CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Shoe Covers

(23 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by richardlmpearson
  • Latest reply from Instography
  • This topic is resolved

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  1. richardlmpearson
    Member

    Can anyone recommend a decent shoe cover.

    Recent ones I have had are a number of Neoprene ones from Decathlon and a lined pair from Planet X.

    Quite happy with them in general other than durability. I wear them on a Shimano SPD mountain bike shoe. They always wear out really quickly, even just walking about 20 metres each morning from the bike rack to the office door.

    Can't they design something better with more of a harder wearing material on the sole?

    Does anyone know of a good (reasonably priced pair that are durable?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I think walking 40m a day on shoe covers is always going to kill them, if you think about it that's about a km a month.

    Others may be of a differing opinion, but sensibly I'd say the best options are to either invest in a shoe that doesn't require them (probably costs same as 3 pairs of mid-priced covers for the Goretex-lined Shimano shoe (not the winter boot)) or just get 1 new pair of covers and lift it off/on the shoe before / after the ride.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. richardlmpearson
    Member

    Surely 40 metres is not excessive. I'd imagine many have to walk much further than me.

    It takes about 5 minutes to stretch my covers on to the shoe, so there is no way I am doing that outside in the freezing cold and/ or rain.

    I can't imagine at least one manufacturer has not come up with a decent cover that can deal with a bit of walking.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. gkgk
    Member

    Maybe the 5 minutes to put on is worth addressing? Mine take 20 seconds a foot. They are two sizes too big (all that was available when I needed to buy them) but aren't flappy at all.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. amir
    Member

    I agree with gkgk.

    I have Planet X overshoes - they've lasted 2-3 years but I do try to take them off when I get to the bike shed at work. As well as abrasion, it keeps them cleaner plus they're a slip hazard on the floors we have at work.

    I used to have tighter fitting overshoes - the velcro didn't last too long.

    I also have some DUB (wiggle) toecovers. These are really good on drier or not too cold days. They have kevlar reinforcement on the sole - this seems really good and should reduce abrasion. Wiggle has a overshoes version as well http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-neoprene-nylon-overshoe/ , though double the price of Planet X's

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. Beano
    Member

    I agree with gkgk too as I only recently invested in my first pair of overshoes and disregarded size to a certain extent and went for an XL (size guide said from UK size 12 upwards) when I only had size 10 shoes.

    They are reasonably quick to get on and I tend to put them on / take them off at the point where I minimise walking in them.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. richardlmpearson
    Member

    So from the response, I get that no one currently makes a hard wearing shoe cover suitable for walking and that I need to get a far larger cover to allow me to get them on and off quickly.

    My current ones are Time-Trial aero tight. This seems to maybe be the problem.

    thanks all for your input.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. CycleCommute.CC
    Member

    I have the planet X winter neoprene ones that just have a strip of velcro down the back. They can be put on in about 5 seconds each and taken off in about 2.

    This is my second winter using them and although a little worn they should see me through this one and maybe the next.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. wee folding bike
    Member

    Dr Marten boots. Polish them at the weekend to keep them water resistant.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. richardlmpearson
    Member

    Haha. Can you fit cleats to them? ;-)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. PS
    Member

    I suspect that anything that is designed for time-trialling (especially) or road biking will have little or no consideration for folk walking in them, and what consideration they have will assume that you have big road cleats to make ground contact with, rather than MTB-style shoes crushing the neoprene with every step.

    What you can do is dig out the duct tape and reinforce the areas prone to wear - you may need to do this several times each winter, but duct tape is relatively cheap.

    My neoprene overshoes are on their seventh winter and are going in the bin once spring arrives - the underside of the left one is almost all tape (that's my put-down/push-off side), but now the seams are starting to go and a hole is wearing through on the side from crank-rub.

    Best solution is getting some roasty-toasty winter shoes like kaputnik suggests - probably quite good value when you take into account overshoe (and duct tape) cost and on-off faff time.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. wee folding bike
    Member

    I've yet to find much that is impossible in Docs.

    I got married wearing 7 up steel toe boots.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  13. Kenny
    Member

    I have found BBB ones to be good. The ones I got in November are no longer made, but they appear to have been superceded by these:

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/bbb-waterflex-overshoes/

    They do wear out but only because I rub the inside of my heels against the cranks. And it takes a long time for them to wear out like that. I wear them when walking from the bike racks to the office which is more than 40m, and they don't wear out underneath.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    I am also copying the mode response in that I have neoprene ones by Shimano via decathlon that are XL but my feet are 8. They are ok and fit over a decathlon waterproof walking shoe. I only wear them in the rain. For the cold I just wear more socks. They do have a reinforced toe which is good and as my shoes are a bit big, the overshoe never touches the ground. The Velcro bit is higher than the tread on the shoe. So they have lasted a few years of light use.

    I have an altura pair for the weekend that are tighter.

    There are no good ones. I covet the Spesh bootees they keep you warm and dry but very dear.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  15. Mandopicker101
    Member

    These cycling shoes by Muddyfox / SportsDirect are, allegedly, waterproof. Yours on a popular online auction site for the princely sum for £39.99.

    I'd totally disbelieve the notion they cost significantly more and they're doing you a great deal. No idea if they're good or not, but they cost about double the price of decent overshoes. With regular cleaning (to remove salt, general road filth etc) they might be OK.

    See shoes here

    Posted 9 years ago #

  16. Instography
    Member

    I'm sceptical of Goretex shoes as a cure because my Shimano MTB boots, while they don't let in water, are too short to stop mudguard spray soaking the bottom of my legs and draining into the boot. The left one mainly.

    My foolproof wet winter solution involves the boots (similar to but older than these), Keela roadrunner trousers and Vaude overshoes. The only problem with it is the overshoes were a bit flappy so I sewed a strip of velcro inside the standard bits to let me to make them more snug.

    When the Vaude things wear out I'll get (or make) longer ones.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  17. gkgk
    Member

    Insto, if that's an sks mudguard, you might sit it further back round the wheel, lower to the ground, with the aid of a replacement (rear) bridge, costs £2 - stops the shin spray, keeps the drivetrain cleaner too.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  18. gembo
    Member

    @ insto those are the boots. The spesh bootees are slightly higher in the ankle length??

    Posted 9 years ago #

  19. richardlmpearson
    Member

    @PS

    They aren't actual time trial cover, they are just that snug a fit.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Markus Stitz (@reizkultur)
    05/02/2015 08:56
    @CyclingEdin forget shoe covers in really cold days, I'll get those here http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/45nrth-wolvhammer-winter-cycling-boot---2015-6265-p.asp

    "

    "

    Lizzie Rynne (@CityCycling)
    05/02/2015 08:57
    @CyclingEdin @ShimanoROAD cycling in the cold and wet? I just use a pair of light weight walking boots. Dry warm tootsies all the time.

    "

    Posted 9 years ago #

  21. geordiefatbloke
    Member

    I gave up on overshoes due to lack of endurance and faff getting them on. Now have waterproof light walking boots, and if it's really wet, I'll put my waterproof overtrousers on which usually stop it getting in the top of the shoes. If it's really really wet, neoprene socks go on too.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  22. Schemieradge
    Member

    I've never gone back after getting a pair of these beauts:

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eager-Spat-Waterproof-Cycling-Cover-Overshoe-/110639685217

    Paired with waterproof over-trousers, they don't even look that daft.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  23. Instography
    Member

    I already have SKS Longboard mudguards so they can't get much closer to the ground. The problem is just spray coming round the side of the mudguard.

    Yes, those Specialised boots look great. Maybe when my faithful Shimano boots give up the ghost I'll speak nicely to the missus.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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