Shoe Covers Information

If you’ve ever ridden in the rain, you are familiar with the eery sensation of water slowly leaking into your shoes and getting your socks wet. Cycling shoe covers, also known as booties, are the answer to wet and cold feet. Shoe covers fit snugly over bike shoes, and close with a zipper or velcro on the side or back. A cleat opening on the bottom of the foot allows you to clip into your pedals as you normally do. The heel and toe are sometimes reinforced to increase the life of the fabric. Black is the most popular color, and most covers feature reflective accents. Waterproof shoe covers have taped seams and sealed zippers to prevent rain from leaking through the fabric. To stop water from coming down through the top of the ankle, the top hem of the shoe covers can be tucked under rain pants or water resistant tights. Waterproof overshoes for bike commuting are sized to fit over casual footwear. Winter shoe covers use thermal, windproof material that is water resistant. These block the wind to keep feet toasty warm. They protect against splashing, but will soak through in a long rain shower. Lightweight shoe covers look a bit like socks because they pull over the shoes. Though they keep feet a little warmer than usual and protect shoes from road grime, they are typically used more for style than for function. These come in a plethora or bright colors that can be worn as a matching accessory. Aerodynamic road cycling shoe covers with a slick surface are designed to cut the wind to provide an aerodynamic benefit in a time trial. Depending on the rider, shoe covers are generally worn when temperatures dip below 60.