Winter biking shoes for pedals with toe clips

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Permalink Reply by justJason on December 16, 2008 at 7:44pm

Do the Lake boots allow for SPD cleats, or just Lake-only fitting?

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!

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Permalink Reply by terryg on December 16, 2008 at 8:13pm

A friend just received the Lake boots, and we're all jealo... quite supportive of her. They look like they'll last for years. They do take SPD clips, and she treats them with NikWax. I think her husband lurks here, he may see this and provide more detail. She's really thrilled with them.

I'm riding in clips right now, and with these MKS mountain bike pedals and XL clips I'm able to use the Shimano MT-21 shoe. I wear them all day, as they don't look technical. They were about $60 at Performance - I got them larger-than-necessary so I could layer the socks. More importantly (I had read this, it seems true) you want some space for air, which will be heated by your feet. I've not had any problems since then, they were the right thing to do - an upgrade from my Adidas (the simple Stan Smith tennis shoes).

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Permalink Reply by Stewski on December 16, 2008 at 9:32pm

I just picked these up at REI. Not cheap, but I love them so far. Warm and waterproof.

http://www.rei.com/product/772094

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Permalink Reply by Brett Ratner on December 17, 2008 at 1:02am

I think you should switch to clipless pedals. I rode for years wearing Vans and using toe clips. When I switched to clipless, I thought I'd play it safe and buy the pedals that are clipless on one side and flat on the other. That turned out to be a poor decision because I don't think I've ever used the flat side. I feel so much more in control of the bike when clipped in...particularly when riding fixed gear. Also, if you ever feel inclined to improve your pedaling efficiency by pedaling in a full circle, it's much easier to do with clipless pedals.

If you go the clipless route, I just picked up the Specialized "Defroster" boot. They make a road and a mountain version. I use SPD cleats so I bought the mountain version. I love my other pairs of Specialized shoes, so I wanted these for winter. They are considerably less expensive than the Sidi or Lake boot, but I've heard they may not be as durable. I'm pretty easy on gear, so I took a chance on them.

So far, I'm 100% happy with them. They are plenty warm and dry. The only compromise is that they require a bit more effort to put on and take off. This is understandable considering the extra flaps required to keep water and cold out. But don't be surprised if you find yourself reaching for your summer shoes for most short trips.

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