sl6 trek checkpoint

Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap long-term review: Simple done brilliantly

The trek checkpoint is the only bike you need to take you on every adventure.

Cyclingnews Verdict

If you can only have one bike, the Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap is a serious contender. It’s the kind of bike that just works. You can upgrade it if you want to but you don’t need to. There are mounts for mudguards and bags, and with only a tyre change it will transition from a comfortable road bike to a capable off-road partner.

SRAM Rival AXS is the perfect groupset for an all-arounder

Mud-guard mounts

Mounting points for every bag you can think of

Non-proprietary seat-post provides options

Internal storage is convenient

Downtube protection eases worry

Threaded bottom bracket

Ideal all-around gearing

Short stem for added stability means handlebar/knee interference

Lacks included protection for the chain stay

Detail behind the fork steerer collects water and is difficult to clean

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There's a cadre of people who get really far out into adventure riding that it's basically a small step away from needing a mountain bike. There are also lots of people who want the absolute fastest road bike available. Those ends of the spectrum don't represent the vast majority of riders though. Most people have a lot less focus and need a good, versatile bike that just works. We included the Trek Checkpoint on our list of the best gravel bikes available because that's exactly what you get, a bike that just works. 

The Trek Checkpoint is a bike that I have held onto for close to a year. It carried me across thousands of miles and all kinds of weather. I've had adventures on and off the road and I've put the bike to the test in every type of riding I could think of. After all this time, I'm ready to discuss the experience, what I like about it and where it falls short. If you've been considering a new gravel bike keep reading to see if the Trek Checkpoint is the right choice for you.

Design and aesthetics 

In many ways the Trek Checkpoint is a fairly uncomplicated design. The biggest standout design feature is the rear IsoSpeed decoupler system but even that piece, at least in the SL, sticks to the less complicated version. Trek refers to this version as the "seat tube IsoSpeed" and it refers, as expected, to the seat tube alone. There's no adjustment, nothing to think about, and just an isolation of the seat tube from the structure of the top tube and the seat stays. The end result is a passive suspension design that relies on flex in the 500 series OCLV carbon. 

To further exaggerate the effect, there's a prominent cutout near the bottom of the seat tube. The cutout doesn't reroute the tube for better aerodynamics but instead narrows the tube. The narrow point becomes the fulcrum and the rest of the tube has room to move around. If you want to add even more passive suspension, the non-proprietary round seat post means there's plenty of opportunity to take advantage of aftermarket seatposts. Something like the Ergon CF Allroad Pro Carbon seat post is an easy swap, further emphasising how uncomplicated the design of the Checkpoint is. 

There are a few other smart little design features as well. Details that continue to keep it simple but functional like the in-frame storage. Behind the water bottle mounts on the downtube is a lever that opens up a space at least as big as your typical flat repair kit. There's a bag that makes sure anything in the space doesn't rattle and the back of the door has room for the Bontrager Bits Multi-tool. 

On the other side of the down tube is where you'll find the carbon armour. This amounts to plastic cladding permanently attached to the lower section of the downtube. It's once again simple but important. Unfortunately, there's no matching armour on the rear chain stay but what you will find is a water bottle mount in the carbon armour. 

The under-the-downtube water bottle mount is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mounting points. There are two standard water bottle mounts, that one under the downtube, and an extra three mounting points higher up the downtube. If you aren't running frame bags that's room for an extra water bottle but there are also three mounting points under the top tube. The Bontrager adventure frame pack, on our list of the best bikepacking bags , will attach to the frame without straps using these mounting points. That still leaves an extra pair of mounting points on the upper portion of the top tube for a bolt-on top tube pack. 

The SL version of the Trek Checkpoints goes even farther with mounting options. While the SLR build gets the lighter 700 series OCLV carbon it also does with "only" the fourteen frame mounting points. Sticking to the SL models means there are also three extra mounting points on each side of the fork. Both models also have the option of fitting real mudguards and the Bontrager NCS Alloy Fender Set is one of best out there although there are also other options on our list of the best mudguards . 

Like the design features, the aesthetics of the Checkpoint differ a bit throughout the lineup. The top-shelf SLR 6, 7, and 9 are where you'll find the most colour options while lower down the line the ALR and SL models have only one or two colours depending on the specific build. In the case of the SL 6 eTap here, the only colour available is a deep red Crimson/Carbon Red Smoke that dips the bulk of the frame in a rich high-gloss blood red. There are metallic flakes throughout and a geometric pattern at the downtube and forks with a few details in a darker smoked red. 

