There comes a time in late fall or early winter when even the best shoe covers just won’t keep your feet warm. When you reach this point you have to either purchase a pair of winter cycling boots or just hang your bike up for the duration. A couple of months off the bike will probably cause you to gain a few pounds and it will definitely take you a while in the spring to “get your legs back.” Seeing that you really do need a pair of winter cycling boots, I would suggest a pair of Lake MXZ302 Winter Cycling Boots.
Lake MXZ302 Winter Cycling Boots
Lake Cycling is well-known for their moderately priced cycling shoes, and their MXZ302 Winter Cycling Boot is a fantastic product for those of us who have never outgrown playing in the snow! I bought a pair of these boots two winters ago and it was one of the best cycling purchases I’ve ever made. This boot has a full leather upper coupled with a Vibram rubber sole that makes walking on snow and ice an easy task, and a 3M Thinsulate lining in toe box to keep you warm. Neoprene cuffs and the 2-piece lace overflap seals the shoes incredibly well—I’ve never had snow or rain get inside these shoes while cycling. The side mounted Push/Pull BOA Closure lacing system keeps these shoes at exactly the right tension while on your feet.
The shoes come with a set of spikes (lugs) and a small wrench so you can easily attach the spikes to the front of the sole. You really should install the spikes—you will really appreciate the extra traction they will give you on the ice. I would recommend that you apply a few drops of an anti-seize compound on the threads of the spikes and your cleats before installation. The anti-seize compound will make the spikes and cleats a lot easier to remove after they have spent the winter in snow, ice and road salt. These shoes are SPD compatible.
I don’t have a complaint against these winter boots, but I do wish they were a bit lighter. However, when you are cycling thru several inches of snow and the temperature is around zero you probably won’t be thinking about the extra weight! I’ve cycled over 2,000 miles with these shoes during all sorts of snow and ice storms and my feet have never felt cold.
These shoes are available in men’s sizes 36-50 (whole sizes only) and men’s wide EE 39-50 (whole sizes only). I have wide feet and these shoes fit me perfectly. As you probably know, you need to order a winter cycling shoe in at least a half-size larger than you normally wear so you will have room for thicker winter socks.
The bad news is that these shoes are not cheap! The retail cost is around $300 a pair, but you can sometimes find them online for around $230. I know the price is high, but have you ever considered how expensive a case of frostbite might be?
The only downside to this shoe is Lake Cycling itself. I don’t know of a single manufacturer or distributor of cycling products that has a worse reputation for customer service than Lake Cycling. The shoes they sell are fine, but if you ever need help from Lake Cycling you are out of luck. Getting a phone number or email address for this company is harder than getting the home number for the director of the CIA. Their Web site has absolutely no contact information on it at all!
