trek checkpoint sl5 gravel bike

2023 Trek Checkpoint SL 5 Review

Are you looking to upgrade your bicycle and don’t know where to start? With so many options on the market, it can difficult to decide which one is best for you. 

Well, if you are an avid cyclist that covers long distances, then the 2023 Trek Checkpoint SL 5 should be at the top of your list.

Trek has been in the business of making bicycles for more than four decades and is renowned for making some of the best quality cycle frames. 

The 2023 Trek Checkpoint SL 5 features a lightweight 500 Series OCLV Carbon fiber frame and parts that have been designed with high performance and durability in mind.

This review is an exploration of the 2023 Trek Checkpoint SL 5 bike; everything from its build quality, handling, components and performance. 

Read on to discover why this road bike is worth investing in.

The 2023 Trek Checkpoint SL 5 is one of the most versatile, race-ready gravel bikes on the market. 

With Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and other components, you can go from crushing all-day gravel epics to exploring singletrack with equal parts speed and confidence. 

In this review, we’ll explore the features that make this gravel bike stand out from the rest.

The Trek Checkpoint SL 5 is a bikepacking and gravel bike that gives you the perfect blend of balance, power and performance on any terrain. 

With its lightweight OCLV Carbon frame and components, this bike is great for rides over miles of hills or through sandy trails. 

Other features include 29-inch wheels, IsoSpeed, downtube storage door, unobtrusive mudguard compatibility and durable Bontrager Paradigm SL rims. 

This is an adventure ready bike designed for those wanting to explore their limits on varied terrains.

– Lightweight OCLV Carbon frame for superior strength

– Shimano GRX 2×11 drivetrain

– Flat mount hydraulic disc brakes

– Unobtrusive fender and bag mounts

– Durable Bontrager Paradigm Tubeless ready rims

– 700x40c Tubeless Ready Bontrager GR1 Team Issue tires

The Checkpoint SL 5 has an incredibly light and stiff 500 Series OCLV Carbon frame which provides excellent handling and response. 

The IsoSpeed decoupler delivers a dampened, responsive ride that absorbs unpleasant bumps while avoiding harsh impacts. 

A storage compartment on the downtube allows you to conveniently store your tools and equipment. 

It also has strategically placed mounts for extra water storage or bags, as well as a wide range of gears that make it an ideal choice for racing across any terrain.

Shimano’s GRX 2×11 drivetrain offers crisp shifting and incredible control while riding off road or in technical conditions. 

The 46/30T chainrings and 11-34, 11 speed cassette gearing combination gives you plenty of options to choose from during climbs or descents.

Running on Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, the Checkpoint SL 5 provides exceptional brake performance with minimal effort required from the rider to modulate stopping power. 

This makes it easy for novice riders who are still getting accustomed to higher speeds on off road terrain.

Wheels & Tires

Tubeless compatible Bontrager Paradigm SL wheels with 700x40mm Bontrager GR1 Team Issue tires offer ample traction to tackle any type of terrains, whether it be dirt roads, gravel paths, or trails full of rocks and roots. 

The generous clearance of this frame allows you to install larger tires (700x45mm or 27.5×2.1″) for riding over more difficult terrain and tracks.

Bottom Line

The Checkpoint SL 5 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-performance race ready gravel bike that won’t let them down when pushed hard in unpredictable conditions. 

The light frame paired with powerful disc brakes alongside tubeless compatible wheels & tires provide extreme control across varied terrain – making it well suited for epic adventures through nature as well as competitive racing against your friends on long weekends away!

Order online and have it shipped to your local dealer for final assembly!!

Related Posts

Giant TCX Advanced Pro 1 Review

Giant Revolt 2 Review

Giant Revolt Advanced 0 Review

REI Co-op Cycles DRT 4.1 Fat-Tire Mountain Bike Review

Trek Checkpoint SL 5 – First Impressions

The not-so-minor details.

Trek Checkpoint SL 5

https://www.trekbikes.com

Grab your flannel shirt, lace-up shoes and enamel camping mug, Trek has a new bike that might just be what you’ve been looking for. The all-new Checkpoint 5 SL might confuse you as to what it is exactly, but in fact, Trek has let you decide yourself what to do with it, so far what we can tell is they’re calling it a; ‘gravel bike for epic all-road adventures’.

We know what we’ll do with it – adventures! – but before we give it a run to the hills let’s take a look at this unique animal in closer detail.

