How do you keep fingers and toes warm ?
1964johnr
Posts: 179
Only 3 degrees on my 40 mile ride through Surrey today. Winter gloves with another pair of thick insulate gloves over them as well as a pair of thin cycling socks with a pair of ordinary thick woolen socks over them. It took me 45 minutes to get my fingers and toes warm by moving them around constantly, but that didn't last long and the last 45 minutes of my ride was painfull.
0
Comments
-
If you are doing 40 miles in 90 mins your feet and fingers are getting cold because you are going too fast, it’s the wind chill effect.1964johnr wrote:Only 3 degrees on my 40 mile ride through Surrey today. Winter gloves with another pair of thick insulate gloves over them as well as a pair of thin cycling socks with a pair of ordinary thick woolen socks over them. It took me 45 minutes to get my fingers and toes warm by moving them around constantly, but that didn't last long and the last 45 minutes of my ride was painfull.
Have you tried overshoes.0 -
I have the same problem with my feet. I asked the question on this forum and got a lot of informative replies. I bought some Woolie boolies but haven’t been out yet due to work commitments. I would suggest over shoes as well.
Link attached
viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=131019700 -
Fingers - A pair of Lobster gloves with a liner glove underneath if it really is cold
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/gripgrab-nordic-gloves/
Toes - A pair of Northwave Extreme winter cycling shoes https://www.wiggle.co.uk/northwave-extreme-rr-2-gtx-winter-boots/0 -
We are all different so you'll probably get lots of advice but here's my two penneth.
Whilst I'll set out slightly under-dressed on my legs and body as the riding will generate heat, when it comes to hands and feet I like them to be comfortable from the start.
I use a Rooster liner glove to keep the surface of the skin dry so preventing potential chills from moisture then a lightweight windproof glove down to 3-4c and a weightier wind and waterproof glove for temps below that. I don't like lots of insulation as sweat collects in the gloves.
I have an old pair of road shoes that I've taped the vents on and insulated the insoles. As the temps drop I'll begin with toe covers (dhb) then overshoes (Lusso Windtex) and finally both. Sockwise I use a liner with a merino sock over the top, making sure my feet aren't cramped in the shoes which could be counter-productive.0 -
If you're not wearing overshoes in these temperatures - you can't complain about cold feet...0
-
Winter motorbike gloves, they work at 70mph when not exerting yourself.0
-
Depends on your budget, a pair of quality winter boots will keep you warm but if it rains heavily will fill up with water like a plastic bag but again the boots will keep you feet warm even if they’re wet.
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tes ... oes-354681
Overshoes are fine although not a robust or warm but don’t make your shoes into plastic bags filled with water.
As for gloves, a decent pair of winter gloves will sort you out.
Think about the temperatures you ride in, not many ride in sub zero temperatures with ice on the road and always allow for your operating temperature to stabilise which means expect to be cold for the first 10 minutes.“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”
Desmond Tutu0 -
Extra socks are OK up to a point, but if it makes your shoes too tight, it'll reduce circulation and make things worse. You need a windproof outer layer, as all insulation requires trapped air to act as an insulating barrier. Toe covers and/or overshoes work well for me down to about freezing. You can wear each individually to suit condition, or combine both for extra warmth.
Toe covers are surprisingly affective on their own. They're great for when it's a little too cold for shoes on their own, but they don't make your feet sweat as much as full overshoes in milder conditions. I have these ones, but I'm sure others are perfectly good
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-toe-cover-overshoe/
If it's colder, I wear overshoes. I like these ones as the massive opening on the bottom makes them simple to put on and remove.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/bbb-heavyduty-overshoes/
If it's even colder still, I wear the overshoes over the toe covers. That's not failed my yet, even down to around freezing. Once the temperature gets much colder than that I tend not to cycle.0 -
Disposable hand warmers strapped to the outside of the shoes then neoprene shoe covers.
Trace heating for the toes
Doesn't feel warm, but never feels cold.
Costco do a big box which work out at 26p a ride.0 -
-5 for most of my ride today.
Thick socks
Cycling shoes with all the ventilation holes etc covered with tape.
Over socks (with holes for cleats)
Cheap DHB overshoe covers (windproof)
3 pairs of gloves of which outer pair are windproof and lobster claw style.
Pete0 -
I bought a pair of Planet X Carnac gloves (whatever the warmest ones are called) and so far this year my fingers have been toasty warm commuting at 6am through surrey-london frost. They do get a bit sweaty but I guess that shows how warm they are and they were pretty cheap too.
I bought a pair of proper winter shoes this year too after getting sick of stretching overshoes over chunky mtb spd shoes (and busting the zips on a few pairs).
They're warm to around freezing and I've used them down to around -4 degrees Garmin. I started using the usb heated insoles from my motorbike boots recently and my toes were still warm at -8 degrees Garmin last week.0 -
Don't cram your feet into tight shoes with too thick socks on or that will hinder the circulation.
