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For this and last winter, I've been using Five Ten EPS boots with ski socks (and all sorts of other sock combos)...and still getting cold feet! So, I'm thinking about going back to SPD's and trying something like the latest Shimano MW7's or Northwave Arctic GTX boots. Has anyone on here gone from Five Tens to SPD winter boots? If so, can you let me know how if you found the SPD boots any warmer?
I know there are some proper winter stormtrooper SPD boots out there, but I'm intending to use them to get some miles in on my gravel/drop bar 'tatting about bike', so didn't want anything too chunky.
i find spd boots a lot colder in winter.
they dont flex, so the foot dont bend. when the foot bends it generates some heat and keeps the blood moving around. dead feet in spd shoes is something we have all had i reckon.
so for me, thick wool knee length socks, and columbia omni heat fairbank boots. even warm with a metal ankle.
OMW boots best thing ever for my feet
Size-up your winter footwear to give room for thicker, woolly socks - tight boots or any type led to cold feet
Hmm...yes, I hadn't thought about the stiffness of SPD boots. Those Columbia boots look great - no problems on decent flat pedals?
Shimano MW5 Dryshield SPD MTB Shoes. They come up big so you can fit a pair of winter hiking socks inside the size you normally wear. They kept my feet warm enough at this year's puffer without putting overshoes over the top.
My Shimano flat shoes are warmer than my Shimano SPD winter boots. I just use the SPD boots on the road now but when it gets really cold I use overshoes with them. That combined with wool socks works well.
I used to use five tens before going clipless with some shimano shoes last christmas. I've had issues in the real cold with both styles with my feet going numb, picked up some MW5 boots and rode BPW last weekend in real cold condition (car said 1degree when we arrived and left) and it was lovely. The soles arent that stiff there is still some flex in them and they felt fine to walk in, paired up with a pair of seal skinz and my feet were fine all day, any colder and I would chuck a merino style sock on under the seal skinz.
I think it is worth mentioning, I did notice some numbness once it warmed up last year, I picked up a pair of blue specialized body geometry soles and this has also helped me.
Flat shoes, a size up if you really suffer from cold feet, Pair of really good socks such as woolie boolies, Bridgedales, cofra etc, knee high sealskinz on top. space for toes to wiggle + good insulation means happy feet.
SPD's are heat suckers.
no problems on decent flat pedals?
cracking on flats mate, almost as grippy as 5 tens. but so much warmer.
just let me add that I bought some 45nrth wolvehammers. all they did was insulate my cold fused foot. the Columbia boots are warmer.
Use plastic pedals. It helps.
Either style of boot can be used if you shove a pair of these into the shoe first - I just did 38 days riding in down to neg 18 with these.
They don't really offer much of an orthotic shape, but warmth is better in cold riding situations!
Even if I went out on the Wazoo with the 45Nrth Gravdal ice tyres fitted, there's no way you'd find me using "clipless" pedals when there is a threat of slippery stuff, I'd rather have a slim chance of being able to get a foot down to regain some stability using my Wellgo B144 flats.
these are what I use, cheap, light and grip well on flat pedals and snow.
Thing is with spd's is you have a heat sink right in the ball of your foot!
I went for some Lake MX145 Boots. Started off with the mz303 but as you say a bit stormtroopery. The MX145 feel kinda normal but keep my feet toasty. Went wide fit too so my feet can waggle and don’t freeze up
5:10's with waterproof socks work well for me in the cold and snow... If it's really cold it's flats and Sorel's which are well toasty...
Northwave Winter boots for me, combined with a good set of decent merino socks. I sized up a bit so I can move my feet (agree with Ton, you need to be able to wriggle your toes and flex your foot)
I’ve run into frozen feet with SPDs before, but just with regular ones. People I’ve ridden with assure me that the winterised Shimano spds are a good purchase but as with all footwear it all depends where you’re going and what you plan to do. I’m generally fine with 5:10 EPS although I managed fine before them. I’d never, ever recommend 5:10 if frozen hike a bike was likely though. They may be great on the pedal but they have basically zero grip on icy ground. For that sort of thing I’d probably be looking at something intended for fell running but keeping in mind that soles that aren’t intended for spikey pedals may not last well. Spd shoes/boots with toe studs would help a lot if you get on with spds, but there’s always the risk of packed ice getting in the way of engagement.
Swings and roundabouts. I don’t think there’s a single solution for all.
For typical UK winter, i.e. freezing +/- a couple of degrees, I use either Specialized Defrosters if on SPDs or some Goretex lined walking boots if on flats.
The worst conditions for either SPDs or flats is if your ride is going in and out of the freezing level then you'll get a build-up of snow/ice on cleats or shoes/pedals - I've had it happen on both.
My wife has the 45Nrth equivalent, Japanthers, as well as Wolvhammers for much colder climes. I use some Scarpa mountaineering boots with integrated gaiters for the colder stuff.
As noted by others, make sure you don't have shoes/boots that are too tight that you restrict blood flow in the foot. Also you need to ensure that the blood isn't being cooled down on the way there so decent coverage on the legs.
Northwave Winter boots for me, combined with a good set of decent merino socks. I sized up a bit so I can move my feet (agree with Ton, you need to be able to wriggle your toes and flex your foot)
Exactly the same here, except I tend to use waterproof socks for "double or quits" approach to foot warmth. Probably no logic to it, but seems to work. Not had any real issues in normal UK winter conditions, although would probably throw some neoprene overshoes over if it got really cold. Never experienced the "heatsink" issue from the SPDs, or at least, I've never noticed one part of my feet being substantially colder than any other bit! Upsized so that with normal socks they actually feel pretty huge, but stick the thicker winter socks on and then warm my feet a bit and they fit really nicely.
I've had Shimano GTX winter boots before and, while I rate them very much for comfort and warmth, the last two pairs have disintegrated before their time so I switched to the Northwaves and don't regret it at all. My Northwave winter boots are the comfiest shoes I own and I'd wear them every day if I thought I would get away with it!
Can't comment on winter flat shoes as I've not really worn them for 25 years! In wet, sticky snow SPDs can be something of a pain to keep the cleats clear, but never so much that I'd entertain a switch to flats.