I have been lucky enough to have the Troy Lee Designs D3 Carbon Composite as my second D3. Having the best and the coolest stuff as your safety gear is always fun and makes you actually want to wear it. I got this helmet a few weeks ago in Reflex Gold Chrome, and it's very ‘bling’ in its colour. The gold chrome is like a mirror in person. I love this helmet as it suits my riding and personality.If you're worried about coordinating your kit, the bright colours on this particular colour option will restrict what kit will match. Right now I am sticking with red, black and white kit as they match the helmet very well, but having other random colours on your kit may not match this particular colour choice. TLD offer a large range of colour options though, so there's something to suit everyone.
Although the image of this helmet shows red cheek pads, my helmet came with white cheek pads. They can be washed in the washing machine but I found that even after I washed them, the dirt, mud and dust were still there, so I replaced mine with black ones because they were getting too dirty after only a couple of weeks. I recommend purchasing a set of black cheek pads from Pushys as well if you choose this helmet, to keep it looking good.
The helmet also comes with a spare visor, which will help keep it looking in good condition if the original one gets cracked or overly scratched. This is a big plus as you'll notice the underside of the visor tends to show every spec of dust. I don’t really mind this though, as it’s only dirt and can be wiped off easily enough.
My last point is again with the gold chrome. Unfortunately it does show every small scratch, so I recommend making sure that you look after it well, placing the helmet down correctly and being careful not to scratch it accidentally while packing it up. In fact, when it's off your head, treat it like it's made of glass if you want to keep it looking its best. Luckily, the helmet comes with a sturdy carry bag to prevent it from being scratched when off your head.
Overall, Troy Lee Designs have done it again, and I am loving this helmet. Although this particular D3 has a few cons, the pros definitely outweigh them. I can't wait to test out this helmet further.
By Alex Unicomb - Pushys sponsored athlete