disgusting ride today - waterproof shoes needed!!!

[ChrisButch]

I've used Ozzo neoprene overshoes for some years - they comfortably see me through a winter in mucky Devon lanes when you come home with wet feet after every ride, whether or not it's actually raining, because of persistent standing water and runoff from the fields. They wear pretty quickly, but are cheap enough. They have the additional benefit of insulating the foot as well, so I find I don't need to wear insulated winter shoes, and the life of the shoes is also prolonged.

[Vladimir]

thanks for the replies guys.

Water running down the leg and into the shoe was very much the secondary mechanism of water getting in on Friday night.

I was thoroughly peed off that I walked around 10 (maybe 15) paces before I felt the water at the top of the shoe - where the front vents are. I was wearing overshoes at this time and I'm pretty certain that the overshoes either let in water through the top (which is a very poor show, old chap), or suck it up off the ground and deliver it to the top of the shoe by capillary action.

Perhaps it's just my overshoes that are old and worn out, and need replacing? Certainly seems like it; As I say, last season (my first all winter commute season) - I don't remember this problem being so bad. Sure, water got in, but it was only really squelching with every stroke about 5 mins from the house (about 30 min ride).

This time, I was squelching 5 minutes INTO the ride (and all the way till I got home). When I did get home, the heating was on, within a few mins I was rather toasty, but my achilles tendons were still cold and painful! I have no circulation issues as such, in fact my wife often rests her feet on mine to warm hers up...

RE: the overshoes -At £35, the overshoes are not a very good value purchase methinks, seeing as I didn't use them daily (maybe 2 days out of 5) and they only lasted for 4-5 rainy months...

Either way, I'm not sure I want to go down the whole overshoe route again, and I definitely want to try the shoes. I'm sure they will last longer than one season (my current ones certainly have, and come summer, when I need the rather large vents and the breath-ability - I will be happily using them again., Not to mention that the last thing I want - is to develop some issues with my Achilles tendon sheath because I keep it cold and wet for 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins in the evening. No squire, thank you, but no.

I'll be getting the shoes - if they fail in some way, they'll be going back to the retailer, after all they are described as waterproof, etc.

My only issue is the sizing. 45 or 46, that is the magic number... I think I will be going for a 45, and some medium weight sealskinz socks, as opposed to the thick ones. I don't want these shoes to only fit me with thick socks and hence only be suitable for very cold weather riding...

[Vladimir]

also, for some reason I didnt look into walking gaiters before, but I've looked at them now and they seem like a brilliant idea. Can anyone recommend some quality walking gaiters?

[Malaconotus]

You're all making this much more difficult than it needs to be by bizarrely insisting on attaching your feet to the pedals!?!

BMX pedals, walking boots, gaiters. No knee pains, no wet feet, no 'clipless moments', feet secure on pedals.

[531colin]

WATERPROOF?? If you follow Vladimir's link in the first post, you will see the shoes are labelled "water resistant"



Too small when I lift the picture, but the label is on the tab thing on the ankle cuff

[Brucey]

I think the idea is that the cuffs on those shoes deter some of the water running down your legs from going into your shoes. Those shoes don't look waterproof to me. In fact, is that a drain hole (that could also let water in) at the front of the shoe? I'm looking at the little black dot in the frontmost tread lug...

From the OPs description (quickly wet when walking) it sounded to me as if the water might have been getting in through the sole as well as through the upper. If the former, gaiters won't be a complete solution.

One problem with both overshoes and gaiters is that they can rub against the crank BTW, so worth watching out for that. I have seen cranks with 2mm deep grooves from toe straps...

cheers

[531colin]

OP was wearing Specialised(?) shoes and overshoes when he got wet....looking at the boots with a view to purchase.

[Benethi]

AH a negative review for the shoes I want to buy... interesting.

I was nearly about to hit the confirm order button last night, but couldnt make up my mind if I should get 45 or 46...

Shall hold fire till monday now; hopefully someone will help give me a better idea of which size to buy...

Anyone out there with a size 9 foot wearing a MW81 pair of shoes? If so, what size did you buy?

I'm usually about a size 10 and I've got the 45s and they fit fine (same size as my Shimano MO77 shoes).

So I'd say you certainly don't want 46s!

I think the idea is that the cuffs on those shoes deter some of the water running down your legs from going into your shoes.

