BCDrums

I ride in Shimano SPD sandals until we get into the 40s. I am considering trying to wear some sort of outer-shell windproof sock and woolies underneath in the lower 40s and upper 30s. Is anyone doing this with success?

Am looking for a shell-type of sock that's better than a Target bag. I have seen vapor-barrier socks, which are designed as inners, not outers, but might work.

J.Higgins 

Why not find something here?

https://www.leisurepro.com/l/Wetsuit...el=Gender_Mens

alias5000

Or overshoes? You can get pretty warm ones, if you search. Chainreactioncycles has some, ebay has more.

prathmann

I use some Performance booties over my Shimano sandals when it gets near freezing or below. Get them at least a size larger than usual to account for the sandal toe area extending out farther than most shoes.

flyen

Maybe you can find it here.

https://www.skysper.com/collections/socks

fietsbob

boot liner oversocks , may be what you seek .. made in gore tex type fabrics..

rumrunn6

if you don't like the weather, wait a minute ... the 40s will be here soon. maybe just save yourself some hassle & switch over to your winter stuff now

ksryder

Other popular topics on Dad Forums:
Best WWII documentaries to fall asleep to
Yelling at the news: A primer
Top ten New Balance shoes to mow your lawn in

PaulRivers

Goretex socks (though I don't use these personally as I switched back to flats and flat shoes):
https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/go...ks-100243.html

FITS medium hiker wool blend (these are the socks I use for winter riding and they work great):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NB8K13N/

Wilbur Bud

I've done that for years. Use Showers Pass overboots, them come quite large in order to fit around the sandals and not be tight. Two pair of socks on a cold day, add a chemical warmer between over the toes when below 25F and you are good quite a bit lower, although I convert to boots with gaiter down below 15F

BCDrums

BCDrums

Will check this out. Picked up a pair of Sugoi booties today at REI, but they do not look very sturdy.

BCDrums

[QUOTE=PaulRivers;20633175]Goretex socks (though I don't use these personally as I switched back to flats and flat shoes):
https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/go...ks-100243.html

The Goretex socks look promising, but are pricy. Would like to find locally to try on. Have looked at Rocky Socks and the Gore Socks you mentioned. What do you mean by flats and flat shoes?

PaulRivers

Showers Pass sells some as well:
https://www.showerspass.com/products...oof-crew-socks

Someone was saying on this forum that they had done studies and found that clipless didn't actually make any difference in speed for pro racers (when they studied them pedalling in the lab). I already knew I was rather uncomfortable biking with my clipless shoes despite 2 fittings, trying most clipless systems, several pairs of shoes, etc etc etc. Hotspots, foot numbness.

So I tried going back to flat pedals and flat shoes (not clipless) and for me it was huge improvement in comfort and enjoying riding, this is what I settled on as the most functional and comfortable:
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-t...shoe/FT07.html
https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/P...lt-2/Vault-NEW

I started with different shoes but they didn't totally grip the pedal which I didn't like, but five tens do, they're made with a special extra grippy rubber that grabs metal pins on pedals really well. I just wear the same pair of shoes for both summer and winter (along with the socks I mentioned earlier) but they also make other versions.

Water resistant:
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-t...shoe/FT16.html

Winter (some insulation):
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-ten-freerider-eps-mountain-bike-shoe/FT42.html?dwvar_FT42_color=Black&cgid=fiveten-men-bike-shoes

Wilbur Bud

Yeah, none of the booties ever lasted long for me because the sandals are so much bigger/wider than road shoes and so the booties tear quite quickly due to the tug-of-war to get them on, over and above being very tight and cutting off circulation just at the temps where you need high flow in order to stay warm. So that's how I wound up with a very loose booties over the outsides of the sandals, you still get some condensation on longer rides and that can begin to get cold, but at least you can loosen the straps on the sandals to accommodate a double sock and keep lots of airspace to stay warm. I have tried neoprene and other waterproof socks, but didn't like them for being too tight plus the close-to-skin condensation speeds up the chill for me.

BCDrums

I rode 10 miles today, 43°, wearing a liner sock and a thicker wool sock, with a bootie over one sandal and a plastic oven bag on the other foot, inside the sandal. Stylin'! Neither kept my tootsies warm, but they were less cold on the bagged foot. I noticed condensation inside the bagged foot and not in the bootie, but didn't seem to matter neither case.

Next, off to the scuba shop.

mcours2006

Why not just pick up a pair of SPD shoes? Or even a used pair for mere dollars. Seems like a lot of hassle, what you're doing.

BCDrums

Reasonable question. I have shoes, but I can't stuff enough sock into them to make them warm below 50°. So I was looking for a way to utilize the sandals, which will expand to take quite a lot of socks. But I am looking for some large and wide shoes on sale that would allow more insulation in them.

Of course, there are Lake shoes, but they are costly for about a month's wear. I only wear shoes in the very early spring and late autumn, prefer the sandals as long as possible. I don't cycle through the snowy weather.

alias5000

I ride with these, normal shoes plus thick wool socks in -20C weather quite comfortably:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/us/en/dhb-extreme-weather-neoprene-overshoe/rp-prod163615
These are some of the warmest I have seen so far...

Edit: buy 1-3 EU sizes up, if not wearing tight fitting cycling shoes. I use EU 44 keens and the largest overshoes just barely fit.

BCDrums

alias5000

Thanks for asking for clarification! I was referring to the overshoes. They are 47-ish, while my shoes are 44. The socks are just normal size.
My shoes sre keens, so closer to boots than spd cycling shoes.

autonomy

What kind of riding are you trying to do? If you're doing high-intensity training or multi-hour, long distance excursions, I say stop trying to use duct tape and invest in the right tools that will keep you warm (i.e. SPD warm winter shoes)

If you're just going for leisurely 10-mile rides, either switch to non-SPD flat pedals or get an SPD adapter, e.g.:
https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-SPD-p.../dp/B005FOP7S6
https://www.amazon.com/Corki-15-Clip.../dp/B01JM5SYGK

Then you can use regular warm winter walking shoes, assuming you have them. I've done 2+ hour rides with such adapters on my SPD-SL pedals and had no problems.

PaulRivers

Have you used those adapters yourself?
I bought adapters that were similar to that and I thought they were terrible - squirm around under your feet (the "float" from the pedal means they won't stay solid), they flip down the moment you take your foot off the pedal so you have to flip them back up with your foot every time you start going again (which is usually by an intersection), and they didn't grip by feet well either.

If I was going to switch back and forth a lot I've seen "EZ Superior" pedals where you can take the pedal on and off by hand in a few seconds:

I personally switch my pedals several times a year, it's not hard to do as long as you put anti-sieze lube on the pedal threads.

alias5000

Same experience for me. Plus, the Corki-style ones were tremendously difficult to unclip without any long-leverage tools. I will claim the 2cts worth of aluminum for them at some point.