You just got in from a ride in a surprise rain storm. Fortunately, your upper body is relatively dry because you packed your rain jacket, but your feet are totally soaked and you plan on riding tomorrow. What you need to know is how to dry your shoes quickly. You can just hope they dry in time but chances are that you’ll be slipping into cold, wet shoes which feels, oh so good. Additionally, if you are riding for performance, having wet shoes simply adds more rotational weight that you have to move around each pedal stroke.

First – Remove Everything You Can

If your shoes are so soaked that there are puddles in them, dump them out. Then take out the footbeds and set them aside to dry. They should dry out pretty quickly but just to be safe place them on newspaper in front of some sort of vent, whether it’s the heater, ac, or dehumidifier. Open up all of the buckles, straps, and tongues to expose as much of the shoe as possible.

Keep Some Old Newspapers Around

Old newspapers are great for drying out your shoes. You should have a bunch on hand because you will change the newspaper a few times. If you’re cheap and lazy you can dry out the newspapers and use them again. Once everything on the shoe is open, shove as much newspaper in as you can. It will soak up water very quickly. The first round of newspaper should only last twenty to thirty minutes. If the shoes are really wet, the newspaper will already have soaked through. After that, you can space out the fresh newspaper intervals. Try an hour, then two hours, then the overnight shift. By the time you wake up in the morning your shoes will be completely dry and ready to ride.

Accelerate the Drying

Do not keep your shoes in a moist basement or garage when they are drying. Bring them upstairs into a well ventilated and dryer area to maximize drying potential. If you have a fan, heat or AC vent, dehumidifier, or breezy window,  that is a bonus. Make sure you still place the newspapers in them however. You will get the drying benefits from the inside and out.

Clean Your Shoes

After a wet and sloppy ride, chances are your shoes got dirty with road grime. Be sure to clean them both for appearance and functionality. Do this in a sink while they are still wet with a scrub brush. It’s alright if you use a little water; they are already wet. All of that grime gets in the buckles and strap and can make them work poorly and not last as long. Then dry your shoes after they’re cleaned.

How to Dry Your Shoes Quickly

If you know how to dry your shoes quickly, it does not take a lot of effort. The only supplies you need are old newspapers that would go in the recycling anyway. You will run into adverse weather eventually, so it pays to prepare the equipment ahead of time as well as the knowledge to deal with it beforehand. Keep your feet dry and cozy!