Jno

Do people have recommendations for “over shoes” that work with flat pedals with pins (Raceface Chesters)?
I’m assuming the stretchy straps on cycling booties with which I’m familiar would get destroyed quickly (do they?). I’ve looked for, but not found booties that advertise their suitability
for this application. I also wondered about galoshes, which I’ve never worn, let alone cycled with.
Thanks for any advice

bktourer1

If your concern is wet feet, try waterproof socks. Randy Sun has some lightweight and heavy weight versions

andrewclaus

I used home-made Goretex booties for a while during my commuting years, with a vinyl sole, and didn't have any problems in the 10 years or so I used them. I used toe straps with platform pedals. I wouldn't worry about the pins on my current pedals.

Lately though, on tours, I've been using "Bag-tex," bread bags over the socks and inside the shoes. But only for a couple of hours at a time--I let my feet air out during long days of rain or snow. Advantages are cost (better than free since you're using something out of the waste stream), weight, and packed size.

Tourist in MSN

These come without a hole in the bottom and might work for you. I got a pair of these and cut a hole in the bottom for my cleats, but I have not tried these on platform pedals.
https://www.showerspass.com/collecti...ub-shoe-covers

If you want waterproof socks, that implies that you do not mind getting your shoes wet. Dexshell is a brand that I bought. Sealskinz is another brand. I bought them so that I could use cleated shoes in winter. And cleated shoes usually have a hole in the bottom for the cleat hardware and water can get in there. And of course in winter you might have to stop in a location of a large puddle. I have been fortunate and have not had to put my foot down in several inches of ice cold water, thus I can't comment on how well the socks worked. But when I first bought them I put a sock over my hand and put that in a sink full of water, the sock kept the water out.

I wanted to be ready to ford streams in ice cold water on one of my tours, I brought some neoprene socks like scuba divers would use with sandals for that, but fortunately did not need to use them. I think Gauvins recently had some experience with neoprene socks.

Those Showers Pass ones fit pretty loose and for that reason I did not like them very much. I bought some others that fit tighter over my shoes. But, the ones that fit tighter fit some of my shoes but were too small to fit on my Keens, so I use the Showers Pass ones on my Keens. Use the others on my other shoes.

imi

IME feet get wet eventually with overshoes, goretex socks etc, due to condensation, water running down your legs and (though I’m not sure of this) goretex letting water through when under the pressure of being squeezed while pedalling (can anyone confirm?)

If it’s colder rain I put a doggy poop bag between socks and shoes for warmth and have a pair of sealskinz socks for camp.

Shoes stuffed with newspaper dry out fairly well overnight.

Happy Feet

I can wear my waterproof overboots on flat pedals sometimes but not with pins. These are Shimano S1000R H20s overboots on Pearl Izumi touring shoes that have both clips and a tread for walking.

The elastic opening for the ball of the sole (where it clips in) opens enough to allow the sole to contact a flat pedal but pins would tear that up pretty quick.

Eventually in steady rain my feet will get wet as the poster above noted. The overboots are lined though and they do keep my feet warm. When commuting years ago I did the plastic bag inside the shoe thing and had a second pair of shoes for my destination.

If cycling you have to consider spray dripping downward into the shoe/overboot so to be effective you need rain pants that cover the tops. Also fenders that stop the spray from the front wheel, otherwise no system will really contend with steady rain spray coming up from it.

wnylogo

I have used the Vaude shoe covers for several years and they are still in good shape. I have been riding with the Issi Stomp pedals for the past year, but had the Chesters previously. I tried to attach a photo, but the file is too large. The color of mine are bright yellow.

https://www.amazon.com/VAUDE-Bike-Ga...5FA?th=1&psc=1

Jno

Thank you for the replies and suggestions.

Tourist in MSN

A few decades ago when I often worked outside in inclement weather, we were supposed to wear steel toe boots, which I did. But I knew several others that wore tennis shoes inside Tingley brand overshoes.

If there is a shoe store in your area that sells to farmers or construction workers or others that work outdoors, stop in and look at their overshoes. Bring your bike shoes to test fit.

saddlesores

if you gots pedals with pins, i'd be more concerned about
the pins grabbin' and holdin' any soft material like
neoprene on the underside of your booties.

even with clips/straps loose enough to normally
slip out, the extra softer stuff can lead to dangerous,
or at least embarrassing, situations.

i know a guy..........

djb

Jno, I reckon you've already answered the question, that any rain booties will soon be all chewed up by Chesters.
galoshes are pretty floppy, heavy and hot, at least the ones I'm familiar with.

have you ever wanted to remove the studs on the chesters? The other model, without metal studs, but raised plastic sections, are called Ride or riders I think, and have the same internals as the chesters.

Tourist in MSN

If the problem is that the pedals would tear up your overshoes in short order, maybe instead you should put your bike shoes in your luggage and keep them dry. Wear some foam neoprene socks that are made from wet suit material and some sandals with a good sole, something like some of the Teva sandals that have a sole that you can hike with.

Jno

My booties question is a tour novice with poor circulation considering his options. I use bike shoes and neoprene booties on my road bike to help in cold and/or wet but someone mentioned to me that they felt booties worked well on tour with their flats soI’ve been exploring that just in case. Since the Chesters and shoe combo work well for me in most conditions, I’ll be sticking with them (plus sealskinz.). I appreciate the cautionary notes or proposals and will take them into account as I continue my experiments. Today, 3 degrees, I’m going to try a pair of gaiters to see what that’s like. Maybe they’ll surprise me, and I’ll have something to offer the forum, instead of just to take from it.

djb

I too use my rain cover booties regularly to keep my feet warm, but I just can't see how any shoe cover set up bottoms will not get damaged by the pins.
Glue a tough something onto bottom of covers, that you can reglue new stuff when too chewed up? But you still want the grip aspect of the pins right?
good luck experimenting

Tourist in MSN

For my riding around near home where i have a choice of what to wear, the bike shoes in my list below are slightly larger in size than my others so I can wear thicker socks:
- At about 5 degrees C, toe covers over cleated bike shoes. Wool socks.
- Near zero C, shoe covers made of wet suit material over cleated bike shoes and waterproof socks.
- At about minus 5 to minus 10 degrees C, light duty hiking boots (no cleats) with wool socks. With those boots, no covers needed.
- Colder than minus 10 C, drive something with four wheels and a heater.

I have poor circulation in my right foot, thus have to worry about frost bite when below freezing.

Good luck with your experiments. I have more trouble deciding on gloves than footwear when it gets around freezing, I often bring three pairs with me on a ride.

MAK

I'm sure that the booties that I own would get chewed up within the first mile. They would still protect from rain but not from upward splash. Chrome brand waterproof socks work very well, they are reflective and are fairly breathable. There are two styles. I use the ones with a Merino layer so they add a bit of warmth in winter, but are still good in summer.

MAK

My apologies...My waterproof sock are from Showers Pass, not Chrome. BTW...Their waterproof gloved are also very good.