Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: Comstock on 26 September, 2019, 09:07:47 am

Title: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Comstock on 26 September, 2019, 09:07:47 am
I only have a 2 mile ride from the station to the office, but even so I don't the average pair of shoes won't last long when cycling, and it seems to be raining a lot lately  ;D

Any advice on a pair of winter friendly, fairly waterproof pair of shoes likely to survive a few months of winter cycling but are still acceptable in a smart-casual type office setting?
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 26 September, 2019, 09:18:48 am
Are you looking for SPD type shoes? Or, for such a modest distance are you using flat (traditional) pedals with/without toeclips?
Help us out here!

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Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: andrew_s on 26 September, 2019, 09:26:35 am
These are commonly recommended:
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s154p3382/EXUSTAR-Stelvio-SP-705

I leave a pair of office shoes under the desk and use normal cycling footwear (SPD sandals usually)
It saves sitting about all day with damp feet, should the weather be unfriendly.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Comstock on 26 September, 2019, 09:39:10 am
Are you looking for SPD type shoes? Or, for such a modest distance are you using flat (traditional) pedals with/without toeclips?
Help us out here!


Sorry, the latter. :D Just regular pedals and no toe clips.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: andyoxon on 26 September, 2019, 09:44:45 am
I leave a pair of shoes at work.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Comstock on 26 September, 2019, 09:52:54 am
I leave a pair of shoes at work.

That may be the way to go, but just considering options.

I took a hell of a soaking the other day, but it's just left me more determined to find a way to make this work. :D
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: rafletcher on 26 September, 2019, 09:53:15 am
TBH it won't matter if your shoes are waterproof if it rains hard enough to worry about. Your trousers/skirt/tights/socks will get wet and water may soak into your shoe.

Clark's do a range of Gore-Tex lined shoes, some of which are perfectly suitable for office use. Although leather, properly polished, will work just as well for 2 miles I'd have thought.

Or just leave a pair at work, as suggested.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Chris S on 26 September, 2019, 09:58:47 am
If you're wearing cycling clothes for the commute, always have an emergency set of work clothes, including underwear, at work - because sooner or later, you will forget.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Comstock on 26 September, 2019, 10:23:03 am
I'm certainly getting some spare socks to keep at work, a full set of clothing is more trouble than I'm prepared to go to to be honest.

I'm also looking for some quick drying trousers and a damn good overcoat, but that is for another pay cheque!
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Paul H on 26 September, 2019, 12:44:07 pm
I'd probably leave a pair of shoes at work, whether you do or not, there's some simple overshoes that will keep normal shoes clean and delay getting wet feet.  I have some of these, but I've also seen some similar from (I think) AGU and Vaude
https://www.gbcycles.co.uk/p/37890/Eager-Waterproof-Overshoe?gclid=Cj0KCQjww7HsBRDkARIsAARsIT5_MXYq3UlhODL-jAKnp2h7R3zbU8Cq-OdZRsu-GTyGKEWIFysC3OIaAr1-EALw_wcB

EDIT - The link has limited sizes, they are available on Ebay.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: iscunonove on 26 September, 2019, 02:00:37 pm
I only have a 2 mile ride from the station to the office, but even so I don't the average pair of shoes won't last long when cycling, and it seems to be raining a lot lately  ;D

Any advice on a pair of winter friendly, fairly waterproof pair of shoes likely to survive a few months of winter cycling but are still acceptable in a smart-casual type office setting?

When I used to cycle to school all those years ago I'd select my school shoes on the thickness of the sole, the thicker the better, in the hope they'll last and more importantly avoid 'hot foot' problems.
For such a short trip a traditional cape might be better than an overcoat? Will keep the top half of your trousers dry. Knee down will still get wet though. Mudguards with a big flap on the front one will help with that.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: T42 on 26 September, 2019, 02:18:04 pm
I leave a pair of shoes at work.

That may be the way to go, but just considering options.

I took a hell of a soaking the other day, but it's just left me more determined to find a way to make this work. :D

Better keep a pair of socks in the drawer too.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 26 September, 2019, 05:08:39 pm
It is two miles. You don't need to be riding fast.

So you can wear big waterproofs - overtrousers and jacket (I used to use a set of ex-army ones).

Footwear - Wellies in really wet weather, the short type. Waterproofs over the top.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: caerau on 26 September, 2019, 05:21:00 pm
If you're wearing cycling clothes for the commute, always have an emergency set of work clothes, including underwear, at work - because sooner or later, you will forget.




No no no no no no no ...


er... yes... this.




