Neoprene Overbooties

Christopher Brian Colohan said:

I was visiting the Bay area of California over New Years, and was quite impressed with the number
of cyclists out in the Palo Alto area. But one thing struck me as very strange: it was a nice
sunny 50 degree day (spring jacket weather), and a remarkable number of cyclists were wearing what
looked like neoprene overbooties.

I have a pair of those (Gator brand), and I'll wear them when it's cold and wet. Neoprene's nice in
that it still insulates when wet. But compared to other booties, they're not much warmer.

I use a pair of Pearl Izumi fleece booties when it's cool but dry. (I made the mistake of wearing
those this morning, and my feet got soaked. The forecast said dry -- wrong.)

Quoted message said:

I had always thought this was a specialized item reserved for cycling on really cold (below
freezing) days. Are these just fashionable out there, or is there some other benefit I am missing?

I'd like to say that it's because we go so fast that the wind chill is brutal. But I won't, we're
all just cold weather wusses. My toes go numb on a descent when the temperature's about 50F.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Christopher Brian Colohan <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I was visiting the Bay area of California over New Years, and was quite impressed with the number
of cyclists out in the Palo Alto area. But one thing struck me as very strange: it was a nice
sunny 50 degree day (spring jacket weather), and a remarkable number of cyclists were wearing what
looked like neoprene overbooties.

I think full neoprane booties are way to warm for 50F weather. You may have seen thin, uninsulated
shoe covers. Pearl Izumi and others make these. They keep the wind chill out of your ventilated
shoes, but don't add a lot of extra warmth. Toe covers are also good in 50F weather since that's
where most of the chill comes in and your feet can still breath out the back.

"Terry Morse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'd like to say that it's because we go so fast that the wind chill is brutal. But I won't, we're
all just cold weather wusses. My toes go numb on a descent when the temperature's about 50F.
--

For cold toes, try wearing a pair of wool socks, like defeet's woolie boolies and toe covers. Works
for me in the "cold" ...OK, I live in SF and it really doesn't get THAT cold, but its cold to me.

Christopher Brian Colohan said:

I was visiting the Bay area of California over New Years, and was quite impressed with the number
of cyclists out in the Palo Alto area. But one thing struck me as very strange: it was a nice sunny
50 degree day (spring jacket weather), and a remarkable number of cyclists were wearing what looked
like neoprene overbooties.

Why? I had always thought this was a specialized item reserved for cycling on really cold (below
freezing) days. Are these just fashionable out there, or is there some other benefit I am missing?
I was somewhat baffled, and am curious about this...

See if they are wearing SpokesWear brand MTB booties. Useless under 50 degrees F. I know, I
have a pair.

Jim

Christopher Brian Colohan said:

I was visiting the Bay area of California over New Years, and was quite impressed with the number
of cyclists out in the Palo Alto area. But one thing struck me as very strange: it was a nice
sunny 50 degree day (spring jacket weather), and a remarkable number of cyclists were wearing what
looked like neoprene overbooties.

Why? I had always thought this was a specialized item reserved for cycling on really cold (below
freezing) days. Are these just fashionable out there, or is there some other benefit I am missing?
I was somewhat baffled, and am curious about this...

Many of the backroads I ride up here in Marin stay wet from the rains, even if it hasn't actually
rained in a few days. Combined with cool temps, that makes for cold wet feet over the course of a
three hour ride. The booties help keep my feet relatively dry and warm.

(The roads have dried out over the last few days; I'm paring back to neoprene toe warmers.)

In rec.bicycles.tech David L. Johnson <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Also, Californians are wussies....

ding!
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Also, Californians are wussies....

Well, if they're out riding in the middle of the winter and you aren't, who's the wussie? Or, who's
more intelligent? 🙂

In rec.bicycles.tech Ken <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Well, if they're out riding in the middle of the winter and you aren't, who's the wussie? Or,
: who's more intelligent? 🙂

yea, uhhh, earth to ken. people outside of california do ride in the middle of winter.
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

Terry Morse said:

Quoted message said:

I had always thought this was a specialized item reserved for cycling on really cold (below
freezing) days. Are these just fashionable out there, or is there some other benefit I am missing?

