[rodar y rodar]

I bought a clip-in setup about a month ago and the biggest problem I`m having is that my feet absolutely freeze in the shoes. I`ve seen those neoprene "booties" that look like the would disintegrate in the first ten steps or so and I don`t want to shell out $20 for something so flimsy, so I tried making my own heavy dootie booties. I found a pair of galoshes and went at them with scisors, a steak knife, and a razor blade and ended up with one rubber cover like a slipper with a gaping hole in the sole. Since it took a lot more time than I had anticipated to do the first one, I put it on one side and took off to do a comparative analysis. Turns out that it was SLIGHTLY warmer than the other foot, but still not even worth modifying the second one even though I`ve already bought it and it`s now pretty much useless. My feet are much warmer riding with my platforms and regular street shoes. Anybody else tried a similar plan? Any success? Do the booties really disintegrate like I was guessing?

 

[craigstr]

Havent tried the booties but...

Performance Bikes sells neoprene socks which work fantastic.

 

[BKnight]

why not just use a pair of hiking socks, smart wool or wool, they keep your feet nice an warm

 

[slomo]

Old-School Vapor Barrier

What we used to do back East where it was not only cold but also wet - one pair of socks, a plastic bag and another pair of socks to hold it in place. Cheap and it works. Use your old shopping bags if you want to just cut down on wind or used freezer storage bags if you want more water proof. Sounds dumb but it worked....

 

[mattbikeboy]

For mountain biking I use a pair of long wool ski socks (thin to fit in my shoes). For road I use Smart Wool socks, neoprene toe warmers and I place a thin sheet of card board between my insole and the carbon sole to insulate and cover the vents.

I've used thick wool hiking socks -but they feel pretty bulky and aren't as comfy.

mbb

 

[rodar y rodar]

I think I found the solution. When I went to check on the neoprene socks at Performance, I saw they also offer the neoprene booties with rubber soles for $20. Checking around a little more, I see that similar products are available through other stores, but for a lot more money. I would have gone with just wearing warmer socks, but I didn`t think about that when I tried on shoes, so any thicker than what I already wear would start getting tight and defeat the purpose (bad circulation= cold extremeties). Thanks for the replies- I`ll file a full report when I try out the Rubber Soul booties and maybe a report on Abbey Road booties.

Edit: Slomo, that`s what I do when I ski. It works great even with my old leather telemark boots. No plastic shoes for me! They`re even lace-ups.

 

[rodar y rodar]

Dagnabbit! They`re too small. The booties arrived and I ordered a size bigger than my shoes just to avoid any problems, but I guess they need to be bigger still. I`ll definitely exchange them for a bigger pair because it looks like a really nice product. Good buy for $20 and still not bad after another $7 in shipping. If anyone else orders, I suggest requesting two sizes bigger than your shoes. It`s warmed up a lot here and I doubt it`ll get that cold again, but I`ll be ready next year.

 

[BikeNerd2453]

Personally, I LOVE my Sidi Toasters. They're heating insoles you stick in your regular cycling shoes, http://sidiusa.com/winter.html#a. They have a little remote control that turns them on or off, and they are self-regulating, so they get to 100 degrees, and try to keep your foot about that temp.
They do a great job of keeping the bottom front of my foot warm, but the vents in my shoes that are so great in the summer suck when it comes to keeping air out. So the top/front of my foot generally gets really, really cold. Some nice shoe covers are needed, just haven't gotten around to it yet. This works better on the road, as you're not really walking in them.

BN

 

[rodar y rodar]

Looks nice BikeNerd, although I don`t ride enough that I`d be able to justify spending that much on the issue. Do they have a battery pack that you keep in your pocket or on your belt? I see they also offer "indoor cycling shoes" on the same page. Wonder what that`s about- clipins for stationary bikes?

 

[BikeNerd2453]

Looks nice BikeNerd, although I don`t ride enough that I`d be able to justify spending that much on the issue. Do they have a battery pack that you keep in your pocket or on your belt? I see they also offer "indoor cycling shoes" on the same page. Wonder what that`s about- clipins for stationary bikes?

They're actually built into the heel, same kinda tech as a cell phone, about a 6 hour burn time. They are spendy, but if you're riding a lot in the winter, it'll save you the cost of a new pair of shoes too.
Indoor cycling I think means like Spinning class kinda stuff. The sole won't make floors, and is a little softer than MTB shoe soles.

BN