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Lake MXZ303 Winter Cycling Boots

For several winters I’ve worn the Lake MXZ302 Winter Cycling Boots and have been very happy with them for temperatures from 10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. For temperatures below 10 degrees I usually wear the Columbia Sportswear Bugaboot (this is not a cycling-specific boot). Lake Cycling has recently updated their MXZ302 boot and have given it enough new features to make me buy of pair of the new Lake MXZ303 Winter Cycling Boot.

Lake MXZ303 Winter Cycling Boots

The MXZ303 is a high-end winter boot constructed with a three-part front cover made of water-repellent Pittards WR100 leather, 3M Thinsulate insulation in the toe box, Thermasol insoles, and a Vibram rubber sole that makes walking on snow and ice an easy task. Just like the earlier model, this boot has a side mounted Push/Pull BOA Closure lacing system so you can cinch it up with just one hand. One major improvement in this new model is the storm flap that fastens with an adjustable pinch clip—this really does a great job of sealing up the boot.

Push/Pull BOA Closure Lacing System

These boots are available in both regular and wide widths in even sizes from 38 to 50 (US). You also have a choice for the color of the printed logo on the outside of the boot (silver or yellow). These boots come with a pair of mud cleats (ice cleats) for each shoe and I would highly recommend you install them. I would also 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. My boots are size 47 wide and they weigh 755 grams (26 ounces) per boot and are six inches tall. These shoes are SPD compatible.

Storm Flap With Adjustable Pinch Clip

These boots claim to be “subzero rated” (a claim printed on the outside of every boot). I wore these boots for a couple of hours yesterday when the air temp was zero (Fahrenheit) with a windchill of -15 and my feet were toasty warm the entire ride. However, I probably should explain what else I was wearing on my feet: I started with a thin pair of RedHead ThermoLite Liner Socks, then a pair of DeFeet Woolie Boolie Socks, and finished up by sticking a pair of Hot Hands Chemical Toe Warmers on the bottom of the socks (this is my normal set-up for zero-degree weather).

Vibram Rubber Sole

Lake MXZ303 Winter Cycling Boots are not cheap—they have a retail price of $280, but several online retailers like Amazon.com and Nashbar.com have them at discounted prices. I bought mine from Bikeman.com, a brick-and-mortar bike shop in Woolwich, Maine that also has an excellent online store (and they ship Internationally). After I received my boots I talked with one of the guys in their shop and was very impressed with their customer service—I will be ordering from them again.

Interesting note: These boots are so new to the market that Lake Cycling does not even have them listed on their Website yet. This is quite a contrast to 45NRTH who announced their Wölvhammer winter boots back on August 15, 2013. The day after 45NRTH announced the Wölvhammer boots I had the local bike shop put a pair of them on “item watch” at QBP, but the same day the boots arrived there they immediately went to “out of stock” status. I had the same problem with the Dillinger snow tires (thanks to the persistence of a bike shop owner I was finally able to get a pair of these tires).

37 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on January 23, 2013 in Cycling Footwear, Fat Bikes, Product Reviews, Winter Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, shoes, snow, winter

Performance Toesties Toe Covers For Cyclists

16 Mar

If you want to keep your toes warm while cycling on a chilly morning you need to buy a pair of toe covers. While there are many good toe covers for cycling shoes on the market, the Performance Toesties covers are probably the least expensive. Sadly, they are also an example of getting what you pay for.

Performance Toesties Toe Covers

Performance Toesties are made of neoprene fabric and are both windproof and waterproof. These covers fit over the end of your cycling shoes, even if you are wearing cleats, and actually do a decent job of blocking the wind and keeping your toes warm. Because the covers are thin you can easily put them in your jersey pocket when you don’t need them. I’ve used them with both Look Keo and Shimano SPD cleats.

Performance Toesties lack any form of reinforcement on the bottom

The major downside of Performance Toesties is that there is no reinforcement on the bottom of the covers. If you walk very much at all in these covers the neoprene will start to shred. Not only that, but every time you clip in you will probably do a bit of damage to the covers—it doesn’t take long for them to wear out completely. I look at these covers as being disposable after a dozen or so rides.

Performance Toasties retail for $15 and are available at Performance Bicycle (both online and in their brick and mortar stores). The covers are available in four sizes: S (6.5-8.5), M (8.5-10), L (10-11.5), and XL (11.5+). I have found these covers run a bit on the small size, so you might want to order one size larger than your shoe size.

In my opinion the best toe covers on the market are the Planet Bike Dasher Toe Covers. These covers are a bit more expensive, but I think you will get a lot more use out of them.

