First 200k Report

[snowtulip]

Wow, great job Nanci! I have no advice, but thanks for being an inspiration. I look forward to hearing about your next brevet!

[tattiefritter]

Nanci, first of all congratulations on that ride, I've been out for over 10 hours on an offroad ride with the headwind from hell (and freezing painful feet), I know how you feel.

Secondly, regarding your shoes, are they summer shoes? Are you squeezing extra socks into them for cold riding? The reason I ask is that you mention that your toes started to warm up when you took your shoes off - this used to happen to me (on the ride above in particular - my feet took hours to warm up) as basically my boots were far too small. I used to own a pair of Shimano winter boots (not gore tex) which I bought a size up from normal as Shimano shoes are notoriously small, however it was not enough to take my winter socks as they are quite thick (Sealskins merino waterproof socks), or any socks actually they were just too tight. After an hour my feet would just freeze as the circulation was being cut off. They were not cheap boots so I persevered for a while but eventually I called it a day on them and bought another pair.

I went for the new version of the Shimano boot which is Gore Tex lined as UK winter offroad conditions are generally wet, windy, wet, muddy, wet, cold, wet (did I mention wet). I spent quite a bit of time getting the correct size which in the end was 2 sizes above my usual by UK/Euro sizing but the same as normal in US sizing! The difference is unbelievable, I now have warm feet when riding, something I never thought was possible, this is due to the fact that the boots fit with my winter socks on and also the Gore Tex in particular shielding my toes from wind.

I do have some neoprene full overshoes for commuting which are warm but on cold days I can really feel the wind through them, if I was out on the roads for over an hour at this time of year I would be wearing my gore tex boots - no question.

[CorsairMac]

another thought I had for you Nanci regarding your cold feet: were you moving them around inside your shoes?? My commute this morning was in a headwind with 14 degree windchill and my toes got cold until I remembered to move them. I think it was SarahFixinIt (whom we haven't seen in awhile btw) who suggested placing a piece of tape over your cleats on the inside of your shoes to help keep your feet off the metal. I don't have tape over mine but I do notice when I keep my toes moving, they don't seem to get as cold.

[Nanci]

On my feet I am wearing perfectly-fitted Sidi MTB shoes. With regular cycling socks. The shoes for sure aren't too tight, and the velcro isn't too tight, and I have plenty of wiggle room. Which I use. Which works fine for a while, or in slightly warmer weather.

A few weekends ago I wore wool trail running socks, and my feet were nice and toasty, and it happened to get to almost 80 that day, after a start at 45. So I don't think that was a fair test...

I bought a pair of shoe covers, but not PI. They aren't lined or neoprene or anything. They cut the wind a bit, but not enough.

Lise- I think about the lava fields at Kona all the time when I'm in wind! I think, whatever I'm doing, it _can't_ be as bad as that. Or maybe they over-dramatize it for TV...But those people are hot, too. It's different.

I am sick- but I will post about that in a new thread...

Nanci