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Apologies for yet 'another' cold feet thread but I've come to the conclusion, I'm not normal.
I've today decided it MUST be a bio-mechanical function of how I pedal that's causing my feet to remain cold despite lots and lots of product tests.
I've tried EVERYTHING from wooden insoles, thin socks / thick socks / plastic bags / more socks / thermal socks / over shoes / full winter boots and at external temperatures of 0Deg and longer than 30mins my tootsies are falling off.
This mornings set up was 'normal' thin merino sock then, thick twin walled merino sealskin socks then Northwave Raptor Artic GPX boots which had foil backed woollen insoles inside them. 20mins in the shower was needed before the pain subsided!
Now looking at buying some battery heated socks which should stave off the cold for a while.
Anyone go any other suggestions....maybe a visit to a podiatrist?
Are your shoes big enough? Do you get cold hands?
Try flats with plastic pedals if you haven't already
I feel your pain mate.
I have had a problem for about 5 years now where I have cold feet all the time. I bought a pair of 45nrth wolvehammers last winter which I thought may solve my problems. they didn't, they just insulated my already frozen feet.
winter boot wise, I have had northwave, shimano, sidi and 5-10. non worked.
I resorted to a pair of Columbia winter boots. they are soft and pliable, which enables the foot to bend and create some warmth. rigid spd boots are useless if you suffer from cold feet problems.
mated with wool socks the Columbia boots have made the cold feet bearable.
they are available in black on amazon at £75
IF you're double socking, are you sure your shoes are not too tight? could be causing numbness that way?
This mornings set up was ‘normal’ thin merino sock then, thick twin walled merino sealskin socks then Northwave Raptor Artic GPX boots which had foil backed woollen insoles inside them
Sounds like you're restricting the circulation to your feet so they're guaranteed to be cold, unless you're wearing shoes a couple of sizes bigger than normal to accommodate the extra socks
1) Shoes too tight? If your blood can't get in then they'll stay cold.
2) Legs insulated? If your blood gets cold on the way to your feet you'll have cold feet regardless. Knee length Sealskins made a huge difference to me, and I'm not even a sufferer really.
For the record...
Shoes are a couple of sizes bigger to allow 'space' for thicker socks.
Legs are covered...I've even used uber long woollen kilt socks which admittedly kept my lower legs warm but still froze my toes.
Now looking at heated insoles....£20 will buy me a pari with a small lithium battery that'll 'allegedly' give me 4hrs of warmth. Worth a stab I recon!
Flats.
Takes away the metal heat sink on the bottom of your foot.
Then buy flat shoes that have space for good socks, and room.
Flats.
Mmmm...it's the only thing I've not tried to be fair...and it kind of makes sense. That being said, I've not cycled with 'flats' since I was a kid...I sense some unintended off trail excursions coming!
Warm your legs (and body) more, if you're warming your feet as much as possible.
Leg warmers under tights for me today, might end up with 2 pairs of tights if it gets much colder. Toes get all the spray from the road so it's tricky to keep them warm, I've got 1 normal and 1 wooly pair of socks under winter boots.
Takes away the metal heat sink on the bottom of your foot.
This. Cold metal cranks and pedals attached directly to the soles of your shoes pulling out all that heaty goodness.
Make sure your feet a warm before they go in the boots and that the boots are warm, otherwise you're always going to struggle to raise the temperature of the boots. As above make sure the rest of you is warm. If your core is cold you'll struggle to raise the temp of your extremities as your body will be trying to compensate (I think)!
Take it you pre heat socks and shoes? My feet were roasting when I first put shoes on as they had been on big radiator for a good 45 mins, only started getting a bit cold towards end of 45 min commute. No pre heat if I forget shoes in garage means instant cold feet.
I sense some unintended off trail excursions coming!
They're easy... you don't even have to unclip 🙂
1) Shoes too tight? If your blood can’t get in then they’ll stay cold.
2) Legs insulated? If your blood gets cold on the way to your feet you’ll have cold feet regardless. Knee length Sealskins made a huge difference to me, and I’m not even a sufferer really.
This - your shoes/boots are too tight. My winter boots are a size larger than my shoes. I also wear knee length merino socks OVER tights to keep the blood warm on the way down.
Going for some knee-length Sealskinz next to see if I can keep the feet absolutely dry in the rain too.
Try a 2mm thick neoprene insole in your shoes as it adds a layer of internal insulation between the sole of your shoes and foot. I think I found them on amazon
non stealth edit 3mm zwolfender
My body / hands and legs have never been an issue. I'd call myself a 'warm' cyclist in that 99% of me seems to 'heat' up very nicely regardless of the external temps, its just me feet!
Pre warming boots and shoes prior to departure obviously works but it just delays the inevitable.
As per my opening post...I'm now at the end point, its almost probably a bio-mechanical thing. I recall even having cold feet once in May after 10+ hrs on the bike.
I'll give the whole 'flat' thing a go but I fear its just the way it is...
Cold feet can be a symptom of:
Poor circulation caused by sitting, at a desk, all day.
Anxiety.
Stress/ worry.
Mmmm…it’s the only thing I’ve not tried to be fair…and it kind of makes sense. That being said, I’ve not cycled with ‘flats’ since I was a kid…I sense some unintended off trail excursions coming!
You can also get off the bike and walk about ....
You have my sympathy, I get ride stopping cold feet followed by the 20 mins of pain as they come back but I found some warm socks under some nice waterproof socks with plenty of room for your feet to get blood with flats works for me. (If you have to squeeze in forget it)
I get cold hands as well but nothing like the agony in my feet.
TBH I switched to flats already but I think it will help .. just do it properly (proper pins and proper grippy shoes) ... (Superstar are doing a deal at the moment... £30 I think and Planet X are doing some shoes that you might not want to wear for anything else but look pretty decent )
Who knows ... I never really went back to clipped in other than the odd time in summer for the sake of it.
Pee in your own shoes?
(I have same problem, sat here with chilblains at the moment from working outdoors, rest of body hot but feet always cold)
I too suffer from exceptionally cold feet. Last winter I tried Hot Hands Foot Warmers - they stay warm for several hours (claim 7 I think) and they worked for me. Only on a 5 hour ride at or near freezing did my feet get frozen. I position them so that they stick up onto the front of my toe and that seemed to work well.
Cheap too...worth trying...all the reviews I read of the battery ones was that they don't really work well, if at all!
Before binning off the spd's lift up your insole and smear silicon sealant around the cleat retention area. that should take care of the heatsink.
Warm core and legs = warm extremities unless blood is struggling to get there.
I can get pins and needles and numb feet in the height of summer if my cleats aren't set up absolutely perfectly - if my feet are twisted even slightly relative to the shoes they don't last 20 mins before numbness sets in.
This can happen to me even with shoes that have plenty of room - if the pedalling action when clipped in is twisting my foot against the inside of the shoe I could be wearing 3 sizes too big and still get numb feet.
I can get pins and needles and numb feet in the height of summer if my cleats aren’t set up absolutely perfectly – if my feet are twisted even slightly relative to the shoes they don’t last 20 mins before numbness sets in.
Oh...this is worth more thought...I've been using Time Atac pedals for ever as they offer me the most float.