What winter boots?

vorsprung

Currently I have some pretty useless Specialized Defrosters and some Shimano MT60 shoes that are good with overshoes. In the past I've had Northwave Celcius (or whatever the MTB version is called) I favour MTB boots for winter riding and use MTB spds all year round

My latest purchase is some Sidi Diablo goretex winter boots they are pretty nice but size up small

Anyone else with new boots for the winter?

ride_whenever

I'm lusting after the 45NRTH ones, but uk distributor is out of stock:

derosa

Shimano Gore-Tex Boots - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=66829

maddog 2

NW Celcius Artic here, with woolie boolies. Good down to 0deg.

Guglielmo

Those 45NRTH look amazing! How do they ride?

I'm using NW farenheits and they are great, couldn't ride in the cold without em!

kilo

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose ... aid:589868

used them in the snow over the weekend, both days over four hours out and about and saturday involved a lot of standing around fixing punctures on the wife's bike. Warm and completely waterproof. I've got some of the northwave road boots and reckon these are better

smidsy

What about for people with SPD-SL cleats? These all seem to be SPD.

prawny

Summer shoes with BBB hardwear or whatever they're call overshoes. If its really cold I've got some Belgian booties for under the overshoes. Good enough for an hour or two around freezing. My feet go numb after a bit whatever the temp, I really need some decent footbeds, I had some shimano goretex boots a couple of years ago and my feet were still freezing after about an hour.

luv2ride

+1 for the Northwave Celsius winter road boots, paired up with Woolie Boolie socks. I went a size up from normal so have wriggle room for toes, even with a thin second pair of socks when v. cold. These have been a revelation since getting them last year in an Xmas sale, great shoes and scrub up well too after getting covered in road spray.

Also have some Spesh Defrosters on the MTB and like those too, although not quite as warm as the Celsius...

jibberjim

smidsy wrote:

What about for people with SPD-SL cleats? These all seem to be SPD.

I have some gaerne winter SPD-SL boots, no over shoes, no liner socks, no woolie boolies, just midweight wool socks have had me happy at 2degrees and wet. Add those things which still left me with cold but bearable feet at the same temp with regular shoes and I'm sure it takes me down to well below anything I'm willing to ride in.

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a83663 ... =GBP&cn=gb

I got 'em in their advent sale for just under 100, and I'd say they're well worth having as the only winter shoe. They were a little warm when I was caught out by the very mild weather just before christmas, but it was about 15 degrees and sunny so I can forgive that.

Monty Dog

My Sidi Diablos have seen 5hr plus rides at minus 10 degrees - sizing is crucial for winter boots, too tight restricts the bloodflow. Lake do the MXZ302 boot which is popular in the northern climes.

ddraver

Honest answer having tried a few winter boots - Just by some cheap summer shoes a size bigger (DHB or similar, but one that DOESNT have holes in the soles) then get some thick seal skin socks and some good liners.

In the UK when winter = wet, the boots will fill up with water soon enough anyway (the socks help by coming further up your leg so you can tuck it well under your tights). The boots don't last for ever and cost 150 whereas the socks cost 30

Winter boots are just not worth the money IMO

Guglielmo

Disagree with above, winter boots work and I consider them essential for cold riding. They are better insulated and better sealed from wind and water. If you make sure your legwear covers the top and ankle of your boots you will keep them dryer for longer.

They are dear though!

ddraver

Seal Skin Socks are better again though...and only cost 30 quid

rolf_f

ddraver wrote:

Honest answer having tried a few winter boots - Just by some cheap summer shoes a size bigger (DHB or similar, but one that DOESNT have holes in the soles) then get some thick seal skin socks and some good liners.

In the UK when winter = wet, the boots will fill up with water soon enough anyway (the socks help by coming further up your leg so you can tuck it well under your tights). The boots don't last for ever and cost 150 whereas the socks cost 30

Winter boots are just not worth the money IMO

Do you speak for those of us who have poor circulation in our toes?

I can categorically assure you that cheap summer shoes a size bigger will not substitute for boots - with or without Woolie Boolies/Sealskins socks and or overshoes. Be grateful that your circulation is good but please don't advise people to end up with freezing toes!

As for winter = wet. Do you speak for those of us who live East of the Pennines where there isn't actually that much rain and winter really = cold?

rolf_f

ride_whenever wrote:

I'm lusting after the 45NRTH ones, but uk distributor is out of stock:

Why would you last after winter boots that appear to be named after a latitude to the South of where we are?

ddraver

Wow Rolf you ve got a high opinion of yourself today!

Yes I know what cold toes feel like - it's what prompted me to buy winterboots in the first place. Do you know what stopped me? Wearing a mate's pair of Seal Skin Socks and not having cold toes. I'm struggling to think what the difference between a boot with a "Seal Skin Sock" sewn into the boot and a separate sock and shoe is really....

Now I admit I ve not tried anything as beefy as those 45Nrth ones - they look like they'd do the job, But your standard Shimano/SIDI/Northwave ones - Nah, useless and expensive (Do Italians even know what winter cycling is?)