I'd like to say that it's because we go so fast that the wind chill is brutal. But I won't, we're
all just cold weather wusses. My toes go numb on a descent when the temperature's about 50F.

Another factor is when the rider left home. For example, the Alto Velo A ride leaves on Sunday @
8:40am. A rider may well leave home @ 8am to make the ride, at which time it isn't unusual for the
temperature to be in the 35F range, even if it does end up in the mid-50F's by mid-day.

Dan

On 19 Jan 2004 15:05:58 -0500, Christopher Brian Colohan <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was visiting the Bay area of California over New Years, and was quite impressed with the number
of cyclists out in the Palo Alto area. But one thing struck me as very strange: it was a nice sunny
50 degree day (spring jacket weather), and a remarkable number of cyclists were wearing what looked
like neoprene overbooties.

I use them with the temp is below 40 and or raining. I sure would not wear them otherwise they are a
pain to put on and seem to wear out fast. but 50 degrees? what a bunch of wimps (G) better to wear
wool socks if it is dry out. hell around here 50 degrees I wear a polypropylene tee shirt and a
regular tee shirt and I am plenty warm. hell even a think long sleeve tee would be plenty.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See knight-knight-Open ↗
toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Those are absolutely great booties. I got a pair last year and love 'em.

<snip>

Agree 100% - reasonably priced and highly effective (if we have the same ones - mine are ~1/16"
thick neoprene lowtop slipons). If I wear my thin fleece socks with these I can ride down to 15
degrees or so.

App

Appkiller said:

Agree 100% - reasonably priced and highly effective (if we have the same ones - mine are ~1/16"
thick neoprene lowtop slipons). If I wear my thin fleece socks with these I can ride down to 15
degrees or so.

Maybe California cold is different. This morning's ride was 42F, low visibility fog with drizzle and
a fresh breeze. With neoprene booties, GoreTex socks over SmartWool socks, my feet were barely warm
enough descending on Skyline from Kings Mountain to Sky Londa. The rest of me couldn't stop
shivering, so I stopped into Alice's Restaurant for some coffee. I'm still thawing out.

Maybe it's the condensing fog. Maybe it's the sweat from climbing. Maybe it's my lack of an
insulating layer of body fat. Maybe I'm a wuss.

But remember what Mark Twain said about Summer in San Francisco.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Terry Morse said:

Appkiller said:

Agree 100% - reasonably priced and highly effective (if we have the same ones - mine are ~1/16"
thick neoprene lowtop slipons). If I wear my thin fleece socks with these I can ride down to 15
degrees or so.

Maybe California cold is different. This morning's ride was 42F, low visibility fog with drizzle
and a fresh breeze. With neoprene booties, GoreTex socks over SmartWool socks, my feet were barely
warm enough descending on Skyline from Kings Mountain to Sky Londa. The rest of me couldn't stop
shivering, so I stopped into Alice's Restaurant for some coffee. I'm still thawing out.

Maybe it's the condensing fog. Maybe it's the sweat from climbing. Maybe it's my lack of an
insulating layer of body fat. Maybe I'm a wuss.

But remember what Mark Twain said about Summer in San Francisco.

To borrow from another expression about California weather, cold is fine, as long as it's a
"dry cold"...

Matt O.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dan Connelly d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g said:

Terry Morse said:

Quoted message said:

I had always thought this was a specialized item reserved for cycling on really cold (below
freezing) days. Are these just fashionable out there, or is there some other benefit I am
missing?

I'd like to say that it's because we go so fast that the wind chill is brutal. But I won't,
we're all just cold weather wusses. My toes go numb on a descent when the temperature's
about 50F.

Another factor is when the rider left home. For example, the Alto Velo A ride leaves on Sunday @
8:40am. A rider may well leave home @ 8am to make the ride, at which time it isn't unusual for the
temperature to be in the 35F range, even if it does end up in the mid-50F's by mid-day.

Dan

One factor to consider is that feet are funny things: they don't get much of a workout on a bike,
ironically enough, and being an extremity, they're good at getting cold anyways.

