# Cold Feet



## wyno70 (30 Nov 2008)

Tips please!!!

I've been out today for about 3 hours on my road bike. I thought I had all my gear sorted but apparently not!

All fine, except my feet which were painfully cold about half way in and blocks of ice by the time I got home. Now, it was exceptionally cold today and I thought, socks, shoes and an Endura pair of neoprene overshoes would keep me warm but nowhere near!

Obviously a second paid of socks isn't an option as I wouldn't be able to get my shoes on. When I got home, my socks were relatively dry (other than sweat), so it wasn't that the rain had got through!

What do other people do to keep their feet warm on days like today?? I'd be very grateful for any tips please.............


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## Dave5N (30 Nov 2008)

Polythene bags!


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## alecstilleyedye (30 Nov 2008)

i had two pairs of cycling socks on yesterday which, combined with aldi's overshoes, kept my feet warm for 40 miles. maybe try two pairs of thinner socks…


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## Noodley (30 Nov 2008)

wyno70 said:


> What do other people do to keep their feet warm on days like today?? I'd be very grateful for any tips please.............



I stayed in bed. Lovely toasty feet 

But had I been out on my bike I would have been wearing much the same as you did. With the exception of an additional pair of thin thermal liner socks.


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## Bollo (30 Nov 2008)

How well do your shoes fit? My feet aren't particularly big but they are shaped like flippers, so most shoes are just a little tight around the toes. This isn't normally a problem, but I do notice that my toes chill up quickly on really cold days. The only time I didn't suffer from this was when I had a pair of Pearl Izumi shoes that were super-wide in the toe-box but unfortunately sh1te in most other respects.


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## Tynan (30 Nov 2008)

Winter shoes I assume?

I suffer from toes, I've started wearing some Palshey? socks that are are half merino, they're noticeably better than the woolyboolies I used before in Winter


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## BentMikey (30 Nov 2008)

Get some proper winter boots. Overshoes help, but aren't nearly as good as toasty warm winter boots. Oh, and also put some effort into keeping your core warm - super woolly hat, plenty of warm layers.

I have some Shimano RW01 boots:
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/item10411.htm


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## alicat (1 Dec 2008)

The latest edition of Cylce recommends running alongside the bike for a few hundred metres to revive the circulation in your feet. I haven't tried it yet since I have enough trouble keeping up with the club while I am on the bike!


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## numbnuts (1 Dec 2008)

make sure your shoes are not too tight with two pairs of socks


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## Auntie Helen (1 Dec 2008)

I had exactly the same problem on the Beautiful South Cycle Ride on Saturday. All of me was toasty warm except my feet which were encased in two pairs of socks, SPD shoes and Altura overshoes. My SPD shoes are fairly large so there's room for two pairs of socks but my feet were still so cold. I think the cold comes up through the sole where the cleat is affixed (riding a recumbent the angle of my feet is different than on a normal bike). I wish I could work out what to do to make my feet warm, short of staying in bed!


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## Dormouse (1 Dec 2008)

Wooly hiking socks + Specialized Defrosters + neoprene overshoes are what I use but my toes are not exactly toasty.


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## Steve Austin (2 Dec 2008)

Woolly socks make a big difference. 

If your feet are getting cold and you are using overshoes woolly socks etc, then it could be that your shoes are too small. Circulation problems will only be exacerbated by tight shoes and leave you with freezing cold feet.
In the middle of the winter when its really cold, i spend a few minutes making sure my feet are warm before i go out. Easier to keep warm, than try to wamr up which works for me.


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## jimboalee (2 Dec 2008)

Go out and buy a Thinsulate wooly hat...

Cut the lining out, cut it into two pieces and wrap each half around your toes before putting your socks on.


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## Nik (2 Dec 2008)

wyno70 said:


> Tips please!!!
> 
> I've been out today for about 3 hours on my road bike. I thought I had all my gear sorted but apparently not!
> 
> ...



The same here. 
I've been out today on my bike for 3,5 hours and on the way back my feet were absolutely freezing , i had two pairs of thin woolen socks on, but obviousely it was not enough to keep feet warm for so long time. I took hot shower afterwards and my feet were stinging painfully. I think the best decision could be the proper winter boots only.


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## wyno70 (2 Dec 2008)

Yep, I'm thinking winter boots might be the only solution!


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## marinyork (2 Dec 2008)

My feet have been getting cold on late night loops, sometimes there isn't even frost out there and they get a bit cold. Been looking at these overshoes.


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## RSV_Ecosse (2 Dec 2008)

Overshoes can really help.

I was using the Aldi ones up until I got a pair of Pro Tarmac H2O overshoes a few weeks ago :-







Roasty toasty. And that's just over a pair of Shimano RO99's which are not exactly what you would class as Winter shoes by an means.

Highly recommend the Pro Tarmac's.


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## LondonCommuter (3 Dec 2008)

Winter boots are good. Northwave Fahrenheit/Celsius + merino socks work well for me though on days like today my feet are starting to get cold towards the end of my 50minute ride


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## craigwend (4 Dec 2008)

Warm your socks (easier) & shoes before you go out?


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## Abitrary (4 Dec 2008)

Sealskinz thermal socks. You can get waterproof ones as well and kill 2 birds with one stone. 

They are quite bulky though, and can cut off your circulation a bit with tight road shoes.


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## Keith Oates (4 Dec 2008)

I've tried many different ways to keep the feet warm but have yet to find one that is good for more than about an hour on really cold days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## jimboalee (4 Dec 2008)

Please read again my earlier post.


