When it comes to cold-weather riding, a good pair of gloves is key to staying comfortable and happy on the bike. Throughout this winter, I got to test Outdoor Research’s Freewheel MTB 4-Finger Bike Gloves. These gloves keep your ring and pinky fingers bunched together so they stay warm, and the design definitely works as intended.
While I found one seam initially problematic, several rides later, I stopped thinking about it… But that may not be the case for everyone. I noticed the gloves heat up quickly while climbing singletrack, but at the right sub-freezing temperatures, they started out warm yet never got too hot.
Freewheel MTB 4-Finger Bike Gloves – Construction:
The Freewheel MTB 4-Finger Bike Gloves are designed for cold-weather riding, and I found they’re easily warm enough to ride with in below-freezing temperatures. Despite having MTB in their name, these gloves are also suitable for road or gravel riders.
The four-finger design is the standout feature of these gloves. Intended for cycling, it leaves your first two fingers free for braking and grip control but pairs your ring and pinky fingers together to keep them warmer than traditional gloves.
The 4-Finger Bike Gloves’ outer shell is a 2L stretch-woven nylon/spandex blend, and the palm is made from goat leather. The gloves feature neoprene cuffs with Velcro closures, a blended merino wool fleece palm liner, and compression-resistant Primaloft Gold insulation.
These gloves are claimed to be highly water resistant, windproof, plus very breathable and stretchy. Final design touches include loops at each wrist to aid in pulling them on (or hang them to dry), and touchscreen-compatible thumbs and index fingers. One feature these gloves lack is a soft nose-wipe panel.
Ride Impressions: Fit and Feel
I’m wearing size small gloves, and the fit is great. The fingers are the right length, the palm area fits nicely without extra bulk, and the cuffs are ample for weather protection but not excessively long. Aside from one pesky seam, the palm and fingers feel fairly thin on your grips and never bunched up anywhere.
The cuffs are slim enough to fit nicely under jacket sleeves, and the Velcro closures are easy to grab with gloved hands. Despite being pretty warm, the fingers are not too bulky. I could easily operate the small buckles on my backpack with these gloves on. Overall, the gloves maintain a pretty slim profile.
The wrist loops are handy for pulling on the gloves. I actually used them most of the time, as the opening on these gloves is a bit snug. Interestingly, when I tried playing with my phone, the touchscreen-compatible thumb worked just fine, but the index fingers didn’t work at all!
Thumb Seam:
As hinted above, I did have an issue with a seam that I initially found very uncomfortable. The seam where the thumb attaches to the palm is quite noticeable on the grip. This seam sits right near the base of your palm and under your thumb, and it produces an obvious lump. The seam is big enough that the area underneath it feels thicker than the rest of the palm. I was surprised Outdoor Research would leave this seam as it was – It’s crucial for a biking glove to feel as thin and comfortable as possible on grips.
On my first few rides, I thought this might be enough reason for me to write off these gloves entirely…. but I must admit, after several rides, I stopped thinking about the seam. As time went on, I noticed the seam bugged me less and less. At this point, I don’t find it a major issue, but it definitely needs to be mentioned as it could be a serious (potentially unforgivable) irritation to some riders.
Temperature Range:
Throughout the winter, I did a bunch of MTB rides and rode my commuter bike around town, too. As far as MTB riding, I quickly discovered these gloves get very warm after a bit of climbing.
On a few rides, the tips of my first and second fingers started out a bit cold, but that didn’t last long. As soon as my body warmed up a bit, my fingers caught up and stayed warm. I definitely noticed how well the combined ring and pinky fingers work – Those smaller digits never once felt cold in these gloves, so the four-finger design is impressively effective!
Most of my early winter MTB rides happened at around 39-41° Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, it would be hard to keep these gloves on for a full trail lap. On every ride, my hands were quite sweaty after 15-20 minutes of climbing, and I had to swap them out for a lighter pair. I’m OK with bringing two pairs of gloves on these warmer winter laps, as the 4-Finger Bike Gloves kept my hands cozy until I warmed up.
I finally got an ideal day to ride in sub-freezing temperatures (when the trails weren’t icy or frosty), and I found the sweet spot for the 4-Finger gloves. This ride began at 24° and only rose to 28°, and I wore the gloves for the entire lap. My hands were warm enough starting the ride, and after my climb, they were just starting to get sweaty. I kept the gloves on, and throughout my descent and ride home, my hands remained warm. Knowing I’m not the most tolerant of cold, I’d bet a lot of MTB riders could ride these gloves to around 17° or colder. They definitely performed best in below-freezing temperatures.
On my commuter bike, I rode the 4-Finger Bike Gloves in temperatures ranging from 44° down to 21°. At 44°, I went for a casual, slow-paced ride: the gloves were easily warm enough and my hands didn’t get sweaty. On low-output rides, these gloves won’t heat up like they will while climbing a mountain, so they’re useful as a commuter accessory over a decent temperature range.
Unfortunately, my area of B.C. experienced a particularly mild winter, so the coldest ride I went on started out at 21° and rose to 27°. The tips of my two first fingers were slightly chilly for a few minutes, but after that, my hands were warm enough for the rest of the ride. I pedalled around for a while, and even after climbing a hilly road, my hands stayed warm and cozy without getting too hot.
Again, I must applaud the four-finger design as my two smallest fingers never felt cold on this ride. In these temperatures, it was obvious that the gloves are pretty windproof too, which really helps your hands stay warm.
As for wear and tear, my gloves haven’t seen a ton of miles, but there’s no damage at all or noticeable wear to report. They still look brand new, so I expect these gloves will last quite a while.
The Freewheel MTB 4-Finger Bike Gloves come in black only. Sizes range from XS to XL, and MSRP is $85.
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