Endura MT500 Rout Insulated Bib Shorts: The perfect winter MTB shorts for women?

​With the new Women’s MT500 Rout Insulated Bibs, Endura is expanding its winter range for female mountain bikers. Instead of classic winter trousers with a waistband, the Scottish brand has opted for insulated bibs. This approach is rather rare in the mountain biking sector, but offers some interesting advantages for cold days on the trail.

Cycling shorts for winter? Most people probably picture female road cyclists in tight black leather when they think of that. On a mountain bike, however, bib shorts are the exception rather than the rule – regular trousers are the norm. That’s why the new Women’s MT500 Rout Insulated Bib Pant from Endura’s winter collection really stands out.

​This design really comes into its own on particularly cold days out on the trails. Almost everyone who regularly heads out in temperatures around freezing is familiar with the problem with many traditional winter trousers: whilst your legs usually stay warm, draughts often seep in between your trousers and jacket – precisely where you least want them. Your back, lower back and stomach cool down quickly, especially on long descents.

This is exactly where the Bib design comes into its own. Because the trousers are cut significantly higher than classic trail trousers, there is virtually no cold bridge between the layers of clothing. Female riders in particular who spend several hours on rides even in winter, or who regularly ride e-MTBs, are likely to notice this difference.

Ideal for long winter tours

Endura combines the support structure with Polartec Alpha insulation. The material has become well established in many outdoor and cycling products in recent years. The advantage is that it provides excellent warmth, yet is said to allow excess heat to escape more effectively during strenuous uphill climbs than traditional materials such as softshell.

This is particularly important when mountain biking. Hardly anyone feels the cold whilst climbing. The real challenge usually begins at the top of the mountain, when a long, cold descent follows a sweaty climb. The new Bibpant is said to have been developed specifically for conditions like these.

In addition, there are ventilation zips on the thighs, which allow you to release excess heat during longer climbing sections. It’s a sensible approach, because no matter how warm a pair of winter trousers may be, as soon as they turn into a sauna when climbing uphill, they’ll stay in the wardrobe.

Where the boundaries lie

However, the concept does not work entirely without compromise.

Bib shorts inevitably have more fabric around the upper body than classic trail trousers. Anyone who, even in winter, mainly goes for short, intense rides after work, or who tends to break a sweat easily, might find conventional winter trousers more comfortable.

Then there’s the comfort factor when it comes to toilet breaks. This is often the deciding factor in whether a pair of bib shorts is suitable for everyday use or not. Endura has therefore incorporated a drop-seat design, which is intended to make it easier to use the toilet without having to take them off completely. On long winter rides in particular, this detail is likely to be more important than any innovation in materials.

​Technical specifications: Endura Women’s MT500 Rout Insulated Bib Trousers