CyclePig

Whether you like it or not, sometimes when you cycle you are going to get wet. Even if you are just doing a day ride you may still get caught out by a sudden downpour - particularly given the quality of most weather forecasts.

Photo by mikebaird

If you are just on a day ride this isn’t really a big problem, but when you are on a cycle tour it can make things rather uncomfortable. On a cycle tour you will typically have 2 or more sets of cycle clothes so it doesn’t really matter if 1 set gets wet (also cycle clothes dry very easily).

But I have never heard of a cycle tourist taking more than one pair of cycling shoes and shoes take a long time to dry. Also in the interests of saving weight, many cyclists will ONLY have their bike shoes on tour wearing them on and off the bike.

I hate walking around with wet squelchy feet and I am sure you do too! So how do you best keep your shoes dry while cycling?

Shoe Covers

Shoe Covers are exactly what they sound like - covers for your shoes. They come in a variety of materials but I think that neoprene works best. You can usually keep your shoes on and slide them straight on over the top - which is very helpful when you are caught in a sudden downpour.

The shoe covers extend up the bottom part of your leg and most covers have an adjusting strap so you can wrap it tight. If it is too loose water may drip down your leg, inside your shoe cover and down into your shoes. On the bottom of the shoe cover there is always a big hole to accommodate your pedal cleat (for clip in pedals).

As an added bonus shoe covers also keep your feet very warm, and you may even want to consider wearing them in dry but cold conditions.

Plugging Up The Holes

Even if you have the best shoe covers and have put them on extremely tightly, the inside of your shoes can still get soaked. This is due to water leaking in around the cleat on the bottom of the shoe. Now most cleats will come with stickers, or something equivalent, to make a waterproof seal on the inside of the shoe but I have never found these to be reliable.

This problem is at is most severe when cycling down long hills. Basically you are coasting with your feet stationary and the water spraying from the front wheel will hit directly against the bottom of your shoes. If the shoe is not completely water tight your feet are going to get wet.

The solution here is to fill all the gaps around the cleats with waterproof silicone sealant (used in DIY) before you leave for your trip.

I Forgot My Shoe Covers, Now What?

If you haven’t got any shoe covers and want to keep you feet dry, a plastic bag can provide some amount of protection. Just slip one over each foot, tie up the top with some electrical tape (a must have on any trip) and you are ready to go. You don’t need to worry about making a hole in the bottom, the thin plastic will allow you to clip your foot straight in to your pedals. However, if you clip in and out of your pedals repeatedly you may tear large holes in the bag.

How To Dry Shoes

At some point your shoes are going to get wet.

So how do you dry them quickly?

Firstly you need to take out the inner soles and remove the shoelaces. Then get some newspaper and scrunch the pages up into some balls and put them inside the shoes - packed moderately tight. The newspaper will help soak up a lot of the water, but you may need to replace it once during the night.

If you are staying in a hotel, aided by heating, you should have perfectly dry shoes in the morning. If you are camping the shoes will still likely be damp, but at least you will not be squelching when you set off the next day.