Review: Troy Lee Designs A1 Enduro Helmet
The American manufacturer Troy Lee Designs (TLD) is known for flashy colors and designs in the gravity and motocross segment. No less eye-catching is the all new A1, TLDs first enduro-specific helmet: golden, thunder design and bling-bling-metallic effect. It might not be everybody’s first aesthetical choice, but let’s not be too hasty – fitting, protection and ventilation are the most important criteria!
Design is an individual thing without any doubt, especially in the enduro segment, but emerging is a clear tendency to cleaner, more “mature” looks that show some kind of understatement. The normal enduro rider doesn’t need flashy crazy colors that make him look like an extraterrestrial hillbilly! Enduro is no heavy-metal like motocross!
Out-of-the-box the A1 impresses with its fine finish. Especially the transitions between the Polycarbonate Shell and the co-molded EPS foam couldn’t be sweeter. The adjustable visor has a range of motion of +/- 1″/25mm.
Once you put the helmet on your head you won’t be willing to take it off anymore!
You can adapt the helmet easily via the adjustment wheel at the back part as well as the adjustable stabilizer baskets (3 positions). With gloves it’s still easy to reach and adjust. There is just one size of the comfort lining with nanowick material (moisture wicking + CoolMax), but this is just perfect: No bruises at all and a very safe fit got us very excited to hit the trails with the A1!
On the trails the 16 vents provide good ventilation, dispersing the heat in a very effective way. Against our expectations the A1’s thick padded insert doesn’t provoke to much heat or sweat.
Weighting in at 375g the A1 isn’t on the level of a XC-helmet but in contrast offers way more protection.
The TLD A1 has an amazing fit, sitting naturally low, with good coverage of the back part of the head. Even after a long ride there were no dominant bruises. With the chin strap comfortably set even in very rough terrain the TLD will remain steady on your head. The padded insert embraces the head perfectly!
“The A1 is the best Enduro helmet I ever rode”, Robin Schmitt (Enduro Mountainbike Magazine)
Fazit: “For the world’s fastest racers” decorates the back part of the A1 – quite self-confident, but in this case TLD is just right! The A1 is the best enduro-specific helmet we ever had on our heads. The only thing we would like to have is a more sober design – but according to the guys at TLD that’s already in the making! Till then your competitors will be dazzeled by that flashy design and the dust from your back wheel!
Facts:
- Price: 174,90 €
- Sizes: XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL
- Weight: 375 Gramms
Words: Robin Schmitt Photo: Action Daniel Geiger / Studio Robin Schmitt