Freezing Feet - Advice on purchase

loltoride

I had a great weekend up at ranmore common on Sunday and a long overdue workout. Only problem was my feet just where silly cold, found it impossible to warm them up even after going up Box Hill.

I am not sure what to do i.e. do I need new shoes (currently using specialized mtb shoes not current), better socks, new shoes really not sure what to do. I spent 4 hours out yesterday which was an excellent workout but took me about an hour for feet to defrost any advice most appreciated.

Thanks

bails87

I wear Karrimor trail shoes and Sealskinz waterproof socks when it's really cold.
My feet are always warm with this combo, not sure how much of this is down the socks or the shoes though.

One thing that's very important is to not have your shoes too tight, if you really yank on the laces/straps/velcro when you're doing them up then you'll end up cutting the blood supply off. I tend to have my shoes feeling slightly loose, and this seems to keep my feet much warmer.

The Spiderman

Tried lots of sock and overshoe combinations,and am now very happy with Endura MT500 overshoes and my Helly Hansen merino wool socks.

MT500s seem to be the only overshoes that are up to the rigours of mountain biking.

For socks,Defeet Woolie Bollies have a very good reputation.

At some point the ultimate solution is a pair of winter boots but I`mnot riding enough at the moment to justify the expense.

Tried Sealskinz mid light but they were too bulky and restricted circulation making the problem worse,though the new thin versions might be OK.

blister pus

I'm too hot in the Mid-Light version of : http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/cycle-clo ... -sock.html

Plus you can add liners to them. Merino wool liners if you really wanted to go for a boil in the bag effect. Whether you'd get shoes on after is another matter. 8)

cee

I wear the shimano mp56 flats.

I was out yesterday for a 9hour 45 extravaganza in the hills north of Callendar.

Riding through loads of snow, some river crossings, a bit of hike a bike through snow and over ice...so basically...cold right?

I had on my free mbuk socks (the trek branded ones), a pair of sealskinz mid lights, and a really thin goretex over sock (the sealies leak now, but are very warm..)

Feet stayed warm right up until the last 10 miles or so when they started to get chilly (i think it was the wind chill rather than anything else)....

Just make sure to keep your shoes loose enough and that a couple of thin layers are better than one thick un.

Cheers cee.

llamafarmer

Woolie Boolies + neoprene overshoes = warm and dry and clean shoes at the end of it

bannedbiker

I was out yesterday in the snow and ice of dartmoor including carrying my bike thorugh some knee deep bogs (once i'd fallen through the ice top layer). The 3 other guys who were with me were using a mix match of sealskins, overboots, winterboots and were still all bloody freezing. I was toasty warm as i had my twin layer neoprene (wetsuit) socks under my simple vans trainers (done up just tight enough to not loose them in the bog!) and i had legwarmers on underneath my pads. The wetsuit socks are the best idea ever (not even my idea, i stole it from my bro!!)

bails87

bannedbiker wrote:

I(done up just tight enough to not loose them in the bog

cee wrote:

Just make sure to keep your shoes loose enough

Try loosening off your shoes a bit on your next ride. See what difference that makes.

loltoride

Loads of great advice here thanks for that, I where my shoes loose already and only 1 pair of socks as previously was generally wearing 2 pairs I thought that may have been the problem originally.

Although winter boots seem like a good option I don’t think I am also riding enough to warrant getting some. The neoprene overshoes seem a simple solution at the moment any particular type I should be looking. I just looked at eBay and found quite a few at good cost also.

Thanks

gaz047

i use specialized bg shoes with sealskins, which is fine unless the top of the socks become submerged, then the sealskins become excellent water carriers

llamafarmer

The Enduras seem very good and quite a few of my mates use them. I've got a set of Northwaves, which are looking a bit worse for wear (1 year old) and have an annoying habit of slipping over the toe whenever I have to get off and walk.

Endura
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17096

And these look good value too
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=45049

bomberesque

bannedbiker, the trick with sealskins is you can't let water get in the top. Sounds like this happened to your mates and was probably bloody uncomfortable. Once the water is in it's got nowhere to go.

