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I am planning on commuting via bike through winter for the first time and I have been looking for a good pair of winter biking shoes/boots. The problem is that I ride fixed with pedal clips, opposed to clipless pedals and all the shoes that I have found seem to be made specifically for clipless pedals. I know plenty of the people here ride fixed gears in the winter, so what do you think is a good shoe/ boot for riding with pedal clips and straps in the winter?

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Honestly, any leather boot coupled with a heavy wool sock and...wait for it...a Jewels bag!...or something comparable. If your one-way-commute is less than a hour, I think this will work fine you.

That's my setup but with spd's, coupled with gortex socks for added *help keeping my feet dry.

*your feet are probably going to get wet if you are out there for a length of time.
I rode to work today and wore my vans with two pairs of socks and I was completely toasty. I have clip pedals too and I don't plan to deviate from my normal vans wearin'
Well I don't commute on a regular basis and won't do it if I'm gonna get wet...I don't have fenders and am waiting until I get them for christmas. So for dry riding my vans are fine. And the two pairs of socks were loose enough that they definitely didn't restrict my blood flow....I am managing just fine....

M.A.R.K. said:
Dont deviate from your vans? That wont work very well once the wet and snow comes, your shoes will get wet, freeze, make your feet cold as hell and your toes are gunna get frostbiten and fall off! You really shouldnt wear two pairs of socks, I hear it reduces and restricts blood flow, not to mention your feet going numb sometimes isnt good either. One pair of wool socks are fine, if not, a very thin pair of socks(like a base layer)should go under them to keep your feet warmer and wick away the moisture that makes your feet cold.

Idk about boots and toe clip riding, I usually take mine off during winter months as I dont want to get trapped in them if I fall or have to jump off the bike for any reason. Plus they dont work very well with boots. I have enormously big feet as it is with shoes, once I add boots to the mix, game off, toe clips wont even fit me. I would just say find a pair that will keep your feet dry and warm, wont reduce your pedal stroke by much and that fit your clips, or a new pair of XL clips for the season.

hey Jen P., are you from the south side? I think they are the only people who call Jewel Jewels..
I ride with clips too. I use a pair of low cut water-proof sneakers, wool socks, and show covers. The shoe covers are apparently made for clipless shoes but they work fine over normal shoes. I think the performance brand models have a solid rubber sole that clipless riders have to cut out to mount on their shoes. This set up works great. and cost me like $20.
About the shoe covers...I think a good pair of neoprene shoe covers do the job just great. They are waterproof and also keep you warm. They are usually made for clipless pedals but If you wear a nice pair of boots underneath I see no reason why they wouldn't work on platforms w/ toe clips...But be prepared for..."Hey what's the snowboard boots for?"...You will be getting asked that a lot...

-Ali
Last year I rode city-wise in a pair of hiking socks, wool ones, and my old, thick leather hiking boots. They worked damn well slogging through Adirondack hiking through thick mud and winters. It takes a minute or two to get your footing to feel right though.
i need better shoes, but i don't think i want to go to boots.

I like Jule's idea about the waterproof hiking or running shoes
I like Jule's idea about the waterproof hiking or running shoes

Paired with neoprene socks and a wool liner, these are ideal. I use the Gator neoprene socks, and now very rarely need to resort to using booties. The socks are great because you can use them for sports other than cycling... also crucial in cold cyclocross races when booties just get torn up and impede running on ice.
I've been going with thick wool socks coupled with another pair of cotton socks on top. I wear my cycling shoes through winter (or have in the past. This winter's not looking to be as accommodating), and I find I have a threshold of about 45 minutes in days like these (15 degrees, "Feels like" 0). I have some neoprene booties, but they're too small for my elephantine feet.
I got the lake boots this year, too, and I cannot say enough good things about them. This is my seventh bike winter and I'd never been warm enough even using wool socks with neoprene shoe covers. My cold feet had me cutting my rides shorter, but with the boots it's no problem. The only downside is that they are very pricey, so I am hoping they last me a few years. I'm curious, how do you keep yours treated, amos? Is there a specific treatment type I should go for? How often should I apply it?

amos scattergood said:
I use the Lake cycling boots with wool socks. As long as I keep the leather treated I can ride around in the snow and rain all day and my feet stay dry and warm. I need to ride all winter/all day, so this works well for me. I ride clipless but these would work with clips as well.

I highly recommend the 95% wool/angora socks that Rivendell sells!
Last winter I went Yeti-style with giant Russian wool boots with rubber galoshes. Though warm and dry, I had a difficult time with my pedal stroke and rode considerably slower. This year I've been on the lookout for some smaller profile boots that fit in my clips. I hear only good things about Lake cycling boots but can't afford them. Wool socks, neoprene boot liners, or shoe covers seem to be a good way to go.
My recipe for warm, dry feet in winter:

1 pair REI sock liners
1 pair SmartWool socks
1 pair Acorn Sox (used only on super cold days)
1 pair Totes snow boots - come up to lower-mid calf, zip up the front - they were maybe $50 at DSW

I just loosen up my straps and have XL clips so my boots fit.

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