I will concede that the sock/cheap shoe option is easier for MTBers as you can get a different style of shoe as the "winter shoe". For example, I got some of these - http://www.mavic.com/en/product/footwea ... -XL#326518 - as I can use them for days in the mountains where it's likely there'll be a bit of walking/clambering around stuff when having super stiff racing soles is not desirable (I know I did nt do well with the cheap part either, but I ve still only spent as much as a winterboot so...)

Road shoes are worse still as so many of them are designed to keep you feet cool! So you need to be careful when buying.

iPete

Used my winter boots once this year, have gone back to overshoes and added better mud guards. Don't see the point in them anymore, heavy, clunky & no better.

careful

I find the Shimano RW80 are very good down to about 1 to 2deg. So for most winter rides they keep my feet warm and dry. They last ages and if fitted with the SPD 'outrigger' cleat conversion they are easy to walk in for those who prefer to use SPD cleats in winter. However, they arent super warm. Certainly not warm enough for me at zero or below, even with Woolie Bully merino socks. Those sub zero conditions dont usually last that long here in SW England though, so I am happy to wear overshoes over the boots on those days. Not that much hassle just for a week or two each year; warmth, waterproofing, salt slush etc are then totally sorted.

nferrar

On the road I use the Mavic Frosts, they're aren't particularly warm or comfortable though (I didn't expect them to be very warm though, part of the reason I got them was just for wet/mild days, like most of last year...). With a decent merino sock and thin overshoes over the top they were fine down to just above freezing though and I'm not planning to ride in temps lower than that due to ice. Comfort-wise they're not a patch on my Spesh s-works summer shoes or MTB winter boots.
On the MTB I use Northwave Celsius Arctics, usually with knee-length sealskinz (and if it's sub-zero than a thin merino liner sock as well). Very comfy and warm and the sole is stiff enough that I don't get hotspots - although I use Speedplay pedals on the road I'd be fine with swapping to these + SPDs for winter road riding if I didn't already have the Mavics

As for Sealskinz + summer shoes? Doesn't work great IME, especially with very ventilated shoes. Even if you tape them up sealskinz aren't particularly warm socks so you need a liner and your normal summer shoes shouldn't have enough room in them to use that thick a sock layer. I found I needed to use a neoprene overshoe as well but didn't like finishing a ride with the shoes soaked through as a result, I'd prefer not to trash my normal road shoes if I can help it.

rolf_f

ddraver wrote:

Wow Rolf you ve got a high opinion of yourself today!

Yes I know what cold toes feel like - it's what prompted me to buy winterboots in the first place. Do you know what stopped me? Wearing a mate's pair of Seal Skin Socks and not having cold toes. I'm struggling to think what the difference between a boot with a "Seal Skin Sock" sewn into the boot and a separate sock and shoe is really....

Oooh, do you think? Normally I'm too insecure to have a high opinion of myself - I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing!

I do speak from experience. Today, it wasn't that cold. Minus 4 according to the GPS. My feet were cold. This was wearing wool walking socks (though I also variously use Woolie Boolies or Sealskins - doesn't seem to make much difference which), Northwave Celcius boots and BBB Ultraflex overshoes. I got in after an hour and 10 with cold feet. Not painfully cold but hardly ideal. Luckily it hasn't got that cold this winter yet so I'm not suffering badly. Bike has full SKS mudguards but it was only damp on the road surface anyway.

So, to actually get less warm shoes instead of the Northwaves is pretty unlikely to result in warm feet for me and I don't think my circulation is uncommonly bad.

As for normal shoes - if only I could find some Northwaves that weren't half made of mesh! My Vertigos give me cold feet in summer!

ddraver

less warm shoes - but with warmer socks...I agree that if you re talking well below zero then you need something proper specialist like thems 45Nrths

Whatever, we re now arguing about shoes, this should be reserved for women in New York and Minolo Choos or whathaveyou...

rolf_f

ddraver wrote:

less warm shoes - but with warmer socks...I agree that if you re talking well below zero then you need something proper specialist like thems 45Nrths

Whatever, we re now arguing about shoes, this should be reserved for women in New York and Minolo Choos or whathaveyou...

No, we are arguing about boots - surely that's OK isn't it?

flynnpa

Northwave Fahrenheit GTX Winter Road Shoes have revolutionised winter riding for me. The Fahrenheit are for road cleats and will take a SPD-SL and another rod cleat. The Celsius will take a MTB SPD cleat. Got mine second hand off ebay - otherwise it's c £120.

Guglielmo

flynnpa wrote:

Northwave Fahrenheit GTX Winter Road Shoes have revolutionised winter riding for me. The Fahrenheit are for road cleats and will take a SPD-SL and another rod cleat. The Celsius will take a MTB SPD cleat. Got mine second hand off ebay - otherwise it's c £120.

Deffo.

And they are absolutely warmer than shoes/overshoes etc... an example being my feet were way warmer in the NW's than in my Waterproof Rockport Leather walking boots (same day, same socks etc).