Winter road boots
Discussion
Was out today with the usual winter socks, shoes and neoprene shoes covers and feet were bloody freezing - always ride through the winter and never usually get cold feet (must be an age thing!!!). I have been looking at winter boots but they seem to get mixed reviews. Anyone got any recommendations?
Another vote for the Northwave Fahrenheit. Had mine a few weeks now and today was the first cold test ... was barely above freezing all day and feet stayed warm, I still wear overshoes and two pairs of socks but feet were warm. Last week it was soaking wet and feet stayed dry in them with overshoes.
My only regret is not buying them a few winters ago!
My only regret is not buying them a few winters ago!
Brew said:
Thanks all was looking at Northwave or the Spesh Defroster. With the NW have you just got the same size as normal road shoes or a size up?
I'm a 45 and in say Giro they are a very tight fit ... however the 45 NW boots feel large with lots of room. A bit worrying at first but with thick socks and thinner pair underneath, there is just the amount of air to make your feet feel like their being insulated rather than restricted. So, just go for your normal size rather than size up.
It's an odd thing. For me there appears to be a temperature divide between ice block feet and warmish and its around 6-7 C and any mileage over 40.
Thats with two pairs of socks and overshoes.
I'm not inclined to drop silly money on this as these sort of temps aren't exactly the norm down my way but my next step will be a couple of freezer bags between sock layers if its good enough for wiggins.
Thats with two pairs of socks and overshoes.
I'm not inclined to drop silly money on this as these sort of temps aren't exactly the norm down my way but my next step will be a couple of freezer bags between sock layers if its good enough for wiggins.
Northwave winter boots are one of the best things Ive ever bought! No more messing about with sealskinz and over boots. I kept a search on Ebay and got mine for £85, bargain. As I have MTB and road bike and ride both all year I bought the MTB boots and run same pedals on both bikes to save splashing out for 2 pairs of boots.
As Fluffsri said - buy Northwave MTB boots if you ride road AND MTB. A second pair of Northwaves is what? I paid £75 for mine, they retail around £150. A set of Allen keys is a couple of quid, and a few seconds now and then to move pedals about. A second set of pedals can be had a lot cheaper than the shoes (and gives you a spare set of cleats 
). Just go SPD for winter boots, I wouldn't bother with SPD-SL winter boots unless you're ONLY riding road bikes AND you're a bit of a purist. Bonus of SPD boots is that if you have a completely disastrous mechanical while wearing them, you can actually walk in them and still resemble a human being, not some duck/penguin hybrid.
My Northwaves have had a right hammering. Worn them all summer (because I couldn't afford decent MTB shoes and never got around to visiting Decathlon) and have ridden at least 3,500 miles wearing them. For the first time recently they've allowed my toes to get a little cold. I think all that sweating into them, plus the three or four times I overwhelmed them with water such that it ran down my legs and filled the boots, may have taken it's toll on the insulation. But they're nowhere near as cold as my regular (road) shoes with overboots. And they're still waterproof unless you submerge them but then even wellingtons aren't waterproof if you fill them from the top!
). Just go SPD for winter boots, I wouldn't bother with SPD-SL winter boots unless you're ONLY riding road bikes AND you're a bit of a purist. Bonus of SPD boots is that if you have a completely disastrous mechanical while wearing them, you can actually walk in them and still resemble a human being, not some duck/penguin hybrid.My Northwaves have had a right hammering. Worn them all summer (because I couldn't afford decent MTB shoes and never got around to visiting Decathlon) and have ridden at least 3,500 miles wearing them. For the first time recently they've allowed my toes to get a little cold. I think all that sweating into them, plus the three or four times I overwhelmed them with water such that it ran down my legs and filled the boots, may have taken it's toll on the insulation. But they're nowhere near as cold as my regular (road) shoes with overboots. And they're still waterproof unless you submerge them but then even wellingtons aren't waterproof if you fill them from the top!
neenaw said:
I remember you posting on here that you'd bought them for that price.
I was at Wellington Trek about 15 minutes later picking myself up a set of the road ones
Bloody good shoes.
Wellington Trek is gone now - still a bike shop but now Banjo Cycles I think. Not been since the change over, because I've not been looking for a new bike recently. I was at Wellington Trek about 15 minutes later picking myself up a set of the road ones
Bloody good shoes.
yellowjack said:
Wellington Trek is gone now - still a bike shop but now Banjo Cycles I think. Not been since the change over, because I've not been looking for a new bike recently.
Yep, it's now Banjo Cycles.They do a Wednesday night shop ride that I keep meaning to go to but I never seem to get round to it.
I just bought some of the Northwave Celsius 2 GTX boots. I did consider the Artic version but the -10 to +15degC range seemed more appropriate. Particularly as I've have winter socks on too. Hope they fit as I ordered the same size as my Northwave MTB shoes. Also wish they were here now so I could wear them in the morning!
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