10 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on March 16, 2012 in Cycling Footwear, Product Reviews, Spring And Fall Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, fall, shoes, spring, wind

Cleat Grips For Look Keo Cleats by Cleatskins

29 Feb

I tried several brands of cycling cleats for my road shoes and I decided that Look Keo cleats were best suited to my needs. The original non-grip Look Keo cleats offered tremendous power transfer from your feet to the pedals, but they were downright dangerous to walk in—the first time I wore them I fell down just walking across my garage. Look Keo 2 cleats introduced a traction pad which made it easier to walk with, but these pads wear out rather quickly if you walk in them very much. Look sells a pair of covers for their cleats and while they do an excellent job of protecting the cleats, they material is so hard its make it difficult to walk in (and even more difficult to put on). The good news is that Cleatskins has recently introduced their new Cleat Grips For Look Keo Cleats and they not only protect your cleats but make it very easy to walk on pavement (or even gravel) while in your road shoes.

Cleat Grips For Look Keo Cleats

Cleat Grips For Look Keo Cleats are made of lightweight Skintek—a durable material that is softer than normal cleat covers and is very flexible. If you look on the left hand side of the above photograph you will notice the grooved pattern on the bottom of the covers—this provides great traction even on wet pavement. In addition to allowing you to walk in your road shoes, Cleat Grips also protects floors from marring (this will make the folks at the convenience store happy).

A pair of Cleat Grips will easily fit in one of your jersey pockets with room to spare. They are machine washable, but I’ve found them to be very easy to clean with just a wet cloth. The Cleatskins Website says that these covers are available in either black or orange, but at the moment it seems that they only have black in stock.

Cleat Grips retail for $18 a pair and are available from the Cleatskins Website. Cleatskins also has covers available that are specifically designed for Shimano, Time and Speedplay cleats. This review was based upon a pair of Cleat Grips that was sent to me for review from Cleatskins.

3 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on February 29, 2012 in Cycling Footwear, Product Reviews

Tags: bicycle, bike, cleats, cycling, footwear, shoes

Cleatskins Bikeskins For Cycling Road Shoes

11 Jan

Among my bad habits is the fact that I am sometimes an impulse buyer—which is how I purchased a pair of Cleatskins Bikeskins, a product designed to go over your road shoes. Cleatskins make it easier for you to walk while in your road shoes and protect floors from the damage that would normally be caused by your cleats.

Cleatskins Bikeskins For Bicycle Road Shoes

Cleatskins Bikeskins For Cycling Road Shoes

Cleatskins Bikeskins are made of compressed molded rubber and easily fit over your cycling shoes so on your next ride you can go into a convenience store without walking like a cow on ice. They have a strap that goes over the heel of the shoes so the covers will not fall off. These shoe covers offer double-duty protection: they protect your expensive cleats from being damaged by hard surfaces and they also protect floors from being damaged by your cleats. The first time I wore these covers it took me a few seconds to get used to them, but they are easier to walk in than the other covers you can buy for cycling shoes. I use Look Keo 2 pedals on my road bikes, and while Look makes great pedals their covers are pretty difficult to walk in. Cleatskins Bikeskins are much easier to walk in than the standard Look cleat cover and they provide a tremendous amount of traction as you walk (even on wet pavement).

Bottom View Of Cleatskins Bikeskins

If you like to express yourself with your footwear, Cleatskins Bikeskins are available in several colors, including Red, White, Black, Yellow and True Blue. You have these color choices an all four of the available sizes (S, M, L, and XL).

My only problem with Cleatskins Bikeskins is that they take up too much room in my jersey when they are not in use. When I am on the road I like to travel as light as possible, so I don’t have anywhere to put the Cleatskins expect my jersey pocket, and a pair of these things takes up an entire pocket. However, if you are a commuter or ride with panniers these covers could save your life (or at least save you from the pain and embarrassment of falling inside a convenience store). I am not sure that they were available when I bought my Bikeskins, but they now have a model called ProBikeskins, these are specifically designed for Shimano, Look and Speedplay cleats. ProBikesins are much smaller and you don’t even have to take them off your shoe when they are not in use.

Cleatskins Bikeskins retail for $20 a pair and are available from the company Web site. Cleatskins also has products available for the cleated shoes worn in many other sports, including soccer, baseball, football, rugby, softball, field hockey, lacrosse, and track and field.

