Racing Roots and Artistic Origins
Troy Lee Designs began with a teenager’s passion for art and motocross. While still in his teens, Troy Lee painted helmets in his parents’ garage for friends and fellow racers. That humble start set the tone combining artistry, speed, and rider culture.
Growth from Custom Jobs to Gear Development
As demand grew for his painted helmets, Troy expanded into visor manufacturing, creating custom visors using vacuum‑formation techniques. His workshop moved into a hangar, where he also painted registration numbers on aircraft to meet leasing terms. These early experiments refined both his artistic instincts and technical skills.
Branching into Helmets, Apparel and Protection
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, TLD began developing its own product lines. The brand introduced mountain bike helmets, motocross gear, and protective equipment. What began as custom painting evolved into full solutions for racers from helmets to jerseys to body armour.
Innovation, Testing and Racing Influence
Troy Lee Designs maintains strong ties with racing. The company has been involved in Supermoto teams, used rider feedback to refine performance gear, and pushed safety innovation across its lines. Their approach has always been iterative ideas tested on track feed directly into consumer products.
Legacy, Reach and Creative Philosophy
More than 40 years in, TLD now operates globally, supporting multiple sports disciplines motocross, MTB, supermoto and more. Yet the brand still carries the creative spirit it started with, emphasising bold design, performance and personal expression for riders.
Explore the Troy Lee Designs collection today and ride with gear born from art, refined by racing, built for riders.