Winter can provide some of the most epic riding days with cool, crisp air and snow-dusted trails. Reset the thermostat with the new MT500 Freezing Point Trouser and make even the coldest winter day a riding day. While Rapha might be a brand more often associated with road cycling, its trail mountain bike range is impressive, and we found these offered comparable performance to the Troy Lee Skyline trousers during testing. endura mt500 freezing point trouser zip.JPG, by Liam Mercer Endura MT500 Freezing Point Trousers - Performance In the UK we are just coming to the end of one of the wettest winters in recent memory and I have probably worn these trousers about 20 times in the last 3 months, for pedally epics, E-Bike missions and even on the uplift. Normal riding kit has pretty much been stored away and I feel like I know these pants inside out. My first winter’s riding was this tight and waterproof combo - and the additional faff of three layers (liner shorts, tights, waterproofs) was just that - a faff. And having three layers often meant a slippy feeling on the saddle. Also as things warmed up, temperature regulation became an issue. Yes, I own thermal bib tights with pad - but then you’re washing an enormous, expensive garment after every ride - not a cheap liner short.

You might expect a more relaxed fit with baggy in the title, but don’t be fooled into thinking these are a shapeless offering – far from it. The coldest I’ve ridden the old Freezing Point trousers in was -13 degrees C with another ten degrees off for wind chill at least. With some thermal knee-length bibs underneath I was toasty warm, even on an eMTB where trying to keep sweat down and stay upright on sheet ice (spiked tyres) I was pretty easy on the effort. Given how badly I feel the cold, the Primaloft Gold insulation around the thighs and kidneys does a great job of retaining heat whilst the thigh vents work well if things warm up.Knee pads are a must for serious mountain biking. The cut of these pants ensures that you can wear them in unrestricted comfort. Whilst only the seat panel of the trouser is waterproof, a DWR treatment has been applied throughout to help water bead and not soak into the shorts. As with all of Endura's DWR treated garments, an environmentally friendly PFC free DWR has been used in line with Endura's commitment to reducing our environmental footprint.

The styling and comfort is such that I’ve been using these pants for general wear; they’re also great for walking. Overall, there’s a whole lot to love about these pants, though I’d like to see some improvement in the waistband. While the price is higher than the Endura MT500 or Fox Ranger pants, this is offset by an included repair kit and free crash repair service. Overall, these are quality riding pants that fit great, feel comfortable and work in a range of conditions. The MT500 Burner pants fit incredibly well around the upper legs and waist. Thanks in part to the stretch from the fabric and raised rear of the waist, I had zero issues with them shifting about or drooping while riding.The waistline is elasticated at the rear and has an adjustable aluminium loop fastening at the front, which can be a touch fiddly. The elasticated waist however, is a comfort godsend, reducing any pressure into your stomach when riding.