I attended a group ride last weekend in mild Vancouver temperatures (high around 10C). Many of the
riders sported neoprene booties. It was about a 30km/h pace on the flats ("Easy Spin"😉, and I would
have liked a foot-cover at the end of the ride. I was wearing some high-ankle DH boots (AXO
Vertigo), but they are surprisingly cool despite how beefy they look and their upper gaiter.

On my ride to work right now, I have taken to wearing my regular jersey, a pair of arm warmers,
regular shorts, thin leggings, and an acrylic neck tube. In the afternoon, I remove the neck tube.
The coldest part of me on both rides (still tolerable) is usually my feet, though now that I'm
wearing my mid-weight gloves (they're full-finger BMX gloves, and well ventilated; they only seem
warm compared to my half-finger gloves), the finger occasionally compete.

It's very hard, on the contrary, to get your feet to overheat, at least in my experience.
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Quoted message said:

Maybe California cold is different. This morning's ride was 42F, low visibility fog with drizzle
and a fresh breeze. With neoprene booties, GoreTex socks over SmartWool socks, my feet were barely
warm enough descending on Skyline from Kings Mountain to Sky Londa. The rest of me couldn't stop
shivering, so I stopped into Alice's Restaurant for some coffee. I'm still thawing out.

that's not cold. I can go with regular socks and the neo booties to keep my feet dry in that. a poly
tee shirt a cotton long sleeve over that. without rain that would be fine with it my burley raincoat
is all. try 35 and rain (G)

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See knight-knight-Open ↗
toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Terry Morse said:

Maybe California cold is different. This morning's ride was 42F, low visibility fog with
drizzle and a fresh breeze. With neoprene booties, GoreTex socks over SmartWool socks, my feet
were barely warm enough descending on Skyline from Kings Mountain to Sky Londa. The rest of me
couldn't stop shivering, so I stopped into Alice's Restaurant for some coffee. I'm still
thawing out.

Maybe it's the condensing fog. Maybe it's the sweat from climbing. Maybe it's my lack of an
insulating layer of body fat. Maybe I'm a wuss.

But remember what Mark Twain said about Summer in San Francisco.

To borrow from another expression about California weather, cold is fine, as long as it's a "dry
cold"...

Matt O.

Dear Matt and Terry,

Concerning California's opinion of itself . . .

From "The Ambrose Bierce Satanic Reader," "He Blasphemed Our Climate" (1872):

"On Saturday last this young man [a rival editor], with all the effrontery of a new arrival,
deliberately and with malice prepense, slandered, traduced, vilified and brought into ill repute Our
Climate! He gravely asserted that a man had frozen to death in this city of San Francisco--had died
from exposure in a wagon! Great and Insufferable Satan! Our Climate--the finest in the world, Sir--
mother of green peas in December and nourisher of strawberries the year round!"

***

And for our members in the U.K.:

From P.G Wodehouse's "The World of Mr. Mulliner," "The Story of William" (1928):

" . . . I understand you are from the other side, sir. Do you find our English country-side
pleasant?"

"Delightful. Though, of course, if I may say so, scarcely to be compared with the scenery of my
home State."

"What State is that?"

"California," replied the other, baring his head. "California, the Jewel State of the Union. With
its azure sea, its noble hills, its eternal sunshine, and its fragrant flowers, California stands
alone. Peopled by stalwart men and womanly women . . ."

"California would be all right," said Mr. Mulliner, "if it wasn't for the earthquakes."

Our guest started as though some venomous snake had bitten him.

"Earthquakes are absolutely unknown in California," he said, hoarsely.

"What about the one in 1906?"

"That was not an earthquake. It was a fire."

***

Carl Fogel

10 February 1956, Stanford University Hospitals, Clay and Webster Streets, San Francisco

Terry Morse <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Christopher Brian Colohan wrote:

Quoted message said:

I have a pair of those (Gator brand), and I'll wear them when it's cold and wet. Neoprene's nice
in that it still insulates when wet. But compared to other booties, they're not much warmer.

