Skinny Tall Matt’s Guide to Toasty Toes:
I really suffer from cold toes on the bike. Having super long skinny legs probably doesn’t help. I tried many things to keep them warm, but the thing that made the single biggest difference for me was the charcoal warmers. I buy them in bulk, and only use them when it’s below 3-4°C. That’s not too expensive for a southern UK winter, but if you live somewhere where it’s below zero every day, then you might want to look at some Hotronic insoles.
This is my current regime:
* Thin liner socks
* Charcoal toe warmers placed right over the toes
* Mid-weight merino ski socks
* Winter shoes (I use Shimano RW-80s)
If it’s below 1-2°C I’ll wear 3/4 waterproof shorts over my tights to keep the chill off my thighs and knees.
If it’s below freezing, I will also put some overshoes over my boots.
I open the warmers a couple of minutes before I start getting dressed, and pop them in my socks as soon as they start to activate. When commuting, I use the same pair for the hour to work, and 1-2 hours in the evening. I pop them in a ziplock bag with all the air squeezed out, which deactivates them during the day. They’re normally good for 2-3 hours if you really keep the air out. (I normally double-bag them to be really sure).