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TECH NEWS

What's going on with these bizarre £4 eBay toe warmers for cyclists?

Just when you think you've seen it all...

The weather's turning dark, cold and damp here in the UK so maybe you'll be after a nice set of overshoes or toe covers to keep your feet a bit more comfortable during those soggy winter rides? Well, while we were scrolling eBay this Friday afternoon doing important pre-weekend work, we were shocked/amused/baffled to find these, a new player in the toe cover game...

Bizarre eBay toe covers

Right, there's a lot to unpack here. From the rear strap that goes around your heel, to the bizarre hole on top — is it really just a pair of conventional toe covers turned upside down so the cleat hole's on top? We're not sure what the purpose is, allowing easy access to tie up your laces perhaps? 

Bizarre eBay toe covers

Anyway, they could be yours for the very reasonable price of £4.28, that's with an extra six per cent discount cutting the cost by 28p. They come 'new with box' and eBay tells us they can be shipped from Shenzhen in China for free delivery within two weeks. Or you can pay £24 to get them sooner, it's up to you.

According to the listing, the surface uses a waterproof neoprene material that is "windproof and durable", with a "long service life".

Bizarre eBay toe covers

"The line stitching is level and beautiful, fine workmanship, no [sic] easy to break or damage," it continues. "Adjustable size according tail elastic band, suitable for many kinds of shoes for cycling. Elastic overshoes is simple to wear on shoes, sturdy design prevents it from slipping off. When riding outdoors, you can [wear] overshoes to keep warm or protect shoes from scratches."

Still no explainer on the hole. Shame.

Bizarre eBay toe covers

eBay tells us two people have bought these so far, maybe we should dip into the road.cc coffers to make that three and get a review out in time for our Christmas gift guides?

The manufacturer behind them has sold more than 180,000 items on the online retail platform and also currently stocks stylish dog collars for pugs, novelty stick-on moustaches, and wheelchair spoke covers in its shop. We've long since thought more cycling brands should get into the adhesive facial hair game...

Answers on a postcard. What's going on here? Are the toe covers just upside down? Should we get them in for review? Will our feet get wet?

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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13 comments

Avatar
mikeclarke | 19 hours ago
0 likes

Yesterday had to ride through a deep pile of cow muck. That hole would be lovely full of cow sh!t.

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leedorney | 5 days ago
0 likes

They're simply on the shoe upside down rather than the right way up

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Hirsute replied to leedorney | 5 days ago
1 like

No !!

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mdavidford replied to Hirsute | 5 days ago
3 likes

Definitely not. They're the right way up - it's the shoes that are upside-down.

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jaymack | 6 days ago
0 likes

 I guess that in 157 days we'd not fall for this so why not publish it today? 

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Pub bike | 6 days ago
2 likes

They look quite usable if the covers are put on with hole under the sole.  This is a nice bit of free advertising for the seller despite them misunderstanding how the items are meant to be used.

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thrawed replied to Pub bike | 6 days ago
1 like

Yeah it's baffling the author of this article doesn't realise it's a cleat hole.

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LookAhead replied to thrawed | 6 days ago
0 likes

thrawed wrote:

Yeah it's baffling the author of this article doesn't realise it's a cleat hole.

Not baffling at all in the context of how clickbaity/tabloidy/cringe road.cc has become.

(And yet, here I am engaging with it. So, like, kudos I guess? But I'd be seriously hard-pressed to remember the last time I got any genuine enjoyment/value out of it.)

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hawkinspeter replied to thrawed | 6 days ago
4 likes

thrawed wrote:

Yeah it's baffling the author of this article doesn't realise it's a cleat hole.

Wooooosh

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quiff replied to thrawed | 6 days ago
3 likes

thrawed wrote:

Yeah it's baffling the author of this article doesn't realise it's a cleat hole.

It's baffling the maufacturer didn't realise, and put the photos out like this.

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Rendel Harris | 6 days ago
4 likes

When you leave the work experience lad to do the photography?

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mark1a replied to Rendel Harris | 6 days ago
6 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

When you leave the work experience lad to do the photography?

I did a Google reverse image search and these are the manufacturer or seller photos.

Also just to confirm that these are not on my Christmas gift shortlist.

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Rendel Harris replied to mark1a | 6 days ago
2 likes

That's what I meant - "We need a photo for the website" - "Let the kid do it, even he can't get that wrong..."

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