I use a pair of Pearl Izumi fleece booties when it's cool but dry. (I made the mistake of wearing
those this morning, and my feet got soaked. The forecast said dry -- wrong.)

Hi, I just bought a pair of new booties that zipper up the front and say "Trek USA" on them. Does
anybody know the age of these? They aren't like the current Trek models. They came uncut, with
patterns on the bottom for both Look style and SPD cleats. They seem to be medium weight. I had
problems last fall, in mid 40s, with my toes getting cold. I tried various sock combinations, but
I think part of it is that with the rigid sole, your toes don't move around much, limiting
circulation. I did find that my Shimano SH20 shoes were better than my Pearl Izumi Vortex road
shoes. With the booties, I'll be able to place a heat pack in, if necessary. So, any info,
including list price, on these booties? Thank you, Jeff

My friend from the east coast says the same; "Booties in CA?" -tom

"David Reuteler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In rec.bicycles.tech David L. Johnson <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Also, Californians are wussies....

ding!
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

Perhaps some of you aren't familiar with the famous Mark Twain quote: "The coldest I ever was, in my
entire life, was one summer in San Francisco." I've tried an interesting experiment several times:
On chilly days wearing one of my full neoprene cycling oveshoes on one foot only to see if I can
tell the difference. Well, so far there is a difference, but not much, and I tend to have poor foot
circulation and feet that get cold.
--

Steve Junjper

"But, frankly, I'd vote for anybody who'd bump Bush out of there. Because I think he's a sociopath.
He doesn't care. He has no empathy. Nothing registers with him. He doesn't understand the world's
disapproval - he just unplugs the TV. Now I understand, for the first time in my life, what the an-
swer is when people ask, 'Why didn't people stop [censored]?'. It's a reign of fear. People are afraid
of being called 'unpatriotic'."
-- Joan
Baez --

"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]... "Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Terry Morse said:

Maybe California cold is different. This morning's ride was 42F, low visibility fog with
drizzle and a fresh breeze. With neoprene booties, GoreTex socks over SmartWool socks, my feet
were barely warm enough descending on Skyline from Kings Mountain to Sky Londa. The rest of me
couldn't stop shivering, so I stopped into Alice's Restaurant for some coffee. I'm still
thawing out.

Maybe it's the condensing fog. Maybe it's the sweat from climbing. Maybe it's my lack of an
insulating layer of body fat. Maybe I'm a wuss.

But remember what Mark Twain said about Summer in San Francisco.

To borrow from another expression about California weather, cold is fine,

as

Quoted message said:

long as it's a "dry cold"...

Matt O.

Dear Matt and Terry,

Concerning California's opinion of itself . . .

From "The Ambrose Bierce Satanic Reader," "He Blasphemed Our Climate" (1872):

"On Saturday last this young man [a rival editor], with all the effrontery of a new arrival,
deliberately and with malice prepense, slandered, traduced, vilified and brought into ill repute Our
Climate! He gravely asserted that a man had frozen to death in this city of San Francisco--had died
from exposure in a wagon! Great and Insufferable Satan! Our Climate--the finest in the world, Sir--
mother of green peas in December and nourisher of strawberries the year round!"

***

And for our members in the U.K.:

From P.G Wodehouse's "The World of Mr. Mulliner," "The Story of William" (1928):

" . . . I understand you are from the other side, sir. Do you find our English country-side
pleasant?"

"Delightful. Though, of course, if I may say so, scarcely to be compared with the scenery of my
home State."

"What State is that?"

"California," replied the other, baring his head. "California, the Jewel State of the Union. With
its azure sea, its noble hills, its eternal sunshine, and its fragrant flowers, California stands
alone. Peopled by stalwart men and womanly women . . ."

"California would be all right," said Mr. Mulliner, "if it wasn't for the earthquakes."

Our guest started as though some venomous snake had bitten him.

"Earthquakes are absolutely unknown in California," he said, hoarsely.

"What about the one in 1906?"

"That was not an earthquake. It was a fire."

***

Carl Fogel

10 February 1956, Stanford University Hospitals, Clay and Webster Streets, San Francisco