I'm planning to purchase winter boots that I can use with my clipless pedals. I've seen boots from Lake and Sidi. Does anyone use these boots? Are they good?
Thanks,
Mark
Winter clothing
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 3:30pm
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 3:38pm
#1
Winter foot wear
See my review on hotronic.com. It is a detailed review on toe warmers. I haven't found any shoes/boots for cycling that stay warm under 40 degrees F.
Bob
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 6:36pm
#2
When I used them last year...
the Hotronics proved very effective. But I had a problem keeping the batteries from coming unclipped. They wouldn't stay on my shoes or the booties.I had a few close calls with a battery dangling from a cable. Any suggestions?
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 6:48pm
#3
Any suggestions?
"Just a thought...go wireless and relish the hot spots. I hear it's the latest rage.
Seriously, some folks hear swear by chemical heat packs.
Peter ""wires crossed"" O'R
"
Sat, 10/01/2005 - 8:04am
#4
Clipping the batteries
Hank:
Thanks for the question. There is a picture of how I clipped the batteries to my booties - bellwether - at this link: http://www.hotronic.com/products/footwarmers/info/review/bob-shay-fw-rev....
The batteries stayed on very well at 110 rpm cadence and when I took a fall at 20 mph over wet rr tracks.
I tested both the smaller footprint batteries and the larger 3.5 footprint (silver) batteries. Both stayed on equally well. This year I am going to test putting the batteries towards the rear of the bootie to improve my aerodynamics.
I also tested the chemical toe warmers. These worked great until they got damp - for me about 90 minutes. Then the chemical got hard/stiff and generated less heat and became very uncomfortable. There were two brands I used. One you can get at walmart very cheap and the other for about $1.50 at a ski store. The ski store brand has adhesive on the back, is a narrower profile, and tends not to clump up as much when it gets wet.
Good luck,
Bob
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 4:27pm
#5
Sidis
I have the Sidi winter cycling boots. Get a half size bigger than your normal cycling shoes and buy some wool ski socks. That keeps my feet warm down to the low to mid 40's (unless it's really windy). Below that I use booties over the cycling boots. I was cycling last winter with temps in the upper 20's to low 30's.
Fri, 09/30/2005 - 5:49pm
#6
Sidi vs. Lake
I have used both the Lake and Sidi, and while the Sidi are warm, the Lake are even warmer.
That's especially true if you follow Carol's suggestion of a size up from your normal size -- although I've found one full size works better for me than a half-size -- and then wear moderately thick wool socks too.
The extra space of the larger size not only allows for the thicker socks, but also gives air space, which insulates along with the boot's insulation.
With the Lake shoes, that keeps me comfortable down to the high 20s, low 30s...and I'm someone whose feet get cold relatively easily.
David, who has a pair of size 45 Sidi Winter Storm available for sale at $100 that are barely used since at one point he didn't know that he needed one size up
Sat, 10/01/2005 - 3:59am
#7
More socks
>>> extra space of the larger size <<<
Loose is good! I wear Sidi Megas (they're wide) two sizes larger than my street shoes. They are indeed a slightly loose fit with one pair of regular cycling socks, but they really come into their own during the winter. I wear two or three pairs of light- and mid-weight Patagonia/capilene and EMS/SmartWool socks and that works well for rides with temps in the high 20s.
Not really long rides, mind you, just two or three hours. After a while, of course, I can't feel my toes anyway so it's hard to say for sure if they're cold or not.
It probably doesn't matter whether the insulation is directly attached to the inside of the shoe (sidi storm), wrapped around the shoe (booties), or wrapped around your foot (socks). The type of insulation and thickness is more important.