 :facepalm:




And yes, I just have a pair of shoes in my office permanently.  I never cycle in my work clothes  - I use cycling clothes so that they get dirty and wet and not my 'professional' wear personally.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Jurek on 26 September, 2019, 05:43:44 pm
If you're wearing cycling clothes for the commute, always have an emergency set of work clothes, including underwear, at work - because sooner or later, you will forget.
^
This.
As I found on the very wet Monday of this week.
And I wasn't even cycling.
Just got utterly soaked on the way to the station.
A change into dry clothing, and some boot dryers inside my footwear, saved the day.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: caerau on 26 September, 2019, 07:26:03 pm
If you're wearing cycling clothes for the commute, always have an emergency set of work clothes, including underwear, at work - because sooner or later, you will forget.
^
This.
As I found on the very wet Monday of this week.
And I wasn't even cycling.
Just got utterly soaked on the way to the station.
A change into dry clothing, and some boot dryers inside my footwear, saved the day.


Heh.  Try having to give a lecture to a class of students when you've forgotten to bring your trousers in.
*extremely* fortunately that day I had some waterproof overtrousers in hand or I might have been frightening off the more sensitive students.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: ElyDave on 26 September, 2019, 07:33:04 pm
IME goretex shoes are great


as buckets to keep the water in, that has got in through dripping down your trousers, or from going through a puddle deeper than the shoe.  All my fell running and walking shoes are entirely water un-proof for that reason.the water just squishes out again.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Basil on 26 September, 2019, 08:56:33 pm
These are commonly recommended:
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s154p3382/EXUSTAR-Stelvio-SP-705

I leave a pair of office shoes under the desk and use normal cycling footwear (SPD sandals usually)
It saves sitting about all day with damp feet, should the weather be unfriendly.

This.

Why would you want to wear cycling shoes all day.  My office shoes lived at work.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Greenbank on 26 September, 2019, 09:12:53 pm
With 16 years of commuting 10km each way by bike I can confirm what everyone else is saying about the British weather meaning (a) you will get wet and (b) clean, dry formal work clothing left at work can be depended upon.

Roughly similar experience here. I also keep a spare set of cycling gear at work so that I've got something dry to cycle home in if I get absolutely soaked on the way in (stuff dries overnight in the changing rooms at work, but not in 8-9h whilst I'm at work).

I've long since given up trying to remain dry when cycling. Focus on keeping warm even if you get soaked, it's a much better approach. Most of my wet weather cycling is in knee/leg warmers, short sleeve jersey and arm warmers.

All waterproof boots suffer from the main problem is that have to have a hole in the top for a foot to go in. Layers with big overlaps (i.e. ankle length boots and over trousers) might solve that and keep your feet dry but the rest of you is still going to get wet/damp through the remaining holes (sleeves, face/neck). What is waterproof often becomes boil in the bag, even with the expensive kit, and especially if the weather is changeable and you get a heavy shower at the start and then sunshine later on in the commute. Ain't nobody got time for the Gortex dance.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: drossall on 26 September, 2019, 09:24:50 pm
I don't find that it rains that much (in the south east). For a similar ride in London, I just wear office clothes and shoes. It's very rare that I need any kind of waterproof. Maybe less than once a year I'll get a serious soaking.

Previously, I commuted 5.5 miles each way between two towns. Then I did change into cycling clothing, but now the rides are so short that it's just not worth it.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: perpetual dan on 26 September, 2019, 09:56:45 pm
For a two mile commute, assuming mudguards, tarmac and normal shoes, i'd have thought your feet might be drier than if you'd walked.

However - as above, a spare pair in a desk drawer is handy. There again, my work has just requested that people actually wear shoes in the office - so my idea of what's normal might not be aligned with yours :)
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: ElyDave on 27 September, 2019, 06:55:06 am
come work with me, I don't require shoes in my office, though you do need to put up with the noise from the utility room as swmbo walks around with her wireless headset
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 27 September, 2019, 08:19:26 am
For a two mile commute, assuming mudguards, tarmac and normal shoes, i'd have thought your feet might be drier than if you'd walked.

However - as above, a spare pair in a desk drawer is handy. There again, my work has just requested that people actually wear shoes in the office - so my idea of what's normal might not be aligned with yours :)
My thoughts entirely.
While a lot of the comments here are useful stuff for longer commutes, the OP is talking about a 2 mile ride - 15 minutes at the absolute outside.
For that I'd take my chances, and wear my 'all day shoes' for the ride. If I were really worried, I'd put a pair of cheap but acceptable slip-ons in my bag if there were black clouds about.

My last job was a 45 minute hilly ride, and for that I kept a pair of shoes, and a full' change of clothes, at work (taken in on Monday, home on Friday)

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Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: T42 on 27 September, 2019, 10:08:43 am
Put your shoes in a drawer and lock it. That way nobody will use them to get rid of their over-ripe Camembert.
Title: Re: Office acceptable shoes likely to stand winter cycling
Post by: Nebulous on 29 September, 2019, 10:03:50 pm
I have a 1.5 mile commute and do it in my work clothes. I usually wear Clarks leather shoes, with quite a thick sole. Occasionally I wear overshoes and waterproof trousers. It helps that I have a flexible work pattern so can wait for a particularly heavy shower to slacken off.

As it happens I got extremely wet on Tuesday, the worst I can remember in 6 years. I've put it down to experience and won't be changing my ways. I looked out my overshoes however.