From 4 hours or so around a very wet and muddy surrey hills:

– Altura Attack 3/4 waterproof shorts. Ace, stayed dry despite the huge amount of water thrown up at them. Bit annoying when you get gritty mud up on your knees though and it rubs away – will try them with 3/4 lycra underneath though.

– Sealskinz socks – cack. Feet were cold (and presumably wet) by halfway, when I took them off they were full of water.

– Dirtworker – brilliant. As I live in a flat and don't have access to a hose, it's a godsend to quickly clean the bike off, let it dry in the car on the way home and wheel it straight into the spare room without leaving mud everywhere. And I finally have a use for the 12v socket in the boot, don't even have to lift the thing out of there. Will come in very handy for doing my motorbike (and possibly the car) too.

Sealskinz socks – cack. Feet were cold (and presumably wet) by halfway, when I took them off they were full of water.

How long did it take your feet to get cold and wet without them?

It was probably no longer for my feet to get cold than my old thinner, non-waterproof socks. I'm wondering how much of the water came in via the top (despite it not raining) rather than through the membrane.

Neoprene socks. No socks will be waterproof while they have a massive hole in the top that your ankle goes through.

Did you have anything over the sealskinz? like a pair of football socks, or lycra or anything? It helps to keep the worst of the water out, and then the membrane keeps the water from seeping (it's not so good at stopping direct water being chucked at it)