In So Cal, we can ride pretty much year round.  Our winters are not nearly as severe as other parts of the country, but it still gets cold enough and wet enough to need footwear that can deal with temps in the 30s and 40s and muddy rides.  I have been riding through winter with whatever shoe I had ridden through summer with, but with less than adequate warmth and protection.  Wool socks over feet stuffed into plastic baggies only go so far and then…..brrrr.  I considered booties, but they are kinda fragile and tend to tear if hike a bike happens or the shoe gets into tough terrain. It seemed reasonable to look for, perhaps not a full winter boot…no Iditabike aspirations…but at least a winterized shoe for colder days.

I had purchased a pair of BG mountain bike shoes from the local Specialized dealer about a year ago and I have liked the fit and performance of the shoe.  It seemed reasonable to try the Specialized BG Defroster shoe as a way of gaining some winter protection and warmth.

From the Specialized website:

When training rides are wet and cold, this waterproof and lightly insulated shoe with Body Geometry technology will keep you warm and dry every time.

• Waterproof and seam-sealed upper with 2-strap Velcro closure locks out moisture
• Performance-enhancing BG contours in the outsole and footbed
• Thermal fleece-lined BG footbed uses a reflective metallic barrier to trap heat around the foot
• Lightweight nylon sole with sturdy co-molded lugs for traction
• Reflective heel accent for visibility on dark training rides
• Toe area insulation for added warmth
• Snug-fitting collar forms a gusset to lock out moisture
• Compatible with all major MTB pedals
• Approximate weight 400g (1/2 pair #42)

When placing the order, I faced my first dilemma: sizing.  The Defroster does not come in half sizes and I am a perfect fit for 44.5 in the Specialized shoes.  Huh.  So, in order to make the testing work, I tried both a 44 and a 45.  The shoes run pretty true to size and the 44 was tighter than I would like and the 45 was much too loose, even with a moderately heavy wool sock.  The 44 would not allow for double socks, but the 45 would so that was kinda interesting.  It gave me the chance to see how much just the shoe was doing for me with a normal sock before I began to layer up.

I rode about 10 or so rides in the 44 sized shoe with either a Merino wool or a Olefin Swiftwick sock.  With temps in the 50s and slightly above, it was decent combo (though a bit snug) and I only got cold a couple of times.  After wearing them for a few rides, the weather warmed up and I tossed on the normal shoes with the mesh toe panels. With the old shoes I was surprised how much I noticed the wind coming through to my feet, and that was with the same wool sock on.  The full coverage of the shoe and the neoprene boot/cuff do a good job of cutting any wind that might rob heat from da’ feet.

However, once the temps got into the 40s, I could feel the cold creeping into the Defroster shoe through the footbed and the toe area of the shoe. It was time to go up in shoe size and layers.  The 45 size allowed me to layer an Olefin Swiftwick +4 sock under a Merino Swiftwick +4 sock.  That was a perfect fit. The ride began at 42 degrees and hit into the 50s and I was pretty happy, although I was aware of cold creeping in.  If it was 32 degrees, I think I would have been cold.  But, everyone has their own thermostat and mine tends to run on the low side.  I am the sock/slippers wearer around the house and I typically battle cold feet, so the point of acceptable warmth is a bit of a personal thing.  For longer, colder rides, I think I would look into adding warmth through science by placing some chemical heat packets in the toe section.

The shoe also is advertised as being waterproof, but there is no mention of Gore-Tex so it is hard to know how well the shoe might breathe.  I did not feel any issues with moisture build-up, but it is pretty low humidity during our winters.   As far as being waterproof, it may be a while before we get rain here and even then we typically do not ride in it as it messes up the trails.  We just wait a day or so till the weather improves.  So, I stood on the front lawn and ran water from a garden hose over the shoes, avoiding going higher than the boot cuff and I never got a drop of water in the shoe.  It sure seems that any puddle splashes and slushy rides would be dealt with as long as the water did not creep over the top of the cuff.

My overall thoughts are that the Defroster is in between a full winter boot like a Lake and the typical MTB shoe that you would wear.  The water shedding abilities, the lack of mesh panels and the extra insulation in the footbed and toe section do make for a very nice step up from what I was using.  I think I expected too much from just a shoe as far as adding warmth.  It is not a pair of Sorels.  But the extra sock layer that the ½ size larger shoe allowed for was much warmer.  However, the odd decision of not having a ½ size step in the shoes is awkward.  It worked out for me, but what if I was a 44 normally?  Then the 44 would have been a bit tight with 2 socks and the 45 would have been a full size larger and that may have been too big, even with a double layer of socks. 

I am very pleased in the performance of the shoe so far, even if it was not the absolute answer to my typically cold piggies.  The BG Defroster lists for $175.00 and compares in price to the Shimano SH-MW80 at $200-$229 dollars typically and the new Lake MX140 shoe at $189.99 and offers the BG fit system, allowing you to select different levels of orthotics to the shoe and is available through a wide dealer network.

Update on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 8:29AM by admin

Well, as to attest to the water shedding abilities of the shoe, I actually did a rain ride.

The shoes never let a drop of water in, although it was hardly a driving rain.  Still, it was a huge improvement over anything I would have used out of my gear bag to try and keep my feet dry.