Maybe it's time to accept I've got rubbish circulation 🙄

Have you thought about an expensive option such as heated socks?, loads of options from £200 winter ski socks to £20 Amazon cheapies,

Heated socks. Or give up until spring.

I've used these heat packs a bit. To help warm the blood as it passes into the foot i place one at the front of the leg just above the ankle. Works to some degree, but its better than sod all.

As above, heated socks or insoles and if thats something you're going to use a lot, then go for the good(though expensive) makes.

Worth a look at , always thought they were a gimmick but maybe I'm thinking of Heatholders ? 🙄Giving up until Spring does not compute 😔
Might have to try switching to flats to test the heat sink theory as well.

I have always had cold feet and hands. Hands are easy to solve as I now use some Planet X 365 lobster glove things and my hands get too hot if anything.
Feet I have never fixed and wear winter shoes, various socks etc,. but toes still cold. Is it because the feet are going round in circles and toes not really moving much?

Suffered for years with poor circulation, tried every thing imaginable to keep hands and feet warm with minimal success.

Couple of years ago I started taking vitamin b supplements for an unrelated condition, turns out that must also have been the route of my circulation issues, really has made a huge difference. So perhaps go after the cause not the symptom?

Feet are deffo an issue with cycling.
My circulation is fine generally AFAIK, but I get cold feet on the bike. This happens on Zwift too, despite wringing with sweat. I think it's the seated position constricting flow.

The only truly warm solution I've found are my 45nrth Wolvhammer boots. These are the later, current, model.
I've never had cold feet with them on. The insulated booteeiner and plenty of toe wiggling room does the trick.

What about over shoes?

Altura Overfit or something like that.

Maybe you need more comfortable shoes/ boots.
And make sure you have wriggle room.
Also get off for a walk every so often.

I suffer from poor circulation but can now keep my feet with me on long rides.

I also wear windproof trousers/tights (because you need warm legs) and windproof jacket with Rab infinium gloves.
Tuesday in sub-zero conditions my feet were feeling chilly but were with me - using merino socks and Shimano winter boots.

Is the rest of you nicely warm? If blood is cooling as it travels down your arms and legs it won't help.

No idea if there are medical causes you can discuss with a GP, but might be worth investigating.

I'm now off to check the current prices of 45Nth boots.....

Neoprene vvershoes over your boots. Sounds like it it's a bit counterintuitive, however the disconnect between the boots and overshoes make a difference with the wind chill. Making sure your core is warm also helps massively. Start of with your boots glvoes etc. warm, your body isn't then having to try and warm your clothing up which may be acting as a bit of a heatsink.

Heated insoles. Mine are branded Warmawear. Makes cycling in winter possible without my toes going completely white after half an hour.

Shimano Winter boots a size bigger already different combos of socks etc . I think it's maybe the riding position feet stuck there with nothing to do just clipped to pedals . Not sure the heat sink theory, yesterday I had 2 insoles , one lambswool and 2 merino sock layers between skin and pedals also the outsole of the boots . 1st 10 miles to cafe was fine obviously toasty in cafe it was only after about halfway home it started to bite .

I have Reynauds and my feet turn to ice blocks.

I have found that the single most important thing rather than how many layers im wearing is room in the shoes. If they are the slightest bit tight you will go extremely cold very quickly.

This is made worse as you keep trying to add more socks and layers to compensate for the cold! Do you have a bigger pair of shoes you could test with way more room. And just use the one pair of socks

Trying just my Showers Pass socks and winter boots today

Hiya,

We've been experimenting here. My son and I both suffer in the colder months losing circulation. Now firstly remember why your hands and appendices can get cold. The first if obviously insulating against cold by gloves etc. The second is your physicality, and remembering what happens in extreme circumstances, i.e., your body to protect its' core will reduce circulation to protect vital organs. What we have been doing is keeping our core warmer and hence we have found the numbness in our hands and feet wasn't happening.
This doesn't mean that you don't need shoe gaiters and gloves it means you must ensure that you keep your core warm.

Hope this helps 😉

JeZ

I'm a big fan of wearing a thin pair of socks with a pair of neoprene socks during the chilly months.

My core is always hot enough. I wear a thick beanie so my head is too hot if anything and my body and legs are almost too hot by end of ride but feet still cold.
Just something I live with as part of winter riding as not easy to fix seeing that I am currently sat in a 21 degree house but my hands and feet are cold!

another vote for keeping your core and legs warm

Yeah my core isn't a problem , I'm usually ok until my ankles that's when it's noticeable just my feet . I'm going riding on the Mendips today I've dug out my ancient De Marchi bib tights with a Roubaix lining , I keep them fo times like these , oh and a air of Pearl Izumi riding trousers on top .Tog 24 thermal base layer Altura Polartec jersey topped off with a Madison jacket ! The full works !😎

I’m going riding on the Mendips today

Good luck. It's drying out, but not dry, and therefore very sticky and claggy.

