Monday 14 January 2013

By jove I've finally cracked it (part 2)

Another thing that's been bugging me since I started cycle commuting is damp feet.  I like to cycle in normal walking shoes so that:

  • Walking when off the bike is a comfortable and convenient experience (I have wide feet and like wide shoes!)
  • So that my pedals don't required special shoes every time I ride my bike

I know that a hybrid "SPD one side and flat pedal the other" option is available but they don't fold.  I definitely want folding pedals so that I'm not limiting the usefulness of my bike's key feature.

I have, however found it very hard to find overshoes that are a reasonable price, which fit over my regular shoes and are waterproof.  I don't find that it's the falling rain that's an issue in itself.  Rather, it is the spray from the front wheel on wet roads and through gutters and puddles which really give shoes a soaking.  Even with decent mudguards fitted. 

However, after a lengthy Google and a bit of "out of box" thinking, I found these in (of all places) the Demon Tweeks catalogue.  Well for about 15 quid posted, I thought they had to be worth a go.

Today is the first time I have tried them in anger and I have to say I'm delighted!  I ordered the larger size as my UK 9 (Eur 43) sat pretty much between the two sizes on offer.  They are quite large, maybe a little too large but are light and laughably easy to pull on over my shoes.  OK so they look a little daft but commuting by bike is not a style contest and loads of other people on the train this morning were sporting wellies of one sort or another.  Maybe the smaller size would be snugger and no more difficult to slip on?

They are fine to walk in and I didn't notice any appreciable lack of grip between shoe and pedal.  It's pretty poor in the wet anyway (more to follow on this soon, I hope) but wasn't any worse than usual.

So all looks well on the dry toasty feet front now - I'm a happy chap indeed!





4 comments:

  1. They look a bit like the rubber overshoes that Aldi sometimes sell. However these look smarter as the others are bright green.
    Brenda in the Boro
    www.cyclinginthesixthdecade.Wordpress.com

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  2. Huh, that's really cool. I've never thought of getting over shoes but this is genius and those look great. Definitely interested to hear how they're going over some time with them. Easy to walk in them over your shoes and everything?

    Damp feet are never fun, and arriving to work in damp feet ain't great either!

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  3. They are quite big - I would definitely order the smaller ones if getting another pair. For all that though, they slip on and off easily, are light and keep the water off my feet. Couldn't ask much more of them really. :-)

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