Conference noted::bicycle

    When things got cold I used to wear socks, then ski socks, then shoes,
    then overshoes.  The overshoes are key.  This keeps your feet warm for
    about 2 and a bit hours (after that thing being Provence the sun came out
    and you could go back to shorts).  I have yet to work out what I can wear
    in the (mostly) warmer but much much wetter (and thus colder feeling) 
    scottish climate.

    When your feet are cold, wear a hat.

    Try something other than cotton.  Wet cotton is the worst.
    When cotton fibers get wet they flatten down.  That's why
    wet T-shirt contests work so well.

    Use wool, or a real thin ploypro inner sock and a wool outer.

    If cotton is all you have, try putting the plastic bag on
    the inside next to your foot so that the the sock doesn't get
    wet from foot sweat.  If the weather is bad, you might want to
    add a second bag over the sock.

    Do not wear so many socks that your feet are squeezed.  If
    there is no more air space in the shoe, then an extra sock won't add
    any insulation.  All you will do is reduce circulation and your feet
    will stay cold.

    I've heard good things about neoprene booties.
    They would be fine as long as you're not riding all day every day.
    If so, you might start to develop immersion foot.

    -Jeff Bell

    
    Jeff's ideas pretty well sum things up.  Yes, do cover your head.
    It makes a real difference at the foot level.
    
    Also, the single most important footwear you can add to keep you warm
    is not socks but shoes covers.  As Jeff said, too many socks just
    constrict the blood vessels and reduce heat.  
    
    I have used the Neoprene covers (even all day) with success, but they
    do hold in moisture.  For slightly warmer cold weather (30's-40's) the
    Pearl Izumi ones I just bought work very well.  They use a Gore-Tex-like
    material that keeps you warm but dry - cuts out all wind (and rain).
    Not quite as insulating, however.
    
    Note: no cleated-shoe cover keep your feet dry in real rain - because there
    are holes in their soles for the cleats, and eventually because rain 
    pouring down your legs will flow in through the tops.
    
    A final idea, courtesy of Ultra Marathoner Linda Bousquet: those
    chemical oxygen-activated foot warmer packets - try an outdoors store.
    (Also, I think Nashbar or someone offers something similar for hands:
    same idea.)
    
    -john

I wear a polypro balaclava under by helmet. It is thin yet warm enough and
it alows me to cover my neck and mouth and nose if needed.

I wear some Nashbar storm gloves for my hands. They are excellent.

But my feet are the real problem. I wear wool socks and I have the neoprene
booties. The booties allowed me to go out to about 35F. But any lower and
after about 30 minutes my toes start to numb. I know that the numbing is
caused by the cold and partially by losing some circulation (I still use
toe clips and straps). So my solution (and I hate to admit this) was to
use electric socks. With the "e" socks I have gone out at 24F and my toes
were fine. 

I keep telling myself "it's ok to wear these electric socks as long as 
you can still keep riding"   :^)

Harry

I use polypro socks and neoprene "booties" (PealIzumi).  It's true that the 
booties holds in moisture.  Never froze my feet except one ride when it started 
raining HARD and my feet got soaked.

My problem is gloves.  I have a pair of PearlIzumi winter gloves they real suck 
when they get wet.

Eric

    I have the Performance booties and have used them for several years. 
    They keep my feet warm down into the lower 20's.  The only problems I
    have had are that your feet do sweat and as the day warms up they do
    feel a litle warm.  In the rain they are great, its true that the water
    runs down your legs but my booties are snug enough to keep most out and
    the water that does enter gets the "wet suit effect" (I also scuba dive)
    in that the water that does enter warms up because there is not much
    space between the skin, sock, shoe and bootie.  I have tried the
    neoprene socks and have not had a lot of success.  I think they are
    just too thin to do much good except make you feet sweat.
    
    Mike

    Neoprene socks, neoprene booties, performance insulated insoles, select
    some or all of the above.  
    
    Then there are other tricks such as (is it?) red pepper.
    
    Or, fly to Florida?
    
    ed

The neoprene booties only work down to 20�F?  What am I supposed to do 
when it gets cold outside?  Nothing stops us hard core mountain bikers!