So many things to look at.

It might look like a road bike from afar but take a couple steps closer and you’ll notice frame features you’d never see on a classic road bike. We’re talking about; rack/utility mounts, multiple water bottle cage mounts, loads of tyre clearance, 12mm thru-axles, impact protection under the downtube, and an adjustable wheelbase.

IsoSpeed decoupler, the fancy little bump-diffuser.

As seen on the Trek Procaliber is Trek’s unique vibration dampening system; IsoSpeed. Seen on Trek’s cross-country hardtail; the Procaliber, the Boone cyclocross bike and their endurance road bike, Domane.

It’s like the tiniest bit of suspension to take the sting out of the road.

It essentially uses a bushing and axle arrangement at the junction of the seat tube and top tube to allow the seat post to bend backwards independently from the top tube, adding comfort when seated. The top tube and seat tube tube are completely separate parts, joined by the decoupler unit.

See the IsoSpeed used for the purpose of mountain biking here: Trek Procaliber review.

Flow ‘GravelCross’ Bike, sorry, what?

We are aware that our name Flow Mountain Bike is completely void of words like ‘cyclocross’ or ‘gravel’, nor do we profess to be experts in the field of gravel but we’ve ridden quite a few nowadays, and our road bikes are gathering dust because of it. What’s going on?

C’mon, we know mountain bikers are hard on road bikes. There are even gravel events popping up like this one!

Isn’t it just a cyclocross bike?

In comparison to Trek’s cyclocross bike – The Boone – the Checkpoint’s frame geometry is lower in the bottom bracket, taller up the front and has considerably more tyre clearance. The adjustable wheelbase will provide the rider with the ability to select a fast and agile feel, or long and stable.

Other gravel bikes we’ve recently tried out.

Norco’s Search XR shares a lot of features with the Checkpoint, check out the chainstays, multiple mounts, tyre clearance etc. Have a look here.

Cannondale Super X SE is an adaption from a cyclocross race bike for the gravel, a fast bike indeed! Check it out here.

Checkpoint options?

Trek provides the Checkpoint in three models, the SL 6 for $4699 is the top-end carbon frame version with the fancy Shimano Ultegra, the SL 5 we have sells for $3699 with Shimano 105. The ALR 5 uses a is aluminium frame option for $2699.

• Submit for Review
• Terms & Conditions

Enjoy reading this?

Get similar articles delivered directly to your inbox

​Trek's First True Gravel Bike, the Checkpoint, Is Impressive

The new bike's features and lower-cost versions make it a compelling multi-surface option

What’s New for 2018? Checkpoint is a brand new line in the Trek family ; previously, its multi-surface road offerings were split between the Domane Disc , which has clearance for 35mm tires but is decidedly more a performance road bike in features and geometry, and the cyclocross-focused Boone and Crockett lines. The Checkpoint is a dedicated multi-surface bike, with more tire clearance than any bike in Trek’s drop-bar line, and a full range of mounts for racks, bags, fenders, and hydration.

The Checkpoint Family Includes Carbon and Aluminum Models There are four models in the Checkpoint line, three of which come in men’s and women’s options. The SL6 and SL5 feature OCLV 500 carbon frames; while the ALR5 and ALR4 models are aluminum. Women’s options differ only in saddle and handlebar touchpoints and paint; geometry and most parts are identical.

The two carbon models have an OCLV carbon frame with rubberized armor on the down tube and a rear IsoSpeed decoupler. The SL6 ($3,800) gets a full Shimano Ultegra drivetrain with RT800 hydraulic disc brakes and the new Shimano Freeza rotors. The SL5 ($2,800) has a Shimano 105 drivetrain and non-series hydraulic discs.

The aluminum models don't have the IsoSpeed decoupler or the top-tube bag mount. They do, however, have all of the other bottle, rack, and fender mounts. The ALR5 ($2,000) uses a Shimano 105 drivetrain and non-series hydraulic disc brakes, while the ALR4 ($1,700) is kitted with a Shimano Tiagra 10-speed drivetrain and hydraulic brakes. Both have carbon forks, but not the same version as the SL bikes.

All men’s models come in six sizes: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 61cm. Women’s models come in 49, 52, 54, and 56cm. Both the ALR and SL platforms are also available as framesets.

Claimed weight on the Checkpoint SL bare frame is 1,240g; the ALR frame is said to weigh 1,570g (both in a 56cm). Claimed fork weights are 470g (SL) and 600g (ALR).

