The label that comes attached to these Giro Westerly gloves suggests they’re intended for road cycling, but we reckon they’re perfectly suited to a spot of mountain biking too.

We spotted these gloves for the first time at Eurobike on Giro’s incredibly huge display of gloves, and they instantly stood out. They tick all the boxes that we look for in a cold weather winter glove.

They’re made from Merino wool which is not only soft and luxurious next to the skin (you only need to pull them on to realise how nice they feel) but the insulating properties of the naturally sourced material keeps your fingers toasty warm.

An entire silicone covering on the palm gives good purchase on the grips and brake levers, especially useful during wetter rides. They’re quite thin with little bulk, just how we like our gloves, and could feasibly be worn as a liner inside another pair of gloves on really cold days. A long elasticated cuff reaches far enough over the sleeves of your jacket, or inside if it’s a baggy affair, to keep breezes out.

Granted they don’t appear as rugged as typical full-finger summer gloves, and there’s no padding around the palm, but we’ll know for sure whether these are of considerable concern when we take them for a ride. We’ve just received a pair for testing and will report back with our findings soon.

They cost £26.99. More info at www.madison.co.uk and www.giro.com