HAVING WET FEET must rank up there as being one of the most unpleasant feelings of all time.
At this time of year, however, it becomes harder and harder to avoid as temperatures plummet and conditions worsen.
Whether it’s riding the bike to work or with a bunch of mates on a weekend training ride, your feet can get wet and cold in a matter of minutes. If you’re on a three-hour spin it can ruin your day if you’ve cold feet after 10 minutes.
It’s a highly individual thing, however. Some cyclists can battle through it whereas more will freeze as soon as they become wet. This latter point is key; when you’re wet it’s the wind that makes your feet cold, so the message is simple, keep your feet dry.
Here’s a few ways you can achieve that…
1) Try wool socks
Wool socks are available at just about every outdoor activity shop, and they are designed for winter athletes or those who compete, train or commute in harsh weather conditions.
The socks are made mainly of merino wool which is extremely warm, naturally anti-bacterial, doesn’t retain odours, and does a great job of wicking away moisture from your feet. The nylon component also aids this and is the same material used to make tents.
2) Keep the rest of you as dry as possible
If a rider’s core gets chilly, blood is pulled from the arms and legs to warm it up, accelerating the coldness felt in feet and hands. Sometimes a warmer hat under the helmet (seeing as the head is where a huge amount of heat is lost from), an extra vest under the wind shell or heavier tights will do more to keep feet warm than extra layers on the feet themselves.
3) Wear overshoes
These are a brilliant little invention and act like a waterproof sock of varying thickness. They can be zipped up from the back or what’s even better is velcro as water doesn’t penetrate this as easily as it would a zip.
Plus, velcro doesn’t rust. If you find these leak after a while, then you can place a plastic big around your shoes before putting on the overshoes, otherwise known as booties. This will add an extra layer and keep your feet drier.
4) Chemical toe warmers
A bit extreme but definitely worth a shot and not alien to cycling. You can buy these in hunting/outdoor shops in little packs where once opened a slow oxidation (burn) gives off heat. You can trap them under the tops of my toes outside the socks and they usually last for around five hours.
5) Tin-foil
For extremely cold and icy conditions in the depths of winter wrap the tops of your socks and toes in tin-foil like a jacket potato before putting into your cycling shoe. This offers superb insulation against the elements.