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## bikie (4 Dec 2008)

I too have a problem keeping my feet and lower legs warm, I sometimes have to get off and walk up a hill just too get the blood circulating around everywhere below my knees, it doesn't matter how many pairs of socks I wear. The best thing I have used are the disposable feet warmers but they are a bit uncomfortable in your shoe. Has anyone used the battery heated insoles and are they any good?


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## Auntie Helen (26 Dec 2008)

I've been struggling with cold feet - even when wearing 2 pairs of socks, my SPD shoes and Altura Night Vision overshoes. Santa brought me Shimano MT90 boots which made things MUCH better on my ride today. Although my feet were still a bit cold, they were the same level of cold as they used to be with the overshoes on, and I hadn't used the overshoes (which I could add for long, cold rides).

I think the design of the MT90s is much better as there's no direct access to the SPD mounting plate from inside the shoe - it's bolted in place in the sole. With the old shoes it seemed irrelevant how many layers you put on as your foot was always just a thin insole away from the metal mounting plate, to which is screwed the cleat, which is clipped to the metal pedal, which is at the front of the recumbent trike and heading into wind. Clipping my feet to cold bits of metal seemed a bad idea - you may find getting similar shoes might help!


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## Dave5N (26 Dec 2008)

Blimey, I told you already. Polythene bags between the shoe and overshoe.

If you're rich, use clingfilm over your shoe before you put the overshoes on.


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## Angelfishsolo (27 Dec 2008)

Same problem on a Boxing Day 40 miler. I found that the cold radiated from the cleats. I had two pairs of medium thickness socks on but my feet were still blocks of ice. Still thoughts of a bowl of hot water was a great help


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## wyno70 (27 Dec 2008)

Okay, thanks for the suggestions, I've tried all of the above (platic bags, thermal socks etc etc etc) but only really cold days, nothing seems to really work on rids of more than a couple of hours.

I did find that decent wool socks (woolly boollies) and plastic bags inside the over shoe did improve things a bit but after a couple of hours the cold still kicks in.

As such, I've decided I have 2 choices, either put up with it, or get some winter shoes. At the moment, I'm putting up with it!!!!


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## andrew_s (27 Dec 2008)

Winter boots are best.

The troubles with trying to use your normal shoes are:-
a) they will probably have pretty open weave material above the toe that let the draught in and the warm air out.
 they are generally a close fit to suit thin summer socks. If you try and cram thick socks in you just end up restricting the circulation to your feet and making bad worse.
c) stiff soles and the consequent lack of movement of the foot doesn't help.

The best you can do is to use medium thickness wool socks and neoprene overshoes, and to wear your shoes relatively loosely. 

Walking for a bit to get the blood flowing does make quite a lot of difference if things get too bad.
One time when I was working in the Antarctic, two of us skied the 10 miles back to base in about -30. I was using XC skis, with flexible boots that were just a single layer of leather, the other chap used mountaineering skis and rigid double plastic boots. I was fine, he got frostbite to the tune of his big toe turning black.


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## Randochap (27 Dec 2008)

Use neoprene booties






and a pair of nylon shells over those.






Toasty!

If you add a pair of Sealskins inside a (loose-fitting) shoe, you would be OK in Canada ... unless all your blood circulation is somewhere else.


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## HeartAttack (27 Dec 2008)

I did 4 hours today, starting out it was -2, at 12 noon it had risen to 0 which was the highest my Polar recorded (and thats normally within 1 degree of what a reg thermometer says), and my feet were warm in fact maybe a tad too warm.

All I used were some Black Mountain walking boot socks, pure wool and topped with Northwave's goretex road shoe (link) I have to say with reg cycling socks these shoes are perfect for down to about 0, below this better socks make life sweet, though even with thin socks my feet never get that chilly.

One point I will mention, I got the shoes 1 size bigger than normal, this allows me to wear thick socks and I also have an air gap which adds to warmth, they don't slide around on my feet even being larger, though I can feel they are slightly oversize if that makes sense, oh and so far they have not let water in either, but do put leggings over the outside if wet so rain doesn't run down the ankle and inside.


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## punkypossum (27 Dec 2008)

Has anybody tried these: 

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-LUC-ACC.htm

They look like they would keep you warm in the artic, just wondering if they would be too bulky for my shoes... My toes went completely numb today, they were so cold!


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## Euan Uzami (31 Dec 2008)

i might try
these: http://parker-international.co.uk/6282/Elite-Ozone-Heat-Mate--Foot---Warmer-.html


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## Angelfishsolo (31 Dec 2008)

I have just bought three pairs of Karrimor walking socks for £5 (from Asdas). First impressions are that they will be great as a second sock. They are a lot thinner than the walking / hiking socks of old and thus will fit over another sock without making my feet unable to fit my shoes. Will try them out later and let you know.


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## DaveP (31 Dec 2008)

Wyno...

For the past two winter seasons I have used technical ski socks combined with Neoprene over shoes and had minimal problems even when very cold…
In saying that I am one of those who are fortunate enough not to suffer with cold extremities…

Good luck….


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## roadiewill (1 Jan 2009)

I use endura thermolite socks and endura neoprene overshoes which have kept most of the cold out, apart from days when its about -3
I find that before you leave the house, make sure all your gear is on (gloves, overshoes etc) and you get quite warm before going out. I used to just chuck all my gear on and dash out, but with no chance to create a warm layer of air around the body, I got cold prety quickly.

If you find your extremities getting cold during a ride, stop and do some stretches do increase the blood blow to that region.


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