Canada here. Chemical toe warmers. I buy a big box of like 50-100 from Costco for like 40-50$. Just put them on the tops of your toes, overtop your socks. Like them better than heated socks unless it’s getting cold out (say below -10c).
1 Like
Was faced with the very same thing today. I turned my Vacmaster (a UK Lasko) toward the wall so it circulates the air a bit without freezing my teeth off. Just enough to get the cloud of sweat fumes moving.
3 Likes
Thanks for the responses. I’ll try it blowing against the wall.
And I actually did pick up a pair of full length bibs. Not thermal. Just like normal bib material but full length. They’re alright. I usually wear a T-shirt on the trainer. I could try long sleeves.
I’m in the same boat, in the UK in a freezing garage with cold feet. My solution is to have a small electric fan heater. As soon as I go into the garage I turn it on and place my bike shoes in front of it, positioned so the hot air blows inside of them. By the time I’ve switched TR on, put on my HRM etc the shoes are toasty warm inside. I leave the fan heater on, pointing towards me from a low level. When I warm up and start sweating I turn my cooling fan on and have cool air blowing over me instead of an icy blast.
I posted this to the main question: I’m in the same boat, in the UK in a freezing garage with cold feet. My solution is to have a small electric fan heater. As soon as I go into the garage I turn it on and place my bike shoes in front of it, positioned so the hot air blows inside of them. By the time I’ve switched TR on, put on my HRM etc the shoes are toasty warm inside. I leave the fan heater on, pointing towards me from a low level. When I warm up and start sweating I turn my cooling fan on and have cool air blowing over me instead of an icy blast.
In this economy? Someone’s earning! 
Glad it’s not just me struggling in the cold, even indoors! Similarly, whilst I’m having a coffee and feeding the dog etc, I chuck my kit and shoes on the radiator (heating clicks on early morning) so they’re toasty warm by the time I start training. Makes a huge difference.
I suffer really badly with the cold in my feet both on and off the bike. I also have numbness issues that almost disappear in the summer but can be crippling in the winter, leading me to the conclusion that it’s poor circulation.
I’ve not had much luck in finding any solid information in improving circulation but your two recommendations make a lot of layman sense, definitely going to give them a try!
To add my anecdotal 2 pence, adding chemical warmers have helped me a lot. I have toe ones and put them between my overshoe and shoe most of the time, but if it gets really cold I squeeze them inside the shoe.
1 Like
In my experience “poor circulation” I.e cold hands and feet, as opposed to medical poor circulation which results in swelling at the extremities, was cured by simply eating more, seems my internal heating slows down when I’m not eating enough. A few years back I developed Reynauds as side effect of folate deficiency but this has all but gone away since I started a folate supplement, eating more and dressing more warmly. The body cuts off circulation to the hands and feet to protect your core, keeping my limbs and core slightly warmer was key.
1 Like
My experience (on and off the bike) is that keeping my core warm works for my hands, but not for my feet.
I assume folate deficiency would show in (full) bloods with a GP?
Yes that’s how I found out, after presenting with extreme fatigue, breathlessness and feeling cold the whole time.
1 Like
UK. 5-10c inside garage. Fan is a problem, I’ve started wearing a windproof ss jersey and direct fan to torso not head. Not too bad))
This is what I do during the colder months while I’m on the trainer in my unheated garage.
Just the toe covers make a huge difference.
I use an old style dimmer light switch to control my fan speed. It works quite well for the fan I use. Something like this would also likely work. I think both the dimmer switch and simple speed controllers like this work similarly - a triac. Some motors work better with these than others - some are noisy or just sound bad - the motors are not designed to run on the waveforms that the triac provides, but many do so OK.
In winter I have my fan on low, and use my speed control to make it just a light breeze, and it’s easy to adjust during the ride.
https://www.amazon.com/munirater-Variable-Controller-Replacement-Electric/dp/B096XSZ34T
(And I also do get cold feet - numb toes riding in a 50f garage 
)
quick update - wore BBB winter overshoes and full length thermal bibs. Too hot 
(but i could feel my feet for a change 
) Didnt need a fan on until halfway though, and it was like ice.
2 Likes
I just want to reiterate that all you guys riding in a freezing cold garage in the winter are 1) fookin’ nuts, and 2) hard as nails.
I know I would never drag my ass out there to ride in a cold garage. For me, the whole point of riding the trainer is to avoid riding in the cold!!
3 Likes
@kelseyh and @Macy, just an update about the heated gloves. This is still a bit early as I haven’t ridden with them yet, but this is my first impressions.
The Eddie Bauer ones arrived on Saturday, and they have a lot of padding. I’m not totally sure they’re going to work well for the bike. I really like the technology, though, as you can dial in what temperature you want. They also theoretically adjust themselves for the sport you tell them you’re going to be doing. This is all via the app, but you can’t actually touch your screen with the gloves because there are no capacitive elements on any fingers/thumbs - you have to take off the gloves to be able to do anything on your phone.
The Ekoi ones were just delivered last night, and they are definitely much more agile-seeming, less of a concern regarding navigating the bike levers. The controls are on the cuffs and easy to press, even while wearing the gloves, and the battery displays are obvious as well.
I’m definitely trying the Ekoi ones first, but haven’t had a chance to try them yet. This morning’s workout was better suited for the trainer. But I actually just want to try them on the bike set up on the trainer first, to see how hard it is to grip the bars etc.; I just haven’t had time to try this all yet.
FWIW, I got both of these on pretty massive sales, and I know I can return them if I need. I think the Eddie Bauer one has a better return policy though.
1 Like
Thanks for the update! After looking at pictures of both, I put the Ekoi ones on my Christmas list (and if I don’t get them, I was going to buy them), so glad to hear your initial take is in line with what I thought based on looking at pictures.
1 Like
Further update after using the Ekoi gloves more: these things have made a giant difference for me! I can now go out in cold weather and my fingers stay warm. It’s a huge game changer! The one thing is that the first finger and thumb are weirdly long, so dexterity regarding getting food out of a back pocket is a little low. I’ve managed so far, but I’m still trying to figure out the best ways to improve my system so that it’s a little easier. It’s mostly a problem as I get towards the bottom of the food. (I use primarily dates or maple sugar candies.) But I still am amazed to be out in the cold temps and not have freezing fingers!!
1 Like