3 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on January 11, 2012 in Cycling Footwear, Product Reviews

Tags: bicycle, bike, cleats, cycling, footwear, shoes

Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers For Winter Biking

02 Dec

When most people think about Planet Bike the first thing that comes into their minds is their famous Superflash Turbo Tail Light. However, this year they have introduced some of the best winter cycling gear on the market—their new Borealis Winter Cycling Gloves are the best pair of winter gloves I’ve ever owned. They also offer an excellent line of toe and shoe covers that should meet the needs of most (but not all) winter cyclists.

Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers

If you are looking for one of the warmest shoe covers on the market, I would suggest you try the new Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers. This shoe cover is made of a windproof fabric with microfleece lining and a neoprene front panel around the toe box. While all suggested temperature ranges for winter clothing will vary from cyclist to cyclist, I would recommend them for temperatures from 20 to 35 degrees (Fahrenheit).

The bottom of these shoe covers is well designed and can be used with just about any cleat or pedal platform available. Like the Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers, the back of these covers is secured with a wide Velcro strip which makes the covers adjustable for different sizes. These covers also have reflective side logos for better visibility in low light conditions. Planet Bike offers these shoe covers in five different sizes (S, M, L, XL, and XXL). The small cover will fit a man’s size 6.5 shoe (40 European) and the XXL will fit a man’s 11.5+ shoe (46+ European).

While the Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers should be sufficient for most cyclists, if you want to use them in even colder weather here are a few suggestions that will help. First, remove the insoles that came with your cycling shoes and put in a pair of 3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles (available at most sporting goods stores). Next, instead of one pair of thick socks buy a pair of Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal Wool Socks—these socks are fairly thin, but they offer great insulation and wick away moisture like crazy. As the temperature drops, add a pair of sock liners under your thermal socks (you might have to go to a sporting goods store to find these—bike shops seldom carry them). If your feet are still cold, buy a pair of neoprene toe gators (available on Amazon.com). Toe gators are very thin pouches that you put over your toes (under your socks). Finally, if you really want to heat things up, put a pair of HeatMax Toasti Toes Foot Warmers (available on Amazon.com) under your toes. These chemical toe warmers have an adhesive backing so they will stick to the bottom of your socks and they give off heat for over six hours. If you do these things you might be able to go all winter without ever needing a pair of expensive cycling boots (they average about $300 a pair). However, if you like to go out and ride when the temperature is in the single digits (and who doesn’t?), then you really do need winter cycling boots.

Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers have a retail price of $45, but you can find them on Amazon.com for around $40.

4 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on December 2, 2011 in Cycling Footwear, Cycling On Windy Days, Product Reviews, Winter Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, shoes, wind, winter

3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles

23 Nov

As the temperature starts to drop in the fall the first thing you do to keep your feet warm is wear toe covers over your cycling shoes. By the time the temperature is in the 40′s you probably removed the toes covers and started wearing shoe covers. As the temperature keeps dropping you finally start looking for something else to help keep your feet warm. 3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles are a fantastic, yet inexpensive, way to have warm and happy feet during long bike rides in the winter.

3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles

3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles are composed of four layers. First, there is an abrasion-resistant antimicrobial layer on the top to help keep odors down and wick moisture away. Under this is a layer of comfortable memory foam, followed by a layer of Thinsulate polyester fiber insulation that does a wonderful job of keeping your feet warm by trapping air molecules between the bottom of your feet and the cruel weather outside. The bottom layer acts somewhat like a shock absorber and has additional antimicrobial and moisture wicking properties.

I have cycled with these insoles for several weeks and they work exactly as advertised. I have no way of measuring for certain, but based upon my experience I think these insoles increase the internal temperature of my shoes by at least 10 to 15 degrees. I believe these insoles would provide even more heat if my cycling shoes and shoe covers formed an airtight seal (not physically possible). Not only are these insoles extremely comfortable on long rides, but they do an excellent job of keeping me feet dry as well.

3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles are available at many sporting goods stores, such as Cabela’s, Dick’s Sport Goods, Bass Pro Shops and REI. While this product is usually marketed to hunters and hikers, I think any winter cyclist would love to have a pair of these insoles. These insoles are available for women’s sizes from 5–12 and for men’s sizes from 7–14. These insoles sell for around $20 a pair and if you ride in the winter you will never regret this purchase!

5 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on November 23, 2011 in Cycling Footwear, Product Reviews, Winter Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, footwear, shoes, winter

Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers For Winter Cycling

16 Nov

You don’t have to hang up your bike when cold weather comes if you wear the right jacket, gloves and footwear. Several companies offer excellent shoe covers for cyclists, but the one I would recommend for temperatures from 25 to 40 degrees (Fahrenheit) is the Planet Bike Comet Shoe Cover.

