I suffer badly with cold feet when riding and with winter coming been looking for a solution. Last year I used the self warm pad things that are ok but this year I was looking at thick merino socks. But can't seem to find really thick ones that don't come up over my gore tex shimano boots. If they do then they get wet and it all soaks down into the boot.
So I then thought about 2/3mm neoprene boots anyone tried this as I can't really see a problem with it and like a wetsuit if any water does get in there it should warm up.
Neoprene is not breathable, so you will get sweaty and warm.
How about some gaiters / overshoes over the boots, taller, so that you can wear your warm socks?
I have tried overshoes before with warm socks and still this was not enough, I think I do have particularly bad circulation in my feet I'm sat here now in 18 degree inside and my feet are cold....
maybe google vitamins for bad circulation? Ehow has info. Might help??
can you still get sealskins waterproof socks? Feel cold at first but are decent and do warm up.
When it really cold i use thin merino socks ( the ebay specials ) my goretex shimano boots and mt500 overshoes. The overshoes keep the chill off and the boots keep my feet warm and dry
Remember and keep lower leg warm so roubaix tights or leg warmers also.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ThermaCELL-Therma-CELL-Heated-Insoles-Foot-Warmer-Size-Large-L-THS01-L-/380679252130?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a24068a2
Or alternatives, but they are the ones a mate had last winter and she swore by them for ski-ing day in day out.
Better than some that have battery packs etc on your leg or wires running up.#
edit:
uber cheap ones to try.
http://www.primrose.co.uk/-p-2203.html?adtype=pla&kwd=&gclid=CPX6q8b4troCFSXItAodpxMA2g
I asked on a similar thread a while back. There are supposedly some remedies that might help, eg evening primrose, stuff like that. Also someone pointed out that the blood vessels to the hands and feet go close to the surface in the ankles and wrists, hence make sure they are well insulated otherwise the blood into your feet won't be as warm as it could be.
Last winter I found my feet were warmer having moved from Shimano MW80's and spd's to AM41's and flats. Socks were the same thermal Sealskins.
I'm pretty sure others on here have reported similar experiences.
Do you wear a hat?
My feet get cold, then cramp which is very annoying.
I've found winter tights for warmth, warm socks, winter boots, then walking gaiters over the whole lot.
This keeps my calves warm, and my feet, plus the gaiters keep all the water off even from big puddles.
Decent tights is the first thing, you can't warm up blood in your feet that has already cooled down in your legs. Ski socks that come up to your knees under your tights. Then whatever winter boots are comfortable.
Do you wear a hat?
Might sound silly when discussing cold feet, but if your core and head is cold, the body cuts circulation to the extremities to protect the brain and vital organs.
Got some berghaus gaiters off Amazon..... tried em twice with my berghaus/five ten soled bastardised arctic walking boots..... soooooo toasty and so dry.... happy happy happy oh and long sealskins socks underneath
thin socks, then wrap in cling film, then thick socks, sweaty, so make sure you are aware of that!
a tip that i read about, a guy who cycled and parts of the world, and across siberia
You can hide girly leg-warmers under walking gaiters y'know. Plus Ground Effect do Lucifers, fleeces for feet.
I have had Shimano MW 81's for a few years and they work OK for me with Sealskin socks and sometimes a really thin pair under these, But it sounds like you have been suffering more than me.
One more thing I use on really cold wet days it to use trousers rather than shorts (Endura Singletrack) If you sort out the bottoms were they join the boots they do a good job of defecting at least some of the water from going inside your boots, You will get wet but slightly less " new cold water" helps.
I have moved to flat and can confirm The AM 41's have been warm enough this Autumn, we will see as the months get colder.
Ok thanks for all suggestions I do wear a buff on my head so that does keep it pretty warm. It's a pain as the rest of me runs really hot so it's hard to balance out. I am going to go with some full length tights as I normally wear three quarters I have also gone for some 2mm neoprene socks so will see how that works out. Gaiters could be the way forward we shall see how these hold up.
I do have some altura attack waterproof trousers I use for commuting so might try those too. Will work through suggestions till I have toasty toes !
Don't cut off your circulation with socks that are too thick, or do your shoes up too tight.
Overshoes are great at stopping all the wind chill, the neoprene ones are pretty warm too, and that's before you add some toasty but thin ski socks (smartwool I think they are called).
Long socks can always be cut down and hemmed to keep them under the waterproof layer 🙂
I suffer quite badly with cold feet too, on a bad day it can take a good half hour for my toes to warm up enough to be able to walk properly, and it hurts like hell when they thaw out too.
Tried most of the above suggestions with varying amounts of success, but still no ideal solution.
An planning on getting some walking boots resoled in the 5.10 dotty rubber for this winter.
Double post, sorry!
Winter boots are the only thing that work. Thick socks in normal shoes don't seem to allow enough circulation or something, but they don't work.
I tried everything and had cold feet (and I have excellent circulation and am warm blooded) but winter boots = toasty extremities.
Sealskins = reason most folks feet are cold. Stupid invention- like a sticky plaster for a crack in a dam
I have always suffered from very cold feet, and now I take warfarin, my feet are cold all year round.
however for winter cycling, I use 5/10 exum guide boots and thick hiker merino socks made by smartwool.
the boots keep my feet dry and the socks keep my feet warm.
spd's and spd boots never ever kept my feet warm and in the past I have owned all the shimano type, a pair of diadora ones and also the bike pittsrds leather lake ones.
because the foot is held stiff without moving on a spd pedal it does not create any heat through movement.
on a flat pedal the foot is moving or bending constantly, which creates heat.