Also I like to drop it down a gear and spin faster. Seems to warm me up better. Do you have enough on the rest of your body ? If your core is getting cold then yes you will struggle with the extremities.0 -
-
All the above is good advice ^^
Something else to consider - ensuring arms and legs are insulated well - they are the conduit to the hands and feet so keeping them warm will all help.2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner0 -
2-3c on my ride yesterday and my hands and feet stayed warm.
Feet: Woolie Boolies, road shoes with enough room and not done up too tight, cheapo Planet X neoprene overshoes.
Hands: a pair of Chapeau winter gloves; they are windproof, and must have some kind of insulation, but they aren't as bulky as other winter gloves I've tried.
Just looked on their website and they want £40 for their winter gloves :shock: Think I got them when they were half price in the sale...0 -
My commute is around 90 mins as well, and it's been down to -5 on some mornings around here. I have strange extremities, in that my hands in regular winter gloves (some cheapish dhb waterproof things) get too warm after a while, whereas my feet start nice and toasty but tend to be the first things to get cold - although never really too unpleasant.
I wear woolie boolies (or the Kalf equivalent), Northwave gore-tex boots and neoprene winter overshoes.
I did see a GCN video the other day that recommended molding some tin foil around your feet, over the socks before putting your shoes one. It's this one, which has other tips for hands and feet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFPVWR2jzI40 -
Silk glove liners are good, you can get them from Amazon for a tenner, Jasmine is the brand I have. Wear them under other gloves, should do the trick. I have some Castelli winter gloves, which were ok at -2 on Sunday (off road).
Feet are harder. As others have said, cramming too many pairs of socks in close fitting shoes won't help. I have some Sealskinz neoprene socks, which make you a bit sweaty, but I wear them with a thin sock underneath, shoes, toe covers and Endura winter or thermal overshoes. I couldn't find the exact make of Endura overshoes when I just looked, but they are the best I have tried, and I have tried many. Overshoes don't seem to last long, the zips take a beating when you stretch them on your shoes and the bottoms wear where they get walked on.
I've read that you need to keep your whole body warm too; when you are exerting yourself, your body regulates the flow of blood to the muscles that need it, such as your legs, so your hands and feet will be getting less blood flow than usual. So you may find an extra layer on your torso may help; I had 2 Underarmour type things, cold weather Gore cycling jersey and a rain jacket on yesterday. You might think your top half doesn't need an extra layer but it may help.
A colleague who commutes in -5 temps has Northwave winter boots, which he swears by. They aren't cheap, £160 I think, but if it means you can keep riding...0 -
Thanks for the replies. I think I have been doing it wrong, especially with the feet by packing two pairs of socks in to a tight shoe. I would love to wear overshoes, but have exhausted my search for big enough ones to go over my size 49 mountain bike shoes. Any ideas for purchasing abnormally large overshoes would be greatly appreciated. I'll try ssome of the wooly boolies mentioned in the replies and see how I get on.0
-
According to Endura overshoe sizing chart XXL goes up to 49.50
-
My shoe size is 48/49 depending on brand.
I don't wear overshoes because I commute, too much of a faff taking them on and off, sooner or later they fall apart from use.
Toe covers usually do the trick for me, key thing is to buy the ones that come in different sizes - any that come as 'one size' will be too small. So last couple of winters I've been wearing the cheap and cheerful PX ones:
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLCATOECV ... -toe-cover
Have previously used Mavic which come in large sizes but are quite a bit more expensive.
I've also got a set of the PX oversocks, which did go on, but haven't actually used them yet -
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXSPOS/ ... -oversocks
If you are wearing two pairs of socks, or for socks full stop it's important that they aren't your average cheap and cheerful sports socks from the supermarket. Proper cycling socks are made from merino or other synthetic fabrics that retain their insulating properties when wet - cotton socks that get wet with sweat or moisture soon leave your feet feeling cold. There's an old saying 'cotton kills in the hills' - once cotton gets wet, it feels cold and stops keeping you warm.
So two pairs of cycling socks might be effective, or just thicker cycling socks - although as above be careful not to cut off circulation.
Anyway, after all that, the main point I wanted to make is that cold fingers and toes are an indication that the rest of you is not warm enough - trying to get them warm is tackling the symptom rather than the cause.
When you are cold, less blood is pumped to your extremities - it is kept close to the core so that your organs stay warm.
If your core is hot, then the blood is deliberately circulated to your extremities, to cool it down, and stop your organs overheating.
So an extra base layer, set of overtights, or a thicker jersey/winter jacket will do more to keep your fingers and toes warm than any number of gloves, socks and hand warmers.
Be wary of waterproofs, windproofs or anything that traps moisture, as what initially feels warm can soon feel cold when you are soaked in sweat.
