A crisp winter ride when the sun’s in the sky and the cold wind is in your face like a personal air conditioning unit can be just as (and sometimes more than) satisfying as one in the height of summer. It’s also vital to at least get out and about a bit in the colder months to retain some of the fitness you’ve spent all summer building up, and as a vital mood-enhancing alternative to mile after mile of indoor turbo training.
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Winter comes with its own complications, though, and most of them involve the weather. Go for a ride ill-equipped and it might just put you off for life - cold ears, frostbitten fingers and wind-blasted legs all add up to a miserable time in the saddle.
Related: The best winter cycling jackets
Worst of all is the dreaded wet foot of doom. Nothing can take the fun out of a ride like a heavy, soggy shoe squelching with every pedal stroke, your toes losing sensation by the second. Your feet are particularly vulnerable to inclement conditions too, being right in the firing line of every drop of water coming off your front wheel, and every puddle you can’t avoid hitting.
As the saying goes, though, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, and luckily there is a wealth of winterised footwear options out there to take the worst out of the arctic chill. Waterproof, windproof, fur-lined and equipped with grippy soles to help you walk when you’re off the bike; find the perfect pair and say goodbye to uncomfortable winter rides forever.
The best winter cycling shoes:
Best all-rounder for road use
AmazonHigh-top, neat minimalist design, with a hidden closure to ensure complete waterproofing, the R5 Artica is a great all-round package for a competitive price. A fleece lining and aluminium insulation in the sole ensures good heat retention, while a rubber outer and neoprene top keeps your feet dry in a downpour too. It does the lot for on-road use, but the featureless sole won't offer much grip for mountain bikers.
Best for mountain bike flat pedals
It's almost impossible to have a best cycling shoes article without featuring a Five Ten Freerider, and this time we've picked the Pro variant, which is a bit more expensive than the standard shoe but comes with several winterised upgrades. First up is a water-resistant and fast-drying upper, the next is a reinforced toe area for extra protection, on the basis you're probably going to put your foot down for balance a few times on slippery winter trails.
Best performance
Winterproof needn't mean welly-like as these Northwave shoes prove. Not only do they look slim and racy, but they also feature a stiff carbon-reinforced sole and snug SLW2 closure. Helping keep the elements at bay is a Gore-Tex lining and fleecy inner that supposedly will keep your feet warm in temperatures down to minus ten degrees, meaning they shouldn't be phased by even a proper blast of wind-chill.
Best MTB Clipless
BikemongerJust the thought of how cool the name 'Ragnarok' is for a pair of shoes should be enough to keep you warm, but if not, the fact they feature a water-resistant outer and neoprene top will do the job. These are suitable for off-road riding thanks to the knobbly sole, but would be just as suitable for roadies looking for a bit more purchase on the ground. Just bear in mind you'll probably have to swap your road pedals for some with the MTB style two-hole cleat.
Curveball choice
Bear with, because these aren't actually winter shoes at all, but one of the choices from our best cycling shoes under £100 article. So why are they here? Well if you don't plan to ride every weekend in winter (or frankly don't have £200 to spare on another pair of shoes), then why not consider picking up a pair of these Fiziks to use all year round, with the addition of some £20 neoprene overshoes to add weather resistance in the winter? The slimline Velcro closure makes it easier to stretch a protective layer over the top than shoe with a bulky BOA ratchet, and the lower than average asking price makes for an all-seasons bargain.