ScienceOfficer think I chose route wisely not too bad at all 👍

The last few winters I've used Hot Hands disposable foot warmers. Total game changer for me. I use them when working outdoors too. About 80p a pop if you buy 20 at a time. They last for hours!

Your problem was thin merino socks and sealskins. That's horrid.

Big thick Bridgedales. Massive merino walking socks. I've got pap circulation and I can ride fine in sub zero, in the wet.

You need stuff to keep you warm, not necessarily dry. I also tend to ditch my five ten pros in the very cold winter and ride in walking shoes - if I'm good to walk up snowy mountains in them then they're good enough for my bike.

So a bit more anecdata to back up the Captain upthread.
I've been experiencing increasingly cold fingers and toes over the last few years, with the usual discomfort and pain from dead appendages. I put it down to inherited circulation quirks, mum's got reynauds, and accepted that I was on a one way journey as I aged, which indeed I may be, who knows?
However, this year, fingers and toes are much better and I am yet to suffer one of those complete wipeouts that used to happen whenever they got cold.
I have pretty good kit, winter boots etc, but that has been the case for the last five years or so.
So maybe (big maybe) it is something to do with rediscovering my love for marmite and all its lovely B vitamins.
I used to eat it years ago, but gave up due to its salt content or something. Anyway... I started eating it fairly regularly last winter and since, so maybe its having a cumulative effect over the last year.

TL:DR Try eating marmite it might help.... on the other hand it might not.

lesshaste I have Marmite on toast every morning on toast so nope , thanks though .

I use bridgedale socks for outdoor ice skating in canada.
Not cheap, but they work.
I never suffered cold feet until i smashed my leg up a few years ago.
Now they get cold if i allow it to happen, but the broken one is definitely worse.
That and making sure nothing is too tight.

Make sure you are not doing them up too tight, very easy if it's a boa style closure. Thick socks also, the upper shoe may be water and wind proof but there isn't normally that much (any?) insulation in the toe.

I guess the heatsink references are from my comment, the shoes I had previously only had a thin insole and directly under it was the cleat plate... Connected to a brass cleat, connected to a steel pedal, connected to a crank and so on. Put a mug of tea down on a metal workbench and it'll be stone cold in minutes!

Sealskinz may well be great at being waterproof - but they are rubbish at holding heat

Trying another experiment today , ordered some of those heat pad things from a local Halfords of all places . It's about 10 miles from me so I can have a ride of two halves as it were if they can be used straight from the bag ? I take it they can ?
Also going to swap to flats and 5 10s to try the heat sink theory, only got metal V12s though 😔

Agreed with the comments re Sealskinz as well 😔

, ordered some of those heat pad things

Do you mean the "hot hands" type chemically heated insoles? If so, they work for me...I suffer from very cold feet, and they make a real difference. It's worth firing them up about 15 mins before putting boots on and you have to leave enough space in your boot for th heat to circulate. (Also I position them slightly round my toes)

Not the insoles just the pads , trying little things each time, I'm finding out what doesn't work not what does yet 😔😔😔

I've been given a link to 45nth knee length merino cycling socks again sounds ideal just like Keela , Bridgedale , Darn Tough etc etc etc 🤔 Could be expensive with no positive result.

Top tips from somewhere it gets really cold...

1. Proper winter boots, not those crappy gaitered shimano things. Look at Northwave, 45NTH. etc etc, Size them too big.

2. Decent thermal socks, not waterproof ones. Once you get a bit of moisture build up in them, they don't work as well. Some good thermals will work better (i have a couple of pairs of merino socks and some meraklon liners as well, for when it gets really cold.) Get the longest you can bear, keep calves and ankles warm.

3. Heated insoles, decent ones with an external battery pack.
The ones with internal batteries usually fail to keep you warm, or don't keep you warm very long, because the batteries are too small and not powerful enough. Also the rated temperatures are usually done at RTP, so yes, they may well get up to 55 degrees in a nice warm, dry testing lab where it's 20 degrees. Put them in a damp sweaty shoe when it's -5 outside, they'll fail, miserably.
My ex has mild reynauds and uses decent heated insoles, takes a spare pair of charged batteries, can even swap on the move when road riding.

4. Thick neoprene overshoes (The ex nicked some old shimano "deep winter" overshoes from me, i was able to use carbon disco slippers all of several uk winters on the road with those over the top. 5 mm thick neoprene and elastic grippers on ankle/under foot etc, she now uses them for long road/gravel rides in near freezing conditions. I have proper winter boots!) Or gaiters on the MTB. Overshoes are bloody useless when MTBing.

