As the temperature rises and the snow melts away, there is one key change in equipment that, for me, really heralds the imminent arrival of spring.

Winter riding is, in part, a strategy game in which one tries to determine, based on factors like temperature and humidity, how many layers one will need to have a successful - and comfortable - winter ride. More often than not for me the tendency is to lean towards warmer, reasoning that I can always unzip or remove a layer when I’m out on the road if needed. And the one area I try not to skimp on is the extremities.

What this means for me is that, out on the ends of my feet, I have a pair of very sturdy, waterproof, wool-felt lined boots that are big enough to accommodate multiple pairs of socks and chemical warmers.

They are not bespoke cycling gear - they are Sorel winter boots, made in Canadia (I know because it says right on the heel, in case the raised maple-leaf in the tread was too subtle). I’ve had them a long time - long enough that I’m not actually sure how I got them. I don’t recall buying them, and a vague, shadowy memory at the back of my mind suggests they were handed down to me by my father. Based upon their current durability pattern, they could conceivably be handed down to another generation as well.

I wear them for pretty much everything that I do outside when the temperature gets below a given level. However, when I started winter cycling back in the day it did not initially occur to me to use them - I wore my regular hiking boots instead right up until I realized that, on an upright bike especially, my feet were going to be covered in wet slop every time I encountered the white stuff. So - you know - maybe two or three rides into that first season. They are extremely effective for winter riding for all the reasons noted above - they are warm and functionally waterproof.

They also are heavy as sin. I haven’t put them on a scale, but I would estimate that they weigh approximately 45,000 lbs (or 20,412 kg, I suppose, since they are Canadian). This was noticeable when I was riding an upright bike in the winter, but the effect is amplified on the recumbent trike, with your feet held out in midair in front of you. Yes - the feet are clipped in, so I don’t have to hold them up, but the rotational effort to move these puppies is considerable.

That’s not a complaint mind you - the weight is a reasonable trade-off for the benefit they provide. And besides, I am mostly riding for exercise, especially in the winter, so the additional effort could conceivably be considered a bonus. Right?

That said, this past week or so was the first it’s been warm enough to leave the Sorels behind and just wear my regular hiking boots:

All that said about the efficacy of the Sorels and all, the first ride leaving them behind is a little bit of heaven. I am always amazed at how light and free my feet feel, spinning as if completely unencumbered. Which they are not, of course, but it’s all relative.

And less weight and spinning free both combine to make things both feel faster, and actually be faster. My average speed in February, with the Sorels on pretty much the whole time, was right at 11.5 mph, while the first week of March is just below 14.

All of which really makes it feel like Spring!

When we move into mid-late spring I’ll shift again over to sandals, which is what I wear pretty much April to November. But the weight difference between my hikers and sandals is not nearly as significant - the winter to spring transition is really the biggest change.

Toe Clip Follow-Up

While we’re talking about feet, I though I’d also offer up a final-ish follow-up on my foot retention arrangement. Back in October of 2019 I moved away from my experiment with clipless pedals and went back to Terratrike heel slings, but with the addition of a pair of inexpensive, old-style toe clips.

The toe clips were a product I ordered from Amazon, and when I say they were inexpensive, we’re talking around $10 for the pair (and appear to be a little cheaper right now). One of the questions that I considered, and that also came up from others at the time, is how well they would stand up to colder weather, given that they were plastic and would have to contend with the larger, heavier boots.

I did a brief follow-up on this at the end of March 2020 but, as I noted then, the winter of 2019-2020 was not much of a test. It never got cold enough for me to put on the heavy winter boots, so it was really only a partial test.

But this winter was more typical, and I wore the Sorels for most of January and February, in temperatures as low as 10° F. The toe clips performed flawlessly, and are still perfectly intact. I’ve been using them continually for almost 18 months now. And I ordered a second pair to put on MLW’s Pocket as well.

Frankly, if they broke next week I still think I’d have gotten my $10 worth out of them - I call this one a win!