[url= http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/alpenheat-trend-shoe-heating/aid:386561 ]Or there are these[/url]
http://www.defeet.com/733928/products/Woolie-Boolie-V--2-Knee-High.html?d_id=63355
[img] 
?cell=360,300&qlt=80&cvt=jpeg[/img]
I use merino socks, neoprene boots, then soft shell shoes. Ok for shortish blasts in sub zero conditions, but this year I'll be getting some overshoes too. Neoprene boots are cheap off ebay, just buy some and try them.
If you're minted, then get some of those 45NRTH boots.
Wear a buff or cap under your helmet and you won't get cold feet.
cold feet here too, or at least i used to have. i now use neoprene socks/ boot liners which i got from aldi. i make sure my feet are warm before i put them on.
as said above, they can be sweaty, but the moisture/ sweat generated from pedalling stays warm inside the neoprene.
seems to work for me anyway.
Same here with freezing feet. Fist thing I did was try some wool insoles backed with foil. I also got some gaffer tape and secured some bits of old inner tube over my spds. A clump of freezing metal right next to feet was not good. Thick socks and tight shoes dont help either.
One thing that really helped was an extra layer on my upper body. I was hotter but this seemed to keep the rest of my body warm including toes and fingers. All helped me anyway and virtually free.
Last year I bought some silk socks from my local hm supplies! Really did help, so much so I've bought some silk gloves as a liner for this winter! Plus one on the neoprene,wore my bbb overs on a ride the other day and my socks were dripping cos of the sweat.
I got hold of some shorn fleece from a friends farm and put a clump in each toe box of my winter boots. Made a world of difference. Free if you live near sheep.
Just gaffer tape the top of your boots / socks to your legs. Stops water getting in which is the cause of most cold tootsies.
Chris
PS. Saves having to shave that part of your leg too!!
A lot of my friends wear neoprene socks. I have a pair that I use and I really like them.
I use Shimano MT90 and MT91 boots but in winter water still gets in over the top.
When its really cold the water gets in and doesn't get out. When I take my boots off theres usually a small cup worth of water.
With the neoprene socks the water gets warm and keeps my feet warm.
If I ever go away and do 2 rides in 2 days I wear my merino wool socks on the first day and then my neoprene socks on the 2nd day as the foot is going into a damp shoe.
They are only about £15. try them, you might like them.
Just like Neoprene diving socks? any linky?
Do they keep your feet warm or just dry?
those 45nrth boots are available from charliebikemonger.
they are available in a non spd version, £225 is a heck of a lot of money for basically a winter walking boot.
Another vote for silk socks under merino. You can pick up a couple of pairs of silk socks on eBay for about a tenner.
Silk liner gloves are the business too.
I suffer really badly from cold feet.
Tried good wool socks, sealskins, overshoes etc... But never really found a suitable solution.
Then I tried neoprene socks, problem solved, warm feet all ride.
Ok not the nicest because you get sweaty feet, but at least they are not cold.
Nookie make some which fit ok.
I also use neoprene gloves - great also.
Sealskins = reason most folks feet are cold. Stupid invention- like a sticky plaster for a crack in a dam
Utter crap. Never had an issue with Sealskinz, best twenty quid I ever spent on a pair of socks. Warm, dry feet all through the winter every time.
I suffered from cold feet last year, this works for me.....sorry if it s stating the obvious...
Make sure your feet are warm before you put on bike socks, shoes etc.
If my feet get cold during the ride, then stopping and getting off the bike and simply walking around helps with circulation.
I wear thin merino socks under my seal skinz/other bike socks, I also now use overshoes too.
If I have cold feet, I feel cold.
Whenever I've used Sealskinz the water comes in the top and fills them up.
Utter crap. Never had an issue with Sealskinz, best twenty quid I ever spent on a pair of socks. Warm, dry feet all through the winter every time.
I can only surmise you only go out when its warm and dry in the first place then! 🙂
Sealskinz socks all have this major design flaw, a ruddy great hole in the top and no barrier to stop water running into sock itself.
This year I'm planning on trying out walking boots, wooly socks and gaiters to keep my feet dry. When this fails I'll either man up, or get a drysuit and Wellies 😀
I USED to suffer really badly with cold feet.
I tried waterproof socks, full on winter boots etc. All did not work.
I now use 5-10s with a good woolly walking socks.
I now never get cold feet.
The secret is having boots that are not too tight that cut off the circulation. Most clip in boots are all designed for italian style skinny feet.
If you really want to keep your feet dry, without a boot with a watertight cuff, you're going to need waterproof trousers. Otherwise the water soaks down your tights and into your boots.
I use Shimano MW81 gore tex boots, with a neoprene overboot from planet x and a pair of merino soscks. Completely dry, totally warm.
Went for these in the end they seem like they will do the job I think the key will be wearing them before the ride and maybe taping the top so water cannot enter freely otherwise I think they will fill up. Sealskinz are terrible they fill up with water making them heavy and cold.
I got a pair of Northwave Celsius boots last winter which kept my feet toasty warm and dry and no cold spots from the spd's either. Northwave also do Goretex boots with more insulation in them than the model I went for.
[url= http://www.northwave.com/en/catalog/scarpe/gore/37 ]Northwave clicky link[/url]
Also you can get knee length Sealskinz which might help to stop water getting in the top.
[url= http://www.sealskinz.com/UK/socks/ke731-mid-weight-knee-length-sock-black.html ]Sealskinz knee high link[/url]