The Trek Checkpoint lineup is extensive to the point of confusion. Right now, there are 12 different models listed with three frames serving as the building blocks. Serving as the entry-level models, the aluminium ALR frameset gives less expensive options with two builds before moving up to the carbon SL models. All using the same 500 series OCLV carbon, the SL models have three builds. These are less expensive than the SLR models but also focused more squarely on bikepacking with additional fork mounts. At the top of the lineup, the four SLR models switch to the lighter 700 series OCLV carbon and they also lose the fork mounting points. 

The SL 6 eTap that we spent our time with represents a middle-of-the-lineup option and costs less than half the price of the top model. The groupset is SRAM Rival AXS with 12 gears across a 10-44 cassette and a 40-tooth front crankset. The frame works with 1x or 2x but if you want a front derailleur you'll have to decide if you'd prefer to move up or down. Down drops to 11-speed GRX while up gets SRAM Force AXS Wide but also packages carbon wheels and represents a significant price jump. 

Instead of the carbon wheels on the more expensive SL 7 eTap, the 6 comes with the alloy Bontrager Paradigm Comp wheelset. While not a particularly high-end wheel these check all the boxes with a centre lock disc interface, 25mm internal width, and tubeless compatibility. Thru axles are standard bolt-through in 12x142 and 12x100 and the included tyres are Bontrager GR1 Team issue in a conservative 700x40mm width. There is space for up to a 45mm tyre if you find yourself looking for more off-road capability. 

For the touchpoints, expect Bontrager pieces. The saddle is a short nose Bontrager Verse Comp with steel rails and it's supported by is a 27.2mm carbon piece also from Bontrager. At the front of the bike the bars are the rather unique Bontrager Elite Gravel bars that we feature in our best gravel handlebars list. They have an integrated foam padding to help ease the rough roads and come paired with a shorter than standard Bontrager alloy stem.  

Performance

As a journalist who writes about cycling technology, I have an attraction to exotic tech in bikes. The new Trek Madone with a chunk missing from the seatpost sounds interesting. Or, if we are talking gravel, maybe a single-sided Lefty suspension fork like the Cannondale Topstone I previously spent time on. The wilder the better for me both because of my job and because that's my personality. 

The problem is that those kinds of bikes can be difficult to live with. The higher the integration and the more proprietary the pieces, the bigger the challenge. For example, the Lefty fork is amazing at what it does but if I want to drive to a ride with a friend I have to ask what kind of rack they have. If it's a fork-mounted version, then it won't work for me.

Then there's the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap and its distinct lack of fancy technology. On paper, it's almost a boring bike but when people ask me for a bike recommendation, it's often my go-to choice. There are mounts everywhere, including for mudguards and it will do whatever you ask of it. I got the Checkpoint, added Garmin power pedals and swapped the saddle to an Ergon SR Allroad Core Pro, and proceeded to ride it for thousands of miles without ever having an issue. When winter hit, I added mudguards and rode through the winter spending seven hours at a time in constant rain every weekend. I never once had to mess with seat post issues or creaky bearings, everything just worked. 

I changed wheels and handlebars because I was testing things but the stock pieces were fine. The groupset in particular is a highlight and has become my gold standard example of why 1x12 might make sense for everyone. Rival has worked flawlessly and while 11-speed 1x gearing occasionally leaves me searching for gears, 1x12 has everything I need. The 40-tooth front and 44 rear works for climbing on loose surfaces, even with a loaded bike, but has plenty of gearing for road riding too. Every now and then I spin out when descending and chasing someone but it's rare and I prefer to have the climbing gears. 

When asked, I tell people you can walk out of the store with an SL 6 eTap and there's nothing you need to swap. The wheels aren't light, or fancy, but they work just fine. Same with everything else except the stem. One of the headline details about the Trek Checkpoint is the geometry that uses a short stem and a long wheelbase and right away I found it annoying. I swapped to the Trek RSL stem in a 100mm length as soon as possible. I noticed no lack of stability but I did stop banging my knees on every hill. 

Other than the stem, the Checkpoint has never left me asking for more. During the winter I would come home freezing and drenched with a bike caked in mud. I didn't wash the bike and at one point the brakes only alerted me to an issue when the pads ground down to the metal backing. Despite the lack of maintenance the groupset, wheels, and frame haven't needed anything. If I want to go bikepacking, I will never need to get creative with mounting. If I want to use the Checkpoint as a road bike, a tyre swap will have it ready to go. 

There are bikes that excel at a particular thing. You can get