Winter Footwear for plain pedals

[v_perjorative]

so use waterproof socks

Must try these -- they've cropped up on this forum too many times to ignore.

I've found DexShell socks to be massively superior to SealSkinz.
Neoprene socks are for when it's properly blatting it down and you know there's going to be deep puddles.

[Cyclothesist]

Out of interest has changing to flat platform pedals improved your right knee?
If so have you noticed or made any changes to your position on the bike such as seat height or seat fore-aft?
As well as allowing for a lot more float than spds with platform pedals the natural inclination is to position the pedal further back on the sole of the foot than with spds.
You may be able to go back to clipless pedals with some tuning of your bike setup and cleat positioning. Many riders report an increase in comfort and power on moving the cleats back. Shorter cranks (even 5mm shorter) can make a difference to knee pain too.

[Cowsham]

One slight drawback to flat platform pedals wrt bike fit / leg extension that I didn't recon on.

When I change from a thicker sole than my usual foam sole trainers to a heavier soled safety shoe for work the saddle feels as if it has dropped a bit.

This may affect how much the knee bends as the foot is slightly higher relative to the saddle. I thought something like a couple of mm on a sole would not be noticeable but it is.

[arnsider]

I am very pleased with the response to my post and many thanks to all.
I am just about to remove my old Shimano A530 pedals and fit the Wellgo ones, so I will take a while evaluating the result.
It is a pity that Cycle builders don't give the option of shorter cranks as I believe the one size fits all is just wrong.
I have a new Cube 800 step through to help with mounting with an arthritic right knee and it is a difficult equation finding the correct saddle height without being tip toed at stops and retaining an efficient leg strainghtness for pedalling efficiency and knee comfort.

[Bmblbzzz]

One slight drawback to flat platform pedals wrt bike fit / leg extension that I didn't recon on.

When I change from a thicker sole than my usual foam sole trainers to a heavier soled safety shoe for work the saddle feels as if it has dropped a bit.

This may affect how much the knee bends as the foot is slightly higher relative to the saddle. I thought something like a couple of mm on a sole would not be noticeable but it is.

As mentioned in the "Bike fit rant" thread:

I’m driven to alter saddle height for the difference between summer shoes and winter boots…..am I not alone in this?

[pjclinch]

It is a pity that Cycle builders don't give the option of shorter cranks as I believe the one size fits all is just wrong.

They do. Chopping and changing really isn't as easy as it could/should be, but you can get cranks in different sizes.

I have a new Cube 800 step through to help with mounting with an arthritic right knee and it is a difficult equation finding the correct saddle height without being tip toed at stops and retaining an efficient leg strainghtness for pedalling efficiency and knee comfort.

This may be best addressed by changing habits when stopping and starting. Rather than sitting on the saddle with a tip toe on the ground when stopped or about to start, come forward of the saddle and have a foot down flat at rest, as shown in the following video...


Pete.

[Cowsham]

I prefer longer cranks since I got my cube acid mtb -- a bike with shorter cranks ( like my previous bike giant rapid 1 ) feels like a toy bike -- one of the many factors that made me pick the pinnacle for my road / touring bike was it's longer cranks. ( I suppose that can mean more heel strike on panniers but it does also have long chain stays -- another factor )

[Bmblbzzz]

It is a pity that Cycle builders don't give the option of shorter cranks as I believe the one size fits all is just wrong.

They do. Chopping and changing really isn't as easy as it could/should be, but you can get cranks in different sizes.

But, as Arnsider might be meaning, it's not offered as an option by manufacturers and shops, other than the very specialist. Which is an omission really, as it would be quite an easy and I expect profitable up-sell for Halfords and Evans etc.

[PH]

I've found DexShell socks to be massively superior to SealSkinz.

+1 I've tried a few waterproof socks, though not all, and the thinner DexShell are the only ones I can tolerate wearing all day.
In winter I wear trainer like safety shoes with a composite toe and Vibram sole. I found out how well these work by accident, I hadn't intended to use them for cycling except one day they were the only option, been using them as a winter shoe since.
I also have some of the nylon Eager Sports overshoes for when the weather is really nasty, they keep most of the wet off, and do a good job of keeping shoes cleaner. I don't think Eager Sports have existed for a while, though I see Decathlon do something that looks similar.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/city-cycl ... c1m8872116

[mattsccm]

A local chap who does huge mileage adapts the traditional farm labourer and road worker foot wear. Wellies.Year in year out.

[pjclinch]

A local chap who does huge mileage adapts the traditional farm labourer and road worker foot wear. Wellies.Year in year out.

I got a bit sniffy about wellies when I started becoming a hillwalking/mountaineering gear junkie, but then I started going caving and re-evaluated (wandering across Munros in wellies with a brolly has attracted some attention and comment, but generally from people who were much, much damper than me!).
As with other footwear they need to be a good fit, but if they are then they're the best there is for warm, dry feet when it's very wet. Need to be allied with socks that won't fall down, mind.

Pete.

[Cowsham]

A local chap who does huge mileage adapts the traditional farm labourer and road worker foot wear. Wellies.Year in year out.

I got a bit sniffy about wellies when I started becoming a hillwalking/mountaineering gear junkie, but then I started going caving and re-evaluated (wandering across Munros in wellies with a brolly has attracted some attention and comment, but generally from people who were much, much damper than me!).
As with other footwear they need to be a good fit, but if they are then they're the best there is for warm, dry feet when it's very wet. Need to be allied with socks that won't fall down, mind.

Pete.

Pete in Boots --- I like my Dairy Boots with the fur in.

[Carlton green]

A local chap who does huge mileage adapts the traditional farm labourer and road worker foot wear. Wellies.Year in year out.

I got a bit sniffy about wellies when I started becoming a hillwalking/mountaineering gear junkie, but then I started going caving and re-evaluated (wandering across Munros in wellies with a brolly has attracted some attention and comment, but generally from people who were much, much damper than me!).
As with other footwear they need to be a good fit, but if they are then they're the best there is for warm, dry feet when it's very wet. Need to be allied with socks that won't fall down, mind.

Pete.

Walking in Wellies can be very liberating but unless you’re lucky finding cheap, light and durable wellies isn’t easy. I’ve done short walks in muddy places in heavy wellies, tiring at the same time as being liberating.

Walking with a brolly is now a norm for me in rain and in drizzle, and in the dry I have a small collapsed brolly in my bag along with some other relatively inexpensive gear that’s saved me from some soakings.

[pjclinch]

I like my Dairy Boots with the fur in.

Dairy or Derri?

[mjr]

A local chap who does huge mileage adapts the traditional farm labourer and road worker foot wear. Wellies.Year in year out.

I find that they slap the shin and calf too much for comfort when pedalling hard. I wear them only for RNLI charity rides. The slack tops also let too much rain in unless you wear a cycle cape, which fen wind doesn't always permit.

Most of the winter, I'm wearing waterproof army-pattern hiking boots. The sole is thicker than my spring/summer/autumn sneakers and I can feel the difference, but it's not enough for me to care as I'm rarely pushing things anywhere near any limit in winter.