Lombard

Get yourself some of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010A5JBPO...1-df67fc737124

wolfchild

Shoes will still get wet rain and socks/feet will be soaked with sweat because plastic bags lack breathability. It's better to just get wet with rain and carry an extra pair of shoes and socks to change at work.

rsbob 

quart sized zip lock bag/s. Used them for back backing and in panniers and they work great. However you never stated whether you are talking about your cycling shoes or you work shoes or if there is a difference. That’s why the answers by other posters are all over the place, including mine

Eric F 

Have you actually tried it? I have. Multiple times. It’s more effective than you might think. Feet will get damp, but not thoroughly soaked. I agree that dry socks for the return trip is a good idea.

wolfchild

I tried all kinds of clothing combinations...I was a daily all year round commuter here in my city for almost 12 years and I was never a big fan of anything that is 100% waterproof. If I got soaked during my commute to work I would just change into dry clothes and dry boots after I got to work. I would rather get wet with rain than be swimming in my own sweat.

Eric F 

As I said from the start, it’s a low budget option. I didn’t say it was the best option. Larry tends to be a low budget option kind of guy. There are certainly better ways to go about it.

Maelochs

Okay, here is my series of questions:

Are you complaining because the dry stuff in your pack is getting wet?

Are complaining that your cycling shoes---the shoes that you wear while cycling---are getting wet?

Are you hoping to get your cycling shoes dry while at work, so they are dry when you come home?

What sort of climate are you experiencing?

I commuted daily for a decade and a half of so, in absolutely every kind of weather other than snow (though some sub-freezing weather.)

If you are riding in extreme cold, I suggest foot covers---either duct-tape and garbage bags, or store-bought--and maybe wet-suit neoprene socks. I find that I always sweat no matter how cold it is unless I am dangerously cold, but if you can keep the wind off your feet the wet-suit socks should be warm. Wool socks will do the same, so long as you can block the wind (multiple layers of visqueen? Worked for me.)

If your shoes in your bag are getting wet, be a lot more careful, wrap the bags tightly around the clothes, and double-bag. I have ridden through the edges of hurricanes and even worse rain storms and my staff always stayed dry .... a lot of people say it is impossible but I did it for so many years ... I cannot guess where the rumor started, but I am glad I was ignorant and kept my stuff dry.

If you want to dry your riding gear, look for air vents or whatever ... I rigged a clothesline in the exhaust of a pair of room air-conditioners and most of my stuff got mostly dry .... but that was only once job, and at a lot of jobs you are out of luck. I also recommend stuffing dry newspaper into your shoes. The newspaper absorbs water and also keeps your shoes from shrinking into ridiculous potato-chip shapes. Take out the insoles if you can.

I usually wore sandals in wet weather because I usually rode in a hot-warm climate. I used socks and even plastic bags if it got cold, and only switched to closed shoes when the temperature got toe-killing cold. Sandals tend to dry fast---in fact most all-terrain sandals are designed to be worn in streams, while boating while hiking, whatever. If you cannot find nylon/rubber cycling sandals and need cleats, even leather or faux-leather sandals dry pretty fast and are less uncomfortable to wear than cold, wet cycling shoes.

In any case, unless it is really cold, after 20 minutes you won't even notice.

terrymorse 

The newspaper stuffing trick works up to a point, but it stops working if the shoes are very wet. If that's the case, you must remove the wet newspaper and replace with dry, repeating the process until dry, or find a way to get forced air into the shoes.

Forcing warm & dry air into the shoes remains the best drying method.

Maelochs

I totally agree. If LarrySellerz can find an air vent or fan, or buys one of those shoe driers ... he will have much better results.

Or ... who knows? it is LarrySellerz, after all.

wolfchild

Having multiple pairs of shoes really helps. I remember getting caught in downpours many times when commuting home from work. If the shoes were not dry by morning., I just grabbed another pair of shoes. .

wolfchild

I remember Larry posting few pictures of himself riding shirtless and wearing crocs or flip flops, so I am assuming that he lives and rides in very warm climate.

Maelochs

Yeah ... I thought he was some kind of Californiac ...... so cold-weather gear is pretty much unnecessary.

terrymorse 

Larry is in the SF Bay Area. It does get chilly here. Not Great White North chilly, but cold enough that you'll want some cold weather kit.

This afternoon's ride got down to 48 F (8.9 C), with intermittent rain and gusty winds. I had thermal shoe covers, leg warmers, arm warmers, base layer, glove liners and water resistant shell gloves, a rain jacket and merino beanie. Just about right to keep comfortable.

Our mountains have had snow on them for several days.


Mount Hamilton, as seen from Cupertino, CA

staehpj1

Personally I found the best answer was to wear shoes that didn't soak of much/any water and had enough mesh to let water out. Combine that with socks that are comfortable when damp/wet. My sidis generally fit the bill pretty well. If the socks get really sopping wet a change of socks and my feet are fine. Experiment with what combination works for you. As was said by someone else leave work shoes at work.

Even in fairly chilly weather I am fine, but if it gets really cold shoe covers to keep the wind off are the answer. The neoprene ones like wetsuit material are a bit warmer IME. I only needed any when it got way below freezing so I have definitely not need them since I moved to Florida. It does rarely get to around 20F or a bit below where I am now (Tallahassee), but I haven't bothered with the shoe covers on those rare cold mornings. Some of that is because I mostly ride off road these days so wind chill is reduced. When I lived up north I did wear them at times because it was colder and I rode the road bike more.

Also I find that I much prefer to always wear bike shoes to ride even if I don't bother with bike clothes. Since my bike shoes are very forgiving of wet conditions my shoes are never really sopping wet. Even after riding in a deluge a sock change yields pretty dry feet.

shelbyfv

Larry doesn't buy stuff. He's entitled to free.

PaulH

Neos overshoes. Quick to put on, quick to take off, dry when you are rising.