5. Aluminium tape under the insole. Keep the cleat and cleat plate away from your foot, a fraction of a mm of aluminium actually does work. (Some winter boots even have aluminium bottomed insoles. I've got two or three sets.)

6. Ski boot heaters, and/or boot drier. I have both, the boot drier i use to get the shoes dry after a ride, lots of warm air, (Stops them smelling too!) and a proper boot heater for the beginning of a ride. So i can start a ride with warm and importantly, dry, feet.

7. Lobster gloves. With meraklon liners when it gets properly cold.

I've done 4 hour MTB rides in -10 and colder with that sort of set up (1,2,5,6,7)
The ex, with her Reynauds, has done 3-4 hours on the road at zero degrees with all of the above.

Just ordered some Bridgedale heavyweight socks, will see how get on with them. Previous years I have fallen foul of sealskinz not being overly warm and too tight a shoe.

Have you thought about having regular saunas? Might help with your circulation.

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30275-1/fulltext

Another experiment, another failure 😞 flat pedals and 5 10s to avoid the SPD heat sink , feet still like ice blocks , building up a list of what doesn’t work , still not got the answer yet , next I’m trying those heat pad things . Would be willing to spend money for something definitive not going throw money at potential solutions then find they don’t work 🙄🙄🙄

Have you got your legs properly sorted? If your legging/trousers aren't properly insulating then it's like putting cold water in a thermos and expecting it to be a nice hot coffee when you open it.

Yep bib tights with Pearl Izumi riding trousers on top .

If you cant keep heat or make enough heat yourself, you need to add heat.

That directly brings you to heated insoles, electric or chemical.

I saw lidl were doing disposable heated insoles the other day in the middle isle of curiosities.

Thanks SO I’ll take a look .

Do you suffer from circulation problems, heart ok? Or medical problems like diabetes? Are you on any medication which might cause you to feel cold (blood thinners are a common one). Are you particularly lean or overweight? Just throwing ideas out there as these could all factor in.

Or you just might be one of those people that are destined to always have cold feet

I have the same issue.
I've got some 45 north boots and with some merino socks I can just about manage an hour.
I've got heated gloves and they kind of work but bought some liners to help.
The irony is if I put a winter jacket on I over heat and become a sweaty mess with freezing hands and feet.

cycling shoes/boots are crap in very cold weather. the reason being is that they are far too stiff and no matter what anyone thinks, metal cleats + metal pedals is a big fat heat sink.

what you need is some good quality leather winter boots. mated with a thin wool sock and a thicker second wool sock. trust me on this. my right foot has zero flex, no movement from the ankle, it generates no heat through flex or movement so i have to insulate it.

i have been out every day this week, in total comfort through the right choice of footwear.
you DONT have to wear cycling clothes to cycle. in winter outdoor clothing is far far better, moreso at lower speed riding offroad.

i use a KEEN TARGHEE HIGH waterproof boot in winter. rated to minus 25 and as light as any cycling boot i have ever owned. i also wear them for general knocking about in cold weather.
grippy light and very very warm.

https://www.keenfootwear.com/p/M-TARGHEE-LACE-BOOT-HIGH-WP.html

i was out for 4 hours on wednesday in these worn with wool socks, keela roadrunner trousers, a alpkit t shirt and alpkit zipped hoodie and a northface soft shell. warm the whole ride.

and all the stuff is not dearer than cycling clothes that dont work in cold weather.

I try to wiggle my toes as much as possible when cycling. It definitely helps. I also wear water proof socks which also helps.

@oldfart - try flats, big thick merino bridgedales, walking shoes (winter full leathers). Not tight. You could get away with a very thin merino liner sock too if you can fit it in without having to wedge your foot in.

I find five tens cold (impact pro) - in fact if it wasn't for the fact that they're comfy and really grippy I'd ditch them straight away because I hate literally everything else about them (construction, look, material, the fact they stay wet forever).

Just saw @ton's post. We are aligned.

Heated socks. Might be late sage capitalism, but they absolutely work.

flat pedals and 5 10s to avoid the SPD heat sink , feet still like ice blocks

no matter what anyone thinks, metal cleats + metal pedals is a big fat heat sink.

Switching to plastic flat pedals made a massive difference for me a few years ago. My metal pedals would end up with ice round them that sucked the heat out of my feet, never had it happen with plastic ones.

would just like to say, i was out for a 2 hour ride this morning at 6.30am. it was minus 4.
i was wearing what i stated earlier. and i was nice and warm the whole ride, apart from my ear lobes, which were sticking out from under my buff.