I think that's the idea, though it mostly acts more as a sponge through which water can slowly infiltrate the rest of the shoe. Hence I seem to get wet on the tops of my feet.

Those shoes don't look waterproof to me. In fact, is that a drain hole (that could also let water in) at the front of the shoe? I'm looking at the little black dot in the frontmost tread lug...

No. It's a shiny black dot.

[Vladimir]

I'm usually about a size 10 and I've got the 45s and they fit fine (same size as my Shimano MO77 shoes).

So I'd say you certainly don't want 46s!

thanks for that - it confirmed what I thought. 45 is the smallest size in stock at the place I want to buy from, so 45s it will be!

[Vladimir]

You're all making this much more difficult than it needs to be by bizarrely insisting on attaching your feet to the pedals!?!

BMX pedals, walking boots, gaiters. No knee pains, no wet feet, no 'clipless moments', feet secure on pedals.

I'm not even going to get into this. It's all horses for courses... I ride with time pedals - and I have no knee pain. On a night like friday, with the rain coming down like mad - I was thankful that my feet were attached to my pedals, as opposed to not.

Incidentally, one of the very few times I came off my bike was due to the foot sliding off the MTB style pedal in the wet.

I've had 3 clipless moments in the 13 months that I've been riding clipless now, and all these were in the first week!

I've ridden bikes with normal pedals since. I keep lifting my foot off the pedal on the upstroke.

I actually like having dedicated cycling footwear as well.

yeah... I won't be going back to normal pedals... not unless something changes.

erm... I guess I kinda "got into it" after all...

Thanks for your post anyway.

[Benethi]

We must be syncronized, I've been riding clipless for just longer than that and have similar feelings! Except I do have problems with knee pain, but always did long before I started using clipless...if anything they help as I find they give me a much more smooth circular motion and I don't tend to have to put as much pressure on.

I've just this weekend switched to M520s on my everyday bike, as opposed to previously having single sided, as I so rarely ride with normal shoes. Actually, I've actually started to feel very much like my cycling shoes are my 'normal' shoes as they get worn far more than any other pair...

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear of your experience with them when you get them and whether they're any more waterproof than mine! The reviews of them seem to be generally good, although a couple seem to mention the same problem as me...maybe there's just the odd duff pair

[Vladimir]

We must be syncronized, I've been riding clipless for just longer than that and have similar feelings!

AH! hello, kindred spirit!

I had a £10 off CRC voucher anyway,(which I left at work), but now that I'm here, I placed my order for the shoes, £94 after the voucher - bargain!

We'll see how it goes. I'm not doing this by halves, I also ordered some walking gaiters. I already wear football socks (knee length) when I ride, so the walking gaiters will attach to the top of these, and bridge the gap between the sock and the shoe. As long as the bottom part of the shoe is water resistant in any capacity, then all shall be well?!

Also, Benethi, try Time pedals and cleats at some point - you might find that the float does you good... not to mention that you might want to make sure that the angle of your foot on the pedal is not such that you're straining your knees - sometimes people need a wedge in order to make sure that their knee moves straight up and down during pedalling, as opposed to the kneecap tracing an oval... I might not be explaining it very well - but there's plenty of threads here about it!

[ersakus]

These...........



Shimano "hiker type" boots.....................best money I ever spent!

+1
I have those and they are great, tough and multi-purpose. No leaks as long as you make sure water does not enter from the top which is not the fault of the boots.
When they wear out (which they never will at this rate) I'd happily get the same model.

[andrew_s]

When they wear out (which they never will at this rate) I'd happily get the same model.

When they do wear out, you won't be able to get the same model again.
It will be the "new, improved" version, which inevitably won't be as good.

[deliquium]

These...........



Shimano "hiker type" boots.....................best money I ever spent!

+1
I have those and they are great, tough and multi-purpose. No leaks as long as you make sure water does not enter from the top which is not the fault of the boots.
When they wear out (which they never will at this rate) I'd happily get the same model.

+2

Mine will wear out cos I like wearing them off the bike! I normally wear a 42 - bought a pair of 43 and perfect fit - plenty of room in the toe box. Very adjustable with regard sock thickness. Not tried them in serious rain over a long ride yet. I bought them mainly for warmth in the winter and off bike suitability - as recommended by 531Colin. As yet they don't clank and feel dangerous on wet supermarket floors either!