 I think and look like they might offer more protection and warmth.

These boots do work for me. I usually wear 42.5 in Sidi shoes and I got a 43 so I can wear one pair of heavy socks and one thin pair of socks. Still plenty of toe wiggle room and air circulation. I can also fit a chemical toe warmer in there too. Because of the higher top it really keeps the cold air out of the shoe. I ride in temps down to 30 degrees and my toes still get a little icy at the lower end of the temp range. HTH.

Carol

[KathiCville]

Thanks, Velobambina and Carol! The shoes should arrive later in the week, so I'll be able to try on the two sizes with various combos of socks, etc. My BF thinks I got a very good deal (as long as at least one of the two pairs fits, of course!).

The "winter" Sidi model to avoid, apparently, is the Storm shoe, which doesn't have much in the way of insulation. The Freeze has a fleece lining. I read a bunch of reviews yesterday on various biking forums, and no one had anything positive to say about the Storm model. Thoughts about the Freeze were mixed. I'm glad to hear that Carol likes hers.

If I get *really* serious about riding through the winter, I might look into the Lakes. (I love the Herman Munster image! ) I guess you can probably get good deals on those off-season?

Velobambina, I lived in Arlington for about 17 years, near Virginia Square..........Used to ride the W&OD years ago before I moved to Central VA. Also, the C&O Canal. And put in lots of miles on the beautiful roads out around Middleburg (VA) and up around Poolesville (MD).

[Velobambina]

NO way! I live in the Waverly Hills section of Arlington, just north of Ballston. My house is about a mile from where you lived and I frequently pass through your old stomping grounds (I love being able to ditch the car on weekends and walk everywhere or take metro. If it weren't for my job, I'd sell my car).

I can access the Custis Trail from my neighborhood and from there, hit just about any local trail (W&OD, Mt. Vernon, C&O, etc).

I LOVE Arlington because it's such a bike-friendly, pedestrian-friendly, and dog-friendly community.

BTW, let us know how the shoes work out.

[Natasha]

I have had a pair of the Lake winter boots for the past 4 years. For really cold weather I have Hotronics heated insoles in them. I have been able to ride all through a Minnesota winter with this combination and have toasty warm toes. I checked out the Sidi, Northwave and Gaerny winter boots and the Lakes came out on top. I normally wear 38 and went with a size 40 to accomodate thicker socks and the heated insoles. I agree, they are heavy, especially with the battery for the heated insoles attached to them.