Generous Tire Clearance and the Option to Run It as a Singlespeed At first glance, the Checkpoint looks largely like a first-generation Domane or Boone, with a rear-only IsoSpeed decoupler on the carbon models for a little bit of comfort. Trek’s road brand manager, Michael Mayer, says that the company opted to not give the bike the front IsoSpeed coupler found on most current Domane and Boone models for two reasons: Doing so would have increased the price, and the company feels like the larger tires most riders will choose lessens its importance.

The Checkpoint can accept up to 700x45mm rubber. That’s thanks in part to the asymmetric chainstay design, which drops the driveside chainstay so that it can still clear the chainrings while preserving generous tire clearance. Unlike some other brands, Trek does not officially say that the Checkpoint is compatible with 650b wheels. It’s designed around a 700c wheel size.

The Stranglehold sliding dropouts are similar to those found on the company's Stache mountain bike and Crockett alloy cyclocross bike. They allow the rider to adjust wheelbase according to tire size and riding preferences, and offer the option to run the bike as a singlespeed.

Trek didn’t hold back with mount options. Every bike in the line gets up to four bottle-cage mounts: three inside the main triangle (with a high/low option for the down tube) and one underneath the down tube. (Smaller sizes have only two mounts inside the main triangle.) There’s a top-tube mount for a frame bag, and full front and rear rack and fender eyelets. Trek uses 12x142mm and 12x100mm thru-axle wheel attachments and flat-mount disc brakes; cable routing is internal on the carbon bikes and partly internal on the aluminum models. While 1x drivetrains are increasingly popular, Trek opted for double chainrings on all models (all drivetrains are Shimano). Every bike has hydraulic disc brakes, tubeless-ready or tubeless-compatible rims, and comes with the same Schwalbe G-One multi-surface tire in a 35mm width.

The Checkpoint is most similar to Trek’s Boone. But the Boone is focused on racing cyclocross, so there are several important differences. In addition to greater tire clearance, the Checkpoint has a slightly taller stack for a more upright rider position, and a lower bottom bracket.

The Stranglehold dropouts offer some adjustment for overall wheelbase, which allows you to shorten the wheelbase with narrower tires; shorter will mean more responsive handling, while longer offers more clearance for wider tires and a more stable feel.

How It Rides We’ve had limited time on the Checkpoint, but initial impressions are positive. The SL6 model in for testing is no featherweight, but is competitive with other multi-surface bikes that have similar features and parts kits. Trek has long excelled at carbon construction, and the frame doesn’t betray any flexiness under power. With the stock 35mm Schwalbe G-One tires, grip and comfort are excellent on a variety of surfaces; descending on pavement feels a little slow, and the pebble tread isn’t as confident in aggressive cornering on pavement as a design like the Donnelly (née Clement) Strada USH, but that’s not what this bike is really designed for.

On two initial shakeout rides, I piloted the Checkpoint over a variety of surfaces ranging from paved climbs and descents to hardpack dirt to loose, sandy loam and even packed snow with icy ruts. The Checkpoint proved confident and capable in all conditions, and I’m looking forward to getting more time on it.

Joe Lindsey is a longtime freelance journalist who writes about sports and outdoors, health and fitness, and science and tech, especially where the three elements in that Venn diagram overlap.

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Bike Reviews

Best Hybrid Bikes You Can Buy Right Now

The 14 Best Road Bikes of 2024

The Best Commuter Bikes for Getting Around Town

The 10 Best Electric Bikes, Tested by Our Editors

These Folding Bikes Can Go Everywhere

Smoother and Faster: The New Pivot Switchblade

The Best Beginner Mountain Bikes

Reviewed: Colnago's Italian Made C68 Gravel

The 6 Best Kids’ Bikes in 2024

Obed’s GVR Is a Fast and Customizable Gravel Racer

The Best Fat Bikes You Can Buy Right Now

• Checkpoint SL 5

We'll take care of you. Period.

It's our mission to provide you with world-class hospitality every time you visit us online or in-store. We're always here to help you. It's the Trek way.

Free shipping and professional assembly

All bikes ordered online ship for free to your local Trek shop for professional assembly. Participating retailers will even deliver your new ride to your doorstep!

Warrantied for life

Each Trek carries a simple promise. We'll take care of you and do what's right.

More options