Is frost bite possible on a bike ? - must have come close today !

[mikeyw]

Well having a had my new Trek 1.2 over a week and yet to ride it properly I was determined to get out on it today. My intention was a 25-30mile 2 hr blast. I was so pre-occupied getting everything sorted i never even checked the temperature outside and assumed it was 4 or 5 degrees c. I had a few layer on and a couple of pairs of socks so felt i'd be fine.

10mins into the ride I knew i'd drastically underestimated just how savagely cold it actually was, my eyes were streaming, candles formed from my nose and my feet were pure numb and hurting.

I decided i'd battle on and tried to switch off to the pain in my feet but when I hit a fairly steep decline and past 30mph on the computer the windchill going through my synthetic shimano SPD's was some of the most intense pain i've felt. After that my feet were just blocks on the end of my ankle with no feeling.

After about 12 miles i started panicking thinking all sort of silly things about losing toes etc (it really was that bad) so had to bail and headed home for what was a shorter than planned 15mile Artic blast. I got through the door just after midday and checked the digitalweather station we have, the reading was -2.5c !! ....i've never seen it so low at midday.

At home my feet were totally numb and felt it would be safest to gradually defrost them in various stages of tepid water through to luke warm. Finally i'd regained some feeling after about 45 mins and dared to take a hot bath. My feet were swollen for a few hours afterwards but at last seem to have returned to normal now

I guess I was probably way off frost bite but that wind chill at speed must have been -20C or less.

Are there any socks on the market that could deal with such extremes ? - I guess next time i'll stay well indoors !!

I loved the bike but not the overall painful experience !

Mike.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Mikeyw, you mention putting on 2 pairs of socks, presuming, therefore, that you weren't wearing overshoes?

These will protect your feet far more than extra pairs of socks.

 

[dodgy]

Always be aware of the weather before venturing out. I have a small weather station that tells me the outside temperature before even leaving the house, I never get caught out in the way that you did today. If you haven't got a weather station, check out Weather Underground before leaving the house, there'll be real-time weather information for your area (usually a station within 5 miles or so).
http://www.wunderground.com/wunderm....09999990&zoom=10&pin=Heswall, United Kingdom

 

[palinurus]

Yup, overshoes. Although my feet got fairly cold even with them the other day. Nowhere near as cold as yours tho'. I've had that totally numb feet thing once, I got off the bike and could hardly walk on account of not being able to feel the ground.

 

[djb1971]

Get some merino socks ( and merino base layers ) and a pair of overshoes. Maybe look into getting winter cycling shoes/boots.

 

[yello]

I suffered similarly today at the hands of a localised climate. Forecast said a high of 8C for the afternoon, a low of 5... I nearly didn't put overshoes on. Thankfully, I did. But I could have done with full winter gloves. We rode out onto a natural park area; it's flat and has loads of fishing lakes. The temperature plummeted out there (I guess the lakes are the reason) and there was nowhere to hide from a chill east wind. My fingers were so cold, and the feet felt it too. It was with great relief that we left that area into the moderate warmth and shelter of wooded areas.

 

[The Jogger]

yesterday I did my longest ride, just 20 but jesus it was a bit nippy, especially with only cycling finger less gloves on. on myfeet I had a pair of socks, plastic sandwich bags and another pair of socks, a long sleeve running top, a windproof jacket and trackster pants. At one stage, I had to put my hands in jacket as I too was thinking of frostbite but feet weren't too bad. it was undulating so the wind chill on the downhill brrrr

 

[mikeyw]

especially with only cycling finger less gloves on.

OMG

 

[piedwagtail91]

i'd agree you need to check the weather, not just where you are but where you're going as well.
i went out for a steady 50 mile ride with 4 layers on top, thermal longs,thermal balaclava, diadora winter boots ( no need for overshoes with these so far) and some marmot glade mitts i've just got. warm as toast but completely covered in frost/ice.
began to wonder if i'd made the right descision when i noticed my eyelashes had iced up after about 20 miles,

 

[weely]

Iv noticed that my 'body' and legs dont suffer from the cold, with just a pair of Ron hills and 3layers (base layer, fleece top and a wind proof jacket)
my hands start off warm, then they get cold but soon warm up.
However my feet gradually seem to be on a downward decline where there is no return to warmth but i dont think frostbite would be possible in a short period of a few hours.
Hot drinks and put everything on the radiator before setting off is a great help!
Besides, a bit of extreme weather excites me!

"HE MUST BE MAD" is the comment I heard from a work mate the other morning - and this guys an ex marine and is now a cage fighter!!!!!

 

[palinurus]

"HE MUST BE MAD" is the comment I heard from a work mate the other morning - and this guys an ex marine and is now a cage fighter!!!!!

Excellent!

 

[dodgy]

yesterday I did my longest ride, just 20 but jesus it was a bit nippy, especially with only cycling finger less gloves on. on myfeet I had a pair of socks, plastic sandwich bags and another pair of socks, a long sleeve running top, a windproof jacket and trackster pants. At one stage, I had to put my hands in jacket as I too was thinking of frostbite but feet weren't too bad. it was undulating so the wind chill on the downhill brrrr

Track mitts at zub-zero temperatures, that's just silly.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Get the Met Office weather gadget add on for Firefox and set it for your nearest station. They update it every hour.

 

[jimboalee]

Frostbite in England,,, You're joking

http://www.mb.ec.gc.ca/air/wintersevere/windchill.en.html

Study this.

Then laugh at yourself.

 

[punkypossum]

I had the numb toes thing the other day, only on one foot tho, the other one was still only painfully cold. Took ages for them to regain feeling, was starting to get worried! I was wearing overshoes, but only the cheapo thin aldi ones and my shoes are unfortunately quite well ventilated. Tried wooly socks, but then the shoes become so tight, my feet get even colder...

I think I will have to get some neoprene overshoes or some winter boots - the overshoes seem to be the cheaper option....