I wear sealskins with merino liners and "summer" MTB shoes (Shimano MT51s iirc). In winter I wear zip ankled winter tights that I do up over the sealskins and if it's *really* bad out I'll put neoprene overshoes on (but I don't like them as they're horrible to get off at the end of the ride). This is enough to stop water flowing down my leg and into the sock. Not sure if it'd be enough for walking through a knee deep bog though.....

bails87

At least with sealskinz, once the water's in, it stays there. Like a wetsuit.

loltoride

Thanks for that info llamafarmer would you use neoprene covers with specialist socks as well?

ride_whenever

Proper winter boots a size larger, and decent merino/sealskinz socks.

Bear in mind that your feet start to swell after about 20-30mins so you need to re-adjust your shoes otherwise you restrict blood flow.

llamafarmer

estevens wrote:

Thanks for that info llamafarmer would you use neoprene covers with specialist socks as well?

Not sure what you mean by specialist socks, I just wear warm socks underneath in winter (Woolie Boolies are awesome), but the neoprene overshoes will help keep your feet warm as well.

You could wear sealskins underneath, but I've never tried it (I reckon it would be too warm) - it probably depends on the conditions you ride in. For me the overshoes keep rain and puddle splashes out, which is what I need, but if you were submerging your feet they'd probably be useless.

ride_whenever

i can attest to merino socks being fine for immersion. When i needed stitches in my knee, and was cycling to the hospital, the field i cycled through was a foot underwater. Feet did not feel cold at all.

loltoride

I don’t think my feet will be going underwater will give that type of riding a miss for now, only rain and puddle splashes I hope.

bannedbiker

bomberesque wrote:

bannedbiker, the trick with sealskins is you can't let water get in the top. Sounds like this happened to your mates and was probably bloody uncomfortable. Once the water is in it's got nowhere to go.

Yeah, the bog was knee hight, so definitely over teh top of the socks...!

I used to use sealskins, and loved them, but found that they never lasted long. guess its must've been something to do with how i washed them or something, but the waterproof liner would always end up getting detached from the cuff and bunching up at the toes! I dont know anyone else who's had this problem, so it must be me!

RichMTB

+1 for the Endura MT500s great overshoes

ashleymp777

+2 for Endura MT500's - wore them for the 1st time yesterday along with a pair of Sealskinz midthermal socks and my feet were lovely and warm. Unlike the rest of the group who couldnt feel their toes after 30min!

loltoride

Looks like it will be the Endura mt500 overshoes, I must be an advert for them Jacket, Gloves now overshoes.

Damn now after all this I think I may as well get some more shoes, so fed up of spending money on bike stuff currently every week. Everyweek I say no more for a month then this.

ashleymp777

You can never buy too much! :-)

loltoride

ashleymp777 wrote:

You can never buy too much! :-)

Tell me about it I am having to hide purchases now as my better half has far too much to say about it and fed up of explaining myself.

llamafarmer

The buying bug is impossible to shake, no matter what stuff you have, there's always at least 8 more things you really need

Tostaryman

Yep - you won't go wrong with Endura MT500's. They are the business (and in this months MBR overshoe test they got a 10/10)

tsenior

i wore my hiking boots and gaiters yesterday, dry, warm and good for when i had to get off and push/carry.

bobpzero

even tho they got 8 out of 10 on mbr because someone whinged they were bit too warm and bit difficult to put on and bit too expensive (unless you had bought them from merlin cycles) sorry :oops: still if you suffer from cold feet pro ventura is greatness imo
pro ventura overshoes

loltoride

Thanks for that Bob although think I may go with the Endura Mt500 they just seem to have excellent reviews everywhere.

loltoride

Just put order in for MT500 I am currently size 7 so have gone for medium, hopefully that will be correct fit.

loltoride

Thanks for the advice on getting the Endura MT500 people, I will not use until Friday but trying them indoors noticed how hot they made my feet immediately so look forward to using them.