Finally, be aware that it is still winter. Over several hour rides, keeping all of you warm isn't practical, or arguably necessary. Many a ride I've had feet go numb when I've underdressed - as long as you aren't shivering (and so your core is warm) it isn't really a problem unless you make it one. The important thing is to warm up gradually when you get home, don't jump in a hot bath as then you will really suffer!0 -
Best to avoid tight fitting gloves and socks as you need trapped air and wind cheating to keep warm.
Best solution for my feet was a pair of winter boots. Goretex with a wide toe box allows for merino socks.
Best solution for hands is a pair of waterproof loose fitting Louis Garneaux cycling gloves. A bit like lightweight ski gloves without the snow cuffs. Not elegant to look at but have worked for 5 years so far.0 -
TimothyW wrote:...
Anyway, after all that, the main point I wanted to make is that cold fingers and toes are an indication that the rest of you is not warm enough - trying to get them warm is tackling the symptom rather than the cause.
When you are cold, less blood is pumped to your extremities - it is kept close to the core so that your organs stay warm.
If your core is hot, then the blood is deliberately circulated to your extremities, to cool it down, and stop your organs overheating.
So an extra base layer, set of overtights, or a thicker jersey/winter jacket will do more to keep your fingers and toes warm than any number of gloves, socks and hand warmers.
...
Spot on.
You need to keep them insulated, but insulation isn't enough if your fingers and toes aren't getting the warmth to lose in the first place.0 -
LakesLuddite wrote:
I did see a GCN video the other day that recommended molding some tin foil around your feet, over the socks before putting your shoes one. It's this one, which has other tips for hands and feet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFPVWR2jzI4
Not sure it helps, but if doing this, my advice from experience the other day is make sure it is strong foil.0 -
I'd recommend the GCN technique of using tin foil wrapped around the front of your feet. I use a pair of thermal socks, tin foil and some overboots. My feet/toes haven't been cold yet. Nice and cheap solution too.
Hope you find a suitable solution as cold feet is not funny.0 -
peteco wrote:-5 for most of my ride today.
Thick socks
Cycling shoes with all the ventilation holes etc covered with tape.
Over socks (with holes for cleats)
Cheap DHB overshoe covers (windproof)
3 pairs of gloves of which outer pair are windproof and lobster claw style.
Pete
Pretty much this, stick another layer on til you are warm enough. I used to wear 2 pairs of neoprene overshoes and 3 pairs of gloves. Keeping your core works too - if your core is cold your body draws blood from the extremeties to warm it meaning colder hands and feet.
Edit - as I see someone already said[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Deep Heat on hands and feet. Remember to not rub your eyes though...Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them.
Voltaire0 -
3 steps to warm feet:-
go up a shoe size for winter
wollie bollie socks
planet x overshoes.0 -
1964johnr wrote:Only 3 degrees on my 40 mile ride through Surrey today. Winter gloves with another pair of thick insulate gloves over them as well as a pair of thin cycling socks with a pair of ordinary thick woolen socks over them. It took me 45 minutes to get my fingers and toes warm by moving them around constantly, but that didn't last long and the last 45 minutes of my ride was painfull.
At that temperature it is difficult to keep warm. The general rules are to be EXTREMELY cautious about cutting the circulation off in your fingers and toes.
Most of the gloves on the market are made in China and the fingers are too long for larger sizes which means that the space between the fingers can pull down in between your fingers and cut off the circulation to your fingers. Likewise you have to be very careful that your socks are not too tight on your legs or around your ankles. This can completely numb your fingers to the point where you cannot shift. This is usually when you see riders shaking their hands to get some feeling back. They don't often realize that what this is doing is shaking the glove fingers up and stopping the pinching off of the blood supply. This most often happens when you're clinched up because the rest of your clothing isn't warm enough either.
Pearl Izuni makes some nice light and stretchy long fingered gloves that manage to keep my fingers warm into the low 40's (5C) that would probably work well if you could also wear wool liners in them for lower temperatures. I just found my liners and tried them and they feel pretty descent. I use Bolle' wool socks and sometimes double them when it really gets cold. I tried mitts and they do keep your hands warmer but they also make shifting clumsy.
You'll find that the shoes appropriate for SpD's MTB pedals usually don't have air holes in them which really helps to keep your feet warmer. My road shoes that allow mounting Look cleats inevitably are vented.
And of course a long hard climb gets you nice and warm so that you can freeze your butt off on the descent.0 -
CarbonClem wrote:All the above is good advice ^^
Something else to consider - ensuring arms and legs are insulated well - they are the conduit to the hands and feet so keeping them warm will all help.
Worn-out hiking socks - I cut off the feet and kept the ankle bits. Put them on over my cycling socks, and under tights. Just a little extra insulation, without stuffing the bike boots too much.
Another tip is to start the ride warm. My boots go on the radiator half an hour before I go out, also my gloves.0
