Recommend me some winter bike shoes for flat pedals

As title really. Got bad circulation meaning plates like frozen meat int’ winter months. The market seems to serve clipless pedals well, that ain’t no good for flats!

Don’t know of any winter specific ones, just use my normal five tens. Merino socks, or sealskins if properly wet, and don’t do them up too tight. Which shoes do you normally use? Do they have lots of mesh vents?

Usual shoes plus Sealskinz socks works for me

Upon the recommendation from Ton, in an earlier thread, I got some five:ten Exum Guides.

clicky

Picked 1 1/2 sizes bigger than normal to allow wiggle room and they’re perfect, I think I’ve got pretty poor circulation but my feet have been toasty. They’re also a helluva lot more waterproof than my “normal” five:tens.

The only problem is that they look massive on the end of my chicken legs – although I won’t blow over in a gale!

IME I would steer clear of normal 5.10s (at least the Impacts) as they soak up a crazy amount of water. My wet, muddy winter rides became a lot more enjoyable when I switched to Shimano AM40s, now using Vans Gravels.
5.10 Impacts for cold, dry rides only 😉

yeah doesn’t seem to be any equivalent of the fantastic MW80/MW02 for flat pedals? gonna carry on with my bit “special” AM40s i guess..

I waterproofed my Freeriders and they’ve done pretty well in winter… Still not perfect but far better than they were as standard.

(pretty sure it was winter riding that killed my last 5 10s- they were never dry from about October to February, because it took longer for them to dry out than the gap between rides. So, they fell to bits)

they were never dry from about October to February, because it took longer for them to dry out than the gap between rides

+1 🙂

I think the record for mine must have been a week to completely dry out after getting completely drenched – I used to wear them hoping that my feet would help dry them out, but it just felt like I was slowly developing trench foot 😉

My AM 41’s keep the worst out and seem pretty cosy and fairly mud proof, with merino socks on. The lace cover flap makes giving them a quick clean dead easy as the laces stay clean.

i meant AM41. not really a winter boot but seems to be the best we have.

there’s really no waterproof winter boots for flat pedals then?

AM41s do let water straight in though and i’m not a believer in waterproof socks either :/

smiff, they only let water straight in when you stand in a puddle or stream IME, having said that, I avoid going out when its absolutely filthy weather…

when you stand in a puddle or stream

i need to stop doing that, because you’re right :). i like to ride where it’s really wet sometimes.. and stand in streams. or fall off into them (this is sort of ok with MW80s). at least with merino socks, your feet can stay fairly warm. or not frozen.

Cheers guys,
I’ve got an old pair of Sealskinz that are pretty rubbish really. Tried thick thermal socks (obv. no good when soaking wet), thinner socks with a regular good wiggle of the toes…
Doesn’t help that my 5 10s have just fallen apart after a good few winters.
Shame they don’t do a ‘flat’ version of the MW80s, they’d be cracking. Might have a look at the AM41s
Proutster ta, I’ll see about the Exums – though I’ve seen smaller canal barges…
Ta for the input all

samtheman…….i suffer from horrendously cold feet and hands and everything due to heart meds.
i wear exum guides from the end of september to may.
when worn with wool socks they keep my feet comfortable all day long.
i rode 30 miles on saturday on drenched lakeland trails, and i had dry feet at the end of the day in the pub.
the guys in shimano mt boots were taking their socks off to dry by the fire.
sat with mine on now in a icy cold breeze block shell of a shop. 8)

Thick socks, usual Shimano stormtrooper shoes. Flat shoes tend not to be vented like clipless so I find need less effort.

Another Shimano AM41 wearer here. Look a bit wierd but dry feet as long as you don’t go wading in puddles etc. based on my experience.

Thanks Ton, how are they for pedal grip? My Impacts were great (better than the replacement Barons)with MX30 pedals, was like riding with clipless

good with grip on v12’s. used em for 3 uplift days this year no problem.

I’ll answer for him (although I’m sure he’ll be along in a minute) – the grip is good overall and sometimes, when the pins and the lugs on the Stealth soles come to a convergence (look at me getting all planetary and up my own a4se with big words), there is too much grip and I have to lift my foot off the pedal to adjust it’s position.

Beat me to it!!

I tend to wear Karrimor boots, and replace after a couple of winters (though my current pair will be on their third winter soon). Only about £30.

I have sealskins but they just tend to soak up the water like sponges.

BTW – thanks Ton for the recommendation!!

Suppose you can’t argue with Stealth rubber. I’m off to get definitions for Proutster’s intelligent words, & face the prospect of an expensive shoe purchase. Ta lads

I waterproofed my Freeriders and they’ve done pretty well in winter… Still not perfect but far better than they were as standard.

Northwind, what did you use to waterproof them? May have to give that a go.

My first couple of rides with Teva Link Mids have been pretty promising so far. Grippy enough to use on the Cwmcarn DH track and fine on an xc climb from Crosskeys up to the top. Not actually waterproof, but didnt let any water through on a 30 minute commute earlier this week. And they dry quicker than 5.10s