TREK Checkpoint SL5: 🤔 The Ultimate for Gravel Grinding? Bikepacking? Bike Touring?

TREK Checkpoint SL5 Is it the Ultimate for Gravel Grinding, Bikepacking, or Bike Touring?
It's Trek's top-of-the-line carbon gravel bike. Built with lightweight OCLV Carbon, and packed with features designed for comfort, stability, and versatility, it's a lot of bike. Highlights include:
IsoSpeed decoupler: Trek's unique technology separates the seat tube from the top tube, soaking up bumps and making for a smoother ride.
Progressive geometry: The Checkpoint SL5 has a slack head tube angle and a long wheelbase, which provide stability on fast descents.
Tire clearance: This bike can handle up to 45mm tires.
Internal storage: The Checkpoint SL5 has integrated storage compartments in the down tube and downtube for stashing tools, spares, or gels.
Mounting points: There are mounts everywhere on this bike, for racks, fenders, panniers, etc.
In this video, I put the Checkpoint SL5 to the test on a gravel 👍, road 👍, country rocky roads 👍, single track 👌, mud 👌, and anything I could find on this route.
/ strava
Overall
This bike is ideal for gravel grinding and Bikepacking routes like the GAP & C&O trails.
• Gravel Grinding: GAP ...
and with road tires would be great for Bike Touring, such as Trans Europe, where one can get to major towns most days if something is needed.
• Bike Touring Across Eu...
It's not an adventure bike for remote Bikepacking routes like Tour Aotearoa in NZ, as too many small things can chip, crack, and break, and the trails go to intermediate Mountain biking (MTB).
• Biking a NZ Stream! ...
Is it the Ultimate? No. No bike can be all things to Gravel Grinding, Bikepacking, Bike Touring and Adventure Cycling. But overall, I'm really impressed with the TREK Checkpoint SL5. It's fast, comfortable, has all the strength and mounts for loading on gear.. It's perfect for gravel grinding rails to trails and does more.
If you want to learn more about the pedals, check out...
• Bike Shoe Cleats 👟👍 ...
Hope this helps 😊
#gravelbike #bikepacking #biketouring #gravelgrinding #adventurecycling

[@MickDavies]

I just picked mine up on the weekend, same model and colour as Trek are doing a sale in Australia at the moment so it was $3,500 AUD instead of $4,500. I've ridden it three times so far and it's been great. I have a specialised levo sl and it's chalk and cheese, really enjoying have to work on hills but how light this carbon bike is. Very happy so far

[@mkenyon7429]

You should try and test ride an ALR 5 2X. Same components on the aluminum frame. I’m leaning this way for the alloy frame. I test road both and the isospeed did not seem to make any difference.

[@MAMILTravel]

Thanks for the heads up. Yes, carbon has gotten so much stronger but also so expensive. I love alloy too, like my Diverge which is aluminum...it's like a Ford Truck.

[@MrSchattka]

Great review, thanks. Have you considered other Checkpoint models; i.e, Checkpoint SL 6 or Checkpoint SL 7?

[@MAMILTravel]

Thanks for the kind words. I have not consider other Checkpoint models. My bikes are Specialized (Tarmac, Aethos, Diverge) and a Ribble Ti Sport for adventure and gravel. I think TREK makes a great bike. And, I probably over react to the little extras they put on it, but I tend to break stuff. 😅

[@MrSchattka]

@@MAMILTravelThanks. I am in the market for a gravel bike and am considering a Trek Checkpoint - which one I am not sure. The wireless shifting featured on the SL 6 and 7 is novel, however, I am not sure if wireless shifting is worth the extra cost. Cheers

[@MAMILTravel]

@@MrSchattka understand. For me, the major decision point is this. Is the bike for Gravel and Adventure (light to medium MTB) like Tour Aotearoa in NZ, or is it just for gravel (GPA & C&O trails in PA/MD USA).? Carbon, wireless shifting, etc. are great for the later, if you want to spend the money. However, if one's desire is an Adventure ride, well having a problem when the nearest bike shop is >50 miles away, speaks to "less is more". HTH