Heck, I  can  and have gone running down to about 5 - 10�F as long as it isn't
super  windy,  so  why  shouldn't  I bike in it, too? I don't like the idea of
wearing my Herman's survivors under my toeclips! :-)

Later,

Andy

>Heck, I  can  and have gone running down to about 5 - 10�F as long as it isn't
>super  windy,  so  why  shouldn't  I bike in it, too? 
    
    At 5-10�F your eyelids start to stick together at 15-20mph.
    I speak from experience.
    
    But of course your question, as an experienced cyclist, is rhetorical.
    There is no foot impact when cycling, to generate heat, unlike running.
    And there is tremendous windchill, much more than for runners - at
    least those who run slower than 15-20mph. :-)  
    
    So, yes, I've run at those temperatures, too, yet have frozen my feet
    cycling at 25�F.  Don't believe it - try it for yourself.
    
    -j

    re .4
    
    Ha!  Electric socks!  What a joke!!
    
    (I use 'em too, but I would *NEVER* admi... oops.)  I also use the
    Performance neoprene booties.  One thing that I would love to find is
    a wider shoe.  Wide cross country boots cured by cold feet problems
    there.  (Anybody know of a cleated-shoe that comes in widths?  New
    Balances shoes typically do, but their bike shoes don't.)  I'm to the
    point where cost is no objective.  -kb

    
    
    
        So were do you get these electric socks! I have phoned around here
    but I cant find them anywhere. Also I have checked around for some
    winter road shoes. The ones I have seen look like they would be warm
    but now it seems that are no longer available. I think they were made
    by Sidi.
    
                                                      Wayne V
    
              PS. I ride the winters and take the summers off :-).
    

I get cold feet too. Last winter I bought neoprene booties made by Look, and
they work pretty well, although as someone pointed out they won't keep your
feet dry in heavy rain. I guess there will no occasion when I won't use them
between now and, say, next March.


Rod

    
    
    	Gore Tex boots are the answer. Expensive (�60 when I bought a pair
    2 years ago) but they do help in keeping your feet dry. Don't know
    about anywhere else, but in Scotland, that's the most important bit.
    
    Graham.
    

One thing I've found which makes a real difference - rubber hiking boots! I
don't know if they're available in the U.S., but they are manufactured here in
the U.K. As in some other notes, they cut the wind completely, they are
completely water proof, they allow any water entering from the top to get
warmed up (wet-suit effect). However, they do this with only one layer and
still allow me to get away with one pair of socks. They have been successful
for me down to around 0�C, which is usually about as cold as we get. Luckily,
they are very successful with dealing with the rain, as we do get a lot of
that. Although certain Scottish readers would probably scoff at us soft
southerners. So far, the only trouble is getting them dried out after a real
soaking.

Also, for people concerned with their image on light-weight racing bikes, it is
unlikely that hiking boots will portray the ideal they are searching for.
However, for us mountain bikers, it actually enhances our street cred.

Tim

    I KNOW!!!
    
    Get a Swiss Army Bike!  The extra weight will slow you down (solves the
    wind chill problem) and warm you up.  And if that does do it, just wear
    your sleeping bag.
    
    ed

re. where to get electric socks

I got mine at KMart on sale for $4.97.  

Mark

RE: .-the last few

I hadn't thought about the foot pounding of running as creating warmth, 
versus the relative lack of foot motion while bicycling.  That's an 
excellent point.  I was somewhat aware of the wind chill factor, but I didn't
realize that at 5�F, one's eyelids might freeze shut!  Perhaps I should don 
my ski goggles??

As you've probably guessed already, I haven't yet experienced the *cold*
weather cycling, only while running and skiing. I guess I'll have to invest 
in some Thermax socks and neoprene booties with a built in dehumidifier. :-)

Later, and thanks,

Andy

    Hmmmmmmmmm... I use the Performance booties too... My feet sweat in
    them.
    
    Then again, I go for the burn :-)
    
        Chip

 Oh oh, I payed 4 times as much for my electric socks via CAMPMOOR. You know
 I'm going to Kmart for my next pair.

  Harry

    Hi everyone,
    Gore-Tex with neoprene socks make my feet sweat here in Colorado.
    Well theres my so-what.
    
    Bob-the-severe-BIKEAHOLIC(sp) bye

    RE: .-1
    
    The Gore-Tex is of course irrelevant in preventing sweat build-up
    if you are wearing neoprene socks.  :-)
    
    -john