Planet Bike Comet Full Neoprene Shoe Covers

Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers are made of neoprene and offer great wind and water resistance. Neoprene is the same material used in wetsuits and not only is it waterproof, but it offers excellent insulation. I’ve spent several hours riding with these shoe covers in both snow and rain and not a drop of water has soaked through this material.

These covers will fit almost any cleat/pedal platform you can throw at it. I’ve used these covers on my MTB shoes with Crank Brothers Egg Beater cleats and on my road shoes with Look Keo cleats. The bottom of these covers is made of a very rugged material, so you don’t have to worry if you run into a convenience store while out on a long ride. In the winter my MTB shoes have toe spikes and there is enough room between the toe box retention strap and the front of the shoe cover for these toe spikes to fit in easily.

As I said earlier, I like these shoe covers for temperatures between 25 and 40 degrees. However, your comfort level might vary—not only because of personal comfort zones, but because cycling shoes have a great deal of variation in the amount of ventilation they provide. While riding with the Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers the one place my feet did get cool was on my sole because there is no insulation there (this is true of every brand of shoe cover you find). The best way to overcome this is to replace your regular insoles with 3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles (available at most sporting goods stores).

The back of these covers is secured with a wide Velcro strip which not only makes the covers adjustable for different sizes, but if your feet get too warm you can open up the top a bit to let some air in. These covers also have reflective side logos for better visibility to motorists.

Planet Bike offers these shoe covers in five different sizes. The small cover will fit a man’s size 6.5 shoe (40 European) and the XXL will fit a man’s 11.5+ shoe (46+ European). Planet Bike has a size chart available on their Website if you are not sure what size you need. I have found the listed sizes to be accurate, but if you are on the border between two sizes go for the larger one (tight clothing in the winter is a very bad idea). I wear size 11.5 cycling shoes and these covers fit perfectly and have a bit of room to spare. Nearly every other brand of shoe cover I have ever purchased was too small to fit my feet (the Bike Nashbar brand shoe covers run about two sizes smaller than advertised).

These shoe covers come with a limited lifetime warranty against defects in material or workmanship (see the Planet Bike Website for complete details). The warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, but they are very well made and I think you should get many years of use out of them.

Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers retail for around $40, but you can save a few dollars by purchasing them online. If you are riding in temperatures above 40 degrees I would recommend the Planet Bike Dasher Toe Covers (my all-time favorite toe cover). For temperatures below 30 degrees I would recommend the Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers.

4 Comments

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on November 16, 2011 in Cycling Footwear, Cycling In The Rain, Cycling On Windy Days, Product Reviews, Spring And Fall Cycling, Winter Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, fall, footwear, shoes, spring, wind, winter

Sidi 2011 Dominator 5 Mesh Men’s Mountain Bike Shoes

04 Nov

Like every Sidi cycling shoe I’ve ever bought, the Sidi Dominator 5 Mountain Bike Shoe is both a work of art and a superb shoe. This shoe offers true Italian craftsmanship and you can see it in every stitch. When you read most reviews for cycling shoes you will find a lot of talk about the “break-in time.” In my opinion the Sidi Dominator 5 does not have a break-in period—it is perfect straight out of the box. I have not experienced any hot spots or pressures points in this shoe at all.

Sidi 2011 Dominator 5 Mesh Men's Mountain Bike Shoes

Sidi 2011 Dominator 5 Mountain Bike Shoes

The upper on this shoe is made of a soft, breathable, hand-stitched Lorica synthetic leather microfiber that will keep your feet nice and cool due to its cooling mesh inserts (you will need a pair of toe covers in cool weather). Lorica is an incredibly strong, yet soft, material that stands up well to the abuse it takes on off-road trails and many hours spent riding in the rain.

This shoe has three closing straps. At the top there is a soft arch compression strap with an Ultra SL buckle that you can easily adjust as you ride. In addition, there are two high security Velcro straps that stay in place regardless of circumstances. This shoe is compatible with a variety of cleat and pedal combinations. I have used both SPD and Crank Brothers Egg Beater cleats on this shoe without any problem.

Sidi Dominator 5 Mountain Bike Shoes

Sidi offers this shoe in an amazing variety of sizes. Standard sizes go from 38–52 (EU), with half-sizes from 38.5 to 46.5. Mega (wide) width shoes go from 40–52, with half-sizes from 40.5 to 46.5. Narrow widths from 40–50 are also available, with half-sizes from 40.5 to 46.5. If you have wide feet these are the shoes for you! The Mega (wide) shoes are very comfortable and have a very wide toe box. I have found these shoes to be true to size.

My only complaint about this shoe is that toe spikes (mud studs) were not included in the box. Toe spikes are available, but they are going to cost you another $15. I like riding with toe spikes even when the trails are dry—the spikes can really take a beating and then be replaced a few years later at very little cost.

The Sidi Dominator 5 Mountain Bike Shoes are not cheap—the retail price is $260, but you can usually find them online for around $230. If you are on a tight budget you might want to consider the Lake MX235C Mountain Bike Shoe.

Louis Garneau Neo Protect Cycling Shoe Cover

26 Oct

The Louis Garneau Neo Protect Cycling Shoe Cover allows you to wear your summer cycling shoes in temperatures well below freezing. Cleat openings on the bottom of the cover make it compatible with most pedal systems used in both road and MTB shoes (I’ve used these covers with Look Keo, Shimano SPD and Crank Brothers Egg Beater cleats).

Louis Garneau Neo Protect Cycling Shoe Cover

I used these covers on at least 20 rides last year that were longer than three hours each and they kept my feet warm down to around 20 degrees. I need to mention that this protection was provided with the aid of some nice wool cycling socks and Grabber Toe Warmers Heating Packs (these disposable warmers cost about a dollar a pair and are available on Amazon.com and at most sporting goods stores).

Garneau’s Website claims this cover “protects your feet from the wet and extremely cold temperatures,” and this mostly true. You should not have any trouble wearing these covers in snow or light rain, but they are not waterproof—your feet will get wet in a heavy rain. These covers also give great protection from the wind.

This shoe cover is made from 3-mm neoprene and closes in the back with a thick strip of Velcro. There are several shoe covers on the market that close with a zipper and I have not had much success with any of them. The reflective logos on this shoe cover add some visibility, but because of their position on the top of the cover I don’t think this is much of a selling point.

The Louis Garneau Neo Protect Cycling Shoe Cover is available in four sizes: Small (39-41), Medium (41.5-43), Large (43.5-45), XL (45.5-50). The sizing on these covers is good, but I would recommend you buy a size larger than you normally wear so you can get them on easier. This product retails for $20 and is certainly worth the price.

Louis Garneau Wind Dry SL Shoe Cover

12 Oct

During the first few weeks of fall you can ride with just toe covers over your cycling shoes (I prefer the Planet Bike Dasher Windproof Toe Covers). However, as the temperature drops a bit your next line of defense is going to be a lightweight shoe cover that will not only protect your toes but your ankles as well.

Louis Garneau Wind Dry SL Shoe Cover

The Louis Garneau Wind Dry SL Shoe Cover is not only windproof and very breathable. This product is made with laminated Lycra and fleece on the inside with a WindDry fabric on the outside. These covers are not waterproof (though some advertisements make that claim), but I have found them to be fairly warm in temperatures down to around 35 degrees. The back of the cover closes with a sturdy strip of Velcro and there is a Velcro fastener under the sole the works well at keeping the cover in place.

I used this cover on my road shoes last year and was very happy with it. Reinforced cleat openings on the bottom of this cover make it compatible with most pedal systems (I use Look Keo cleats). There are also lug openings in case you want to use this cover on your MTB shoes. You will also find a decent amount of reflective tape and logos that should help motorists see you easier.

This is a decent shoe cover and I really don’t have any complaints against it. However, it is not intended to replace winter cycling boots, or even heavyweight thermal shoe covers. There are several good lightweight shoe covers available and I think most people would be happy with this one.

The Louis Garneau Wind Dry SL Shoe Cover retails for around $35 and is available in four sizes: X-Small (36-38), Small (39-41), Medium (41.5-43), Large (43.5-45), and XL (45.5-50).

1 Comment

Posted by All Seasons Cyclist on October 12, 2011 in Bicycle Clothing, Cycling Footwear, Product Reviews, Spring And Fall Cycling

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, fall, footwear, garneau, mtb, shoes, spring

All Seasons Cyclist

Tag Archives: shoes

Lake MXZ303 Winter Cycling Boots

Performance Toesties Toe Covers For Cyclists

Cleat Grips For Look Keo Cleats by Cleatskins

Cleatskins Bikeskins For Cycling Road Shoes

Planet Bike Blitzen Windproof Shoe Covers For Winter Biking

3M Thinsulate Thermal Insoles

Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers For Winter Cycling

Sidi 2011 Dominator 5 Mesh Men’s Mountain Bike Shoes

Louis Garneau Neo Protect Cycling Shoe Cover

Louis Garneau Wind Dry SL Shoe Cover

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