whats so special about socks made for cycling as opposed to regular socks?
enlighten me!

why oh why wear socks for cycling?

why oh why wear socks for cycling?

I only wear socks for cycling, either waterproof or regular, depending on how wet the sky (or my boots) are.

try doign 100miles in normal socks, then do the same distance in cycling socks, they're so much more comfortable, don't bunch up, slide down, they'r made from a more wicking material, and they look tarty.

Need any more reasons?

i thought the same unitl i got some spesh socks with a purchase i made.

i wear nowt else when i ride now but cycling socks.

so what sort of materials are used? im thinking it would be easy to claim your brand had good materials in it but what are good?

depends what you mean by regular socks.

If you mean difference between cycling socks and walking/trekking socks then not a lot of difference except length (cycling socks being shorter)

If you mean difference between bike socks and 'just socks' (like maybe black cotton socks from M+S or white 'sports' socks) then the difference is loads. less sweaty, last longer, don't fall down your ankles, more padding at toe and heel.

I only wear trekking/walking/cycling socks now (all day every day i mean)as they consistently last longer and are more comfy than anything else. I'd probably be hard pushed to tell the difference between a £3 pair and a £15 pair though. Thorlos are pretty comfy but they last 5 minutes compared to anything else, my current faves are Rohan merino socks in the sale for £3.

They're designed for cycling. I spent £15 on one pair once 😆

I get my cycle sox from here, they last, are comfy and cost is reasonable.

http://www.dalesox.co.uk/category.asp?catid=9

odannyboy – Member

whats so special about socks made for cycling as opposed to regular socks?
enlighten me!

I guess you've never tried these then, excellent in every weather condition and never 'kick up' ..

St Michael the patron saint of socks does the job for me without any problems. 😉

walking/trekking socks here.

i continue to wear shorts through winter so use long wooley ski/trekking socks pulled up to the knee. the gasher the colours the better….

gavinski where do you get the socks from?

Aldi's/Lidl's cycling or running socks for me – I use either for cycling or running 🙂

I wear these

Oh yes – I like warm feet.

In reality I use these they've got toes

http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/rainbow.html

and come in other colours thank goodness..

TBH I very rarely wear normal socks, cycling ones are much better generally (less clammy feet) and I happen to have a huge box of em.

+1 for the Woolie Boolies

Proper cycling socks make a massive difference, especially the woolie boolies when it is cold

Got some free Bonty ones at 24/12 and they're dead comfy.

Just keep an eye out CRC for sale ones – normally pick them up for around a fiver.

Why, oh why, buy cycling jerseys when a cotton t-shirt would do just as well?

Except it wouldn't.

Same for shorts, trainers, jeans, helmets, anything really to do with biking.

Apart from which, I'd look a real div wearing baggies/lcra shorts, lycra jersey, Giro Hex, Camelbak, and black Next socks!

http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/merinowoolcyclingsocks.htm

All the free cycling socks I've had seem to involve using stupid thin materials that fit tiny feet only and get holes in the soles within a month. Great, I'm sold!

Hmm, only cycling specifi socks I've ever used were a free Rapha pair, whiuch were very comfy, but wore so thin they became like tissue paper.

Otherwise, I'm a chav and wear ankle-less socks from M&S in the summer, and sealskinz in the winter.

I've got coolmax socks from endura that I bought for cycling and some decathlon own brand that I bought for running, but I use them pretty much interchangebly. When I once wore regular cotton 'sports' socks for running it was very uncomfortable. For cycling I'd be less bothered except if I got wet feet – but as there's a stream to ford through half a mile from my house that's quite often 😉

Sealskinz are possibly the worst fitting socks I've ever worn. Prob ok for biking, but walking in – bloody useless.

Bridgedale do multi-packs of their liner socks made of coolmax – great for biking in. I've had pairs used for walking and mountaineering and lasted years. Just remember to cut your nails.

Woolie Boolies are great, the yorkshire wife doubted the value but I got her a pair and she loves them.

winter riding aside, I wear normal black cotton socks all the time when cycling. I've never had any of these issues being mentioned here. I think you're making things up.

In winter I wear two pairs of normal black cotton socks. If I'm riding in the Arctic, I'll take another pair, just in case.

Apart from which, I'd look a real div wearing baggies/lcra shorts, lycra jersey, Giro Hex, Camelbak, and black Next socks!

I've got news for you, everyone in cycling clothing of any description looks like a div. 😉 If what you look like bothers you then cycling is probably left well alone.

v true
Socks without ankles still give me the creeps

another vote for topangarider – Bridgedale liner socks under either sealskinz waterproof (thermal in winter) or my Bridgedale hillwalking socks (lighter socks for summer, heavy gauge for winter).

I don't buy 'cycling' socks but day in day out I wear normal dull socks. When I go out on my bike I wear **** socks I wouldn't normally wear. My favourites are camo with RAF roundels in a D-Day stylee (black and white stripes) on them. They definitely make me more hardcore. Problem is they're wearing thin so I need some of those '****' replacements.

I use "proper" cycling socks, but the sort you get 3 pairs for £10. They work better than "normal" socks, and just as well as more expensive ones from what I can tell. Then again when it gets a bit colder I use Bridgedale (IIRC) wool socks which possibly aren't cycling specific, but are cut much like cycling socks – got them for free for a top 3 finish at Polaris a couple of years ago (waves willy!)

Decathlon running socks about £1.70 a pair and they do them in orange to match my bike 8)

I use "cycling" socks over "normal" socks when riding for the same reason that I use a "proper" MTB rather than a "toys R us" MTB…

Proper cycling socks make a massive difference

😀 😀 please spare me

Having wheels on your bike makes a massive difference – I somehow doubt socks do
At least no one has yet described a pair of socks as awesome

I have AWESOME NZ merino wool socks…

😉

they need to let your feet breathe, which your M&S black polycotton socks probably weren't designed for

i use Endura ones. 7 quid for 3 pairs and they last for ages. i've tried a few running socks and they're ok too

my gf bought me some Rapha merino socks – don't bother, they're shite

I use cheap-o Next 'sports' socks most the time & they are fine, so long as you pull the ankle up high enough when you put them on.
My feet don't seem to sweat that much when cycling like they do when running – I am guessing due to the increased airflow at higher speeds & the fact your feet aren't really moving about inside the shoe as much.

However, I got a free pair of Bontrager socks at the 24/12 and they were pretty comfy. Probably be more comfortable on longer rides than my normal cheap offerings, but not sure if that's just because they are thicker.
If I got some thicker 'cheap' socks, they might feel equally comfortable.

Decent socks are def much more comfortable for any long rides. My favs are a pair of Bridgedale hiking socks but at £15 a pair I would probably never buy! (mine were a prize) Day in day out (esp winter commutes) I have multiple pairs of woolie boolies which from time to time these guys http://www.krankdirtwear.com/products/gloves-and-socks/woolie-boolies.html have on 2 for 1 special. After about 18 months of abuse they are still going well 🙂

I'm with Samuri – you're all making it up. I wear black normal cotton socks and they work just fine. They're comfy, I have no problems with them rucking up or shuffling about (because my shoes fit) although they are a tad cold in the depths of winter.

they need to let your feet breathe, which your M&S black polycotton socks probably weren't designed for

I can see through my black socks, if that's not sufficiently breathing I dread to think how sweaty your feet are.

maybe you all have feet problems. Get yourself down the chiropodists/doctors. If riding around in normal socks doesn't already feel comfy I think there's something wrong.