Part of the fun of getting into a new activity is figuring out all the peripheral things that go along with actually doing said activity. In the case of snow biking, staying warm is a key component of making it an enjoyable experience. The consequences of not dressing and layering appropriately are much more significant than over-heating or getting cold during a summer ride.
My hands and feet generally seem to be on the cold side. I think it is because they end up getting wet from sweating and then get cold. Over the years, I have experimented with socks combos while snow boarding but somehow the feet always find a way to get cold. I finally figured out that part of it was over-tightened bindings while riding. The little adjustment of loosening the bindings while riding the chairlift was enough to get circulation back into the feet and warm them up. I figure it will be minor tweaks like that will impact the fun factor while snow biking.
The plantar fasciitis episode convinced me it was time to invest in a pair of winter cycling shoes. After reading forums and reviews, it became apparent that the best choice was the Lake MX302. These seem to consistently get the best reviews in regards to keeping feet warm.
The shoes arrived on Monday and I have taken them out once so far but they seemed to excel at anything I asked them to do. The first test was that my feet did not even feel a twinge of chilly...at all! Even when I was hike a biking through snow. It was relatively warm (in the low 30's) so the true test will come once the mercury dips. The plantar fasciitis also did not flare up...big win there! I was riding for a little under 2 hrs so it was a good first test.
In terms of fit, they seem to fit well. The key was sizing up to take into consideration the extra room needed for thick socks (or layering socks). I wear a size 42 in Specialized, 43 in Pearl Izumi, and decided to size up to 44 for these Lakes. It was a bit of a gamble considering there are no local bike shops that carry Lake to actually try on for size. Fortunately it was a good decision. I wore a liner and wool sock and still had a little bit of extra room should I need a thicker sock combo.
The lining and construction of the boot seem pretty solid. They have a nice layering system that keeps the shoe snug on the ankle. I can see potentially having to wear shortie gaiters in order to prevent snow from sneaking in the top but they definitely seem to cinch up much better than a hiking boot, etc. The cinching system seems like it does a nice job of tightening the shoes without over-tightening so that there is still plenty of circulation and warmth.
The tread is pretty stout too - guess they figure you might be doing some hike a bike and will need a good solid rubber platform to handle the abuse.
Overall (so far) I give them a big thumbs up / gold star...me likey....
Some pix:
My hands and feet generally seem to be on the cold side. I think it is because they end up getting wet from sweating and then get cold. Over the years, I have experimented with socks combos while snow boarding but somehow the feet always find a way to get cold. I finally figured out that part of it was over-tightened bindings while riding. The little adjustment of loosening the bindings while riding the chairlift was enough to get circulation back into the feet and warm them up. I figure it will be minor tweaks like that will impact the fun factor while snow biking.
The plantar fasciitis episode convinced me it was time to invest in a pair of winter cycling shoes. After reading forums and reviews, it became apparent that the best choice was the Lake MX302. These seem to consistently get the best reviews in regards to keeping feet warm.
The shoes arrived on Monday and I have taken them out once so far but they seemed to excel at anything I asked them to do. The first test was that my feet did not even feel a twinge of chilly...at all! Even when I was hike a biking through snow. It was relatively warm (in the low 30's) so the true test will come once the mercury dips. The plantar fasciitis also did not flare up...big win there! I was riding for a little under 2 hrs so it was a good first test.
In terms of fit, they seem to fit well. The key was sizing up to take into consideration the extra room needed for thick socks (or layering socks). I wear a size 42 in Specialized, 43 in Pearl Izumi, and decided to size up to 44 for these Lakes. It was a bit of a gamble considering there are no local bike shops that carry Lake to actually try on for size. Fortunately it was a good decision. I wore a liner and wool sock and still had a little bit of extra room should I need a thicker sock combo.
The lining and construction of the boot seem pretty solid. They have a nice layering system that keeps the shoe snug on the ankle. I can see potentially having to wear shortie gaiters in order to prevent snow from sneaking in the top but they definitely seem to cinch up much better than a hiking boot, etc. The cinching system seems like it does a nice job of tightening the shoes without over-tightening so that there is still plenty of circulation and warmth.
The tread is pretty stout too - guess they figure you might be doing some hike a bike and will need a good solid rubber platform to handle the abuse.
Overall (so far) I give them a big thumbs up / gold star...me likey....
Some pix:
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