Road Cycling - Frostbite

I wonder if anyone has suffered frostbite to their feet. I think I have. Both big toes, and two lesser ones on my left foot. It occurred over two rides in mid-December. It was cold, but above freezing (I think). However, I was in the mountains, and there was a wind.

During the rides, I was comfortably warm except for my feet. I did not have shoe covers (yet!). When I returned home, I realized that the balls of my feet and the toes were pallid, and had little feeling in them. Not for the first time, but never quite that bad.

About two weeks later, I started seeing what appeared to be blood blisters beneath the skin on the affected appendages, and they became sensitive to the touch as well. Now, after about four more weeks, they have become lighter in color, and smaller. They seem to be making their way out of existence.

I am assuming, after a lot of research, that this was a case of stage 1 frostbite (worse than frostnip, but seemingly not as bad as stage 2).

Anyone have any experience with this? It has not required medical treatment, and at this rate will be gone in a few more weeks.

Cheers...Gary

I don't think I suffered frostbite, but on a 50 mile ride last week I had to pull over three times because I couldn't feel my toes any longer. It took rubbing them for about 15-20 minutes before I got any feeling in them. No blisters, but it did turn a 3 hour easy ride into a cold 4 hour one.

I wonder if anyone has suffered frostbite to their feet. I think I have. Both big toes, and two lesser ones on my left foot. It occurred over two rides in mid-December. It was cold, but above freezing (I think). However, I was in the mountains, and there was a wind.

During the rides, I was comfortably warm except for my feet. I did not have shoe covers (yet!). When I returned home, I realized that the balls of my feet and the toes were pallid, and had little feeling in them. Not for the first time, but never quite that bad.

About two weeks later, I started seeing what appeared to be blood blisters beneath the skin on the affected appendages, and they became sensitive to the touch as well. Now, after about four more weeks, they have become lighter in color, and smaller. They seem to be making their way out of existence.

I am assuming, after a lot of research, that this was a case of stage 1 frostbite (worse than frostnip, but seemingly not as bad as stage 2).

Anyone have any experience with this? It has not required medical treatment, and at this rate will be gone in a few more weeks.

Cheers...Gary


Don't take frost bite casually. A bad case often leads to loss of the affected part and it can also lead to gangrene which can be fatal if not treated.

Also it would be a very good idea to take precautions. Neoprene booties are a good idea whilst riding in very cold weather or you can switch to wind training.

Frost bite is nothing to fool around with.

Pat is exactly right. Taking it seriously goes without question.

And I have a set of shoe covers now (of course). :o

Fortunately, I think my case was very mild, and is clearing up nicely. Given the temperature and duration involved, as well as (inadvertantly) treating it exactly the right way with rapid reheating, I probably dodged a bullet.

I might add that at almost 63 years of age, I find that my circulation is beginning to suffer a little in the extremeties. I am sure that contributed - both intrinsically and by fostering no great sense of ill when it was happening.

Cheers...Gary

I frostbit my big toe years ago, it took 3-4 years before I got full feeling back in it.

I had half thought that I might have, but after reading this thread I decided to look up symptoms about frostnip. It looks like I have frostnipped of my toes bicycling. It seems that they are now much more susceptible to it, too.

"Pins and needles" feelings when the are re-warmed aptly describes how my toes feel in a hot shower after almost any cold ride. The thing is that "pins and needles" is not tingly, but actually a bit painful.

I think I'll need to get better about always wearing wool socks on cold rides and using toes covers, too.

The next question is whether frostnipped toes are destined to other future ciculatory problems.

Ive gotten that feeling in my face...it sucks.

Just for the record, after five months and a few days, all outward signs had finally gone. But I still find that the affected areas blush deeply after a ride. Perhaps there is some kind of increased sensitivity in those areas now. Permanent? We shall see.

Cheers...Gary