After three years of work, Troy Lee Designs has finally released a new XC/Trail helmet to join its popular downhill helmet. The new helmet takes many styling cues from its full face, with dorsal fin and overall rounded shape. The 320g claimed weight is also pretty light for a trail helmet with retention system and peak.
Troy Lee is brought into the UK by Fisher Outdoor which says that it should have stock by March. There’s no UK price set yet, but US prices at around $180 would indicate a pretty premium price.
Here’s the full press release:
Troy Lee Designs is proud to officially introduce the newest addition to our growing line of bicycle specific helmets, the A1.
With the freeride, downhill and BMX helmet market cornered, Troy Lee Designs decided it was time to venture into new territory. Three years of research and design later, the team has developed a top of the line helmet for the XC/Enduro, Trail, and All Mountain rider.
Like all other TLD helmets, the A1 has undergone rigorous safety tests to ensure that it provides superior protection, exceeding CPSC standards and CE EN certifications, while still weighing an average of 320 grams and allowing for maximum ventilation.
Other features of the A1 helmet include an easily adjustable visor, strap dividers and adjusters, a unique adjustable TLD retention system, and anodized aluminum hardware.
Built with moto inspired components and world famous graphics, the A1 upholds the Troy Lee Designs iconic vision that has been a prevalent staple of the bicycle industry for years.
A limited first-run quantity of the helmet in Limited Edition Gold Metal Flake Cyclops and Black Cyclops Colorways will be available for purchase at www.troyleedesigns.com and at finer dealers worldwide such as Fisher Outdoor Leisure beginning on February 4, 2013. The helmet will be available in XS-2XL.
A select group of media and Troy Lee Designs global distributors were recently given the opportunity to test the helmet on downhill and cross country rides with TLD athletes Cam Zink, Brandon Semenuk, Logan Peat, Aaron Gwin, Eliot Jackson, and Leigh Donovan. The outpour of praise about the new helmet could not have been better.
“I have more mountain bike trail riding in my roots than I do freeriding, so I have been wanting a TLD trail helmet forever! Really happy with how this A1 turned out, will be putting a lot of miles in with it.” – Cam Zink FMB Tour Hero
“Coming from an XC background I understand the importance of a vented helmet and since I’ve moved into Freeride, I only trust a helmet with lots of coverage. The A1 gives me that light, breathable design with out being concerned with safety” – Brandon Semenuk 2X FMB World Champion
“I first heard about the A1 project a year ago and have been eagerly awaiting it since. And the team at TLD did not disappoint. It fits like a glove, protects my dome better than any other trail lid, and looks as good as the rest of the Troy Lee helmet line. If I had to sum it up in one word? Dialed.” – Lars Sternberg, Transition Bikes/Enduro Racer
“I have come full circle with Troy Lee Designs, I had one of those sweet Edge helmets in the early 90’s, with a TLD sticker kit! I have been wanting a helmet to ride in that was more protective than all the other helmets on the market, which are just glorified road helmets with a visor. I think we nailed it with the A1. We catered to the heart of the market, which is that mid to big travel trail rider, enduro rider, or even cross country rider, with a helmet that is extremely safe, elegant, stylish, light and built to last” – Craig “Stikman” Glaspell, Troy Lee Designs Sports Marketing
And here are some photos of it not in gold…
Comments (17)
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Like….!!!!
thanks for the advertorial
“Here’s the full press release:” – advertorial? It’s a press release, just like all the others we publish.
Looks like it will be the same thing as with their full faces: Why would I buy one when I can buy 2 or 3 equivalent helmets from other manufacturers for the same price? It’s not 2 or 3 times “better”!
Doesn’t look as nice or as well vented as existing “trail” lids either…
any pics of it on someone’s head? = the true test of a helmet (apart from its ability to protect your bonce)
Although I like the style, the graphics are a bit too much “Tron meets Transformers then goes to a disco” for me.
Looks good but it’ll far too expensive for me $180 -> £150?
Seeing as I just bought a Giro Feature for £35 will it be 4 times as good? No.
They are clearly going for the POC end of the Market.
Expensive and gopping.
“Will it be XX times better than YY?”
Maybe, most of the competition come in 2 sizes, this seems to come in six. That’s got to be good if you crash as it’s wrapped roudn your skull rather than the skull rattling round and actualy pressing on a fairly small area inside the helmet?
And the RRP of a Giro Xar is £114, so it’s only ~50% more for a choice of 6 sizes rather than 2.
Quite fancy one, however would need to get a vinyl wrap as the graphics are minging, especially the yellow urgh!
Looks horrendous. Would like to see one in plain colours though so I can decide if its the actual helmet I don’t like or the terrible colours / graphics.
“Looks horrendous.”
Isn’t that part of the TLD attraction?
It looks like a white helmet crashed into a dodgem or a waltzer at a fun fair.
Really not pleasant.
I will be interested in how well vented it actually is. I had to get rid of a Giro Feature as it wasn’t vented enough. Also given that my spesh vice was only £40 it will have to be really good.
Xar is £99.99 and comes in 3 sizes.
absolutely awful
I like the shape but as brakes says…lids take on a different dimension when perched on your noggan. Can’t say the graphics do much for me either. Judging by the pics of the vent locations any helmet lights / cameras wont be secured in the middle but of to the side. Not for me. I’ll stick with my spray painted Giro Hex!