Let me be the first to say it; thank God (or your own higher power of choice) for Enduro. I say that not because it’s a race format that closely resembles how many of us ride, not because it’s given wheel manufacturers something to hang their pretty 650b hoops from, and certainly not because it’s somehow made 30-40 somethings believe that they can get away with wearing fluoro yellow top to toe. I say it because it has finally compelled helmet makers to come up with ‘proper’ mountain bike helmets; not too hot and heavy like a DH full face, and not too light, like a road lid with an add-on visor. We’ve seen a genuine ground-up rethink of head protection for the MTB masses that Goldilocks would have loved.
The Troy Lee Designs A1 was one of the first of this new crop. To begin with the A1 was offered in a choice of glitter-and-sparkle colour schemes that only a cycling Liberace could appreciate, but those who bought one were won over by the extra coverage, sturdy construction and most of all the head-hugging fit. Thankfully Troy Lee Designs (TLD) realised that wearing a cycling helmet to Mardi Gras had limited appeal, so they released the A1 'Drone' lineup with a far more subdued but still interesting colour palette.
The A1 is offered in three sizes and our XS/S weighing bang on 335g. Cost of admission to the A1 club is around $229, although the more elaborate 'Reflex' colour options will set you back around $269. TLD has also released a MIPS equipped version of the A1 which aims to offer improved protection when faced with oblique impacts — dubbed the A1 MIPS Vertigo it sells for $339.
The A1 uses the almost ubiquitous ‘in-mold’ construction, with its outer shell and expanded polystyrene foam liner made as one piece. The harder outer shell fully covers all the lower edges of the helmet, so the EPS foam is well protected from being dropped or rolling around in your boot. The rear of the A1 extends almost to the nape of your neck, so rear impact protection is about as good as you’re going to get without going to a full face helmet. While it doesn’t sit quite as low at the sides and over the temples as the Bell Super, it’s certainly much better than a traditional helmet. Having a slightly higher cut on the sides (compared to some other ‘enduro’ style helmets) makes it less likely to cause fit issues when wearing sunglasses.
Despite the excellent coverage, the overall form is quite sleek and closely follows the shape of your head, unlike most other helmets which tend to be excessively wide. Aesthetics mightn’t be the most important thing in a helmet, but it’d be a lie to say they don’t factor into the buying decision at all.
Kudos to the TLD team for putting a decent visor on it too; the screw-in alloy hardware is much more solid than any plastic is going to be, and once adjusted it stays firmly in place. The visors adjustment range isn’t as large as some of the competition, but it’s enough to keep the sun out of your eyes and the visor out of your vision. Buckles and straps are all high quality items, and the removable padding is a single piece which means you’re never going to search the washing machine for lost pieces when cleaning time comes around.
Fit is of course a subjective issue, but nonetheless we have to say that the A1 scores a home run for feeling snug and secure without obvious pressure points. On this front it outperforms any other helmet we’ve yet tried, and we can’t imagine feeling more ‘in’ a helmet without it being spray painted onto your skull. The rear cradle in particular feels supremely comfortable, and the three-position height adjustment allows you to get it perfectly positioned to your individual requirements. The rear ratchet wheel is a little smaller than some others and those with large hands may find it a little trickier to adjust, but once it’s done there’s no need to mess with it. The cradle has a smooth inner surface which allows you to slide the A1 on and off easily without needing to readjust it and without pulling your hair in the process. The padding is also very soft and smooth, which undoubtedly contributes considerably to the luxuriously comfortable fit.
About the only area where we can chip the A1 is its ventilation; the 16 large vents promise wads of cooling airflow which they sadly fail to fully deliver. It’s not like wearing a skate-style helmet or a full face, but there are definitely breezier options on the market. Heat build up is most noticeable directly over your brow where there aren’t any vents at all, and the interrupted brow pad means that once perspiration reaches critical mass it’ll start to drip down into your eyes rather than being channelled off to the sides like full-width padding tends to do.
Ventilation notwithstanding, the A1 is clearly one of the very best ‘new breed’ MTB helmets. The construction and finishing quality is first rate; it looks good, provides excellent coverage, and unless you’ve got an alien head the fit and comfort is superb. It’s the sort of helmet you can go for whether you’re out for a cruisy ride with friends, a few runs of the local DH trail, or heading off to try your hand at the next enduro race. Just leave the bright yellow chicken suit behind and ride fast; Troy Lee demands it.
Lusty Industries (02) 4962 3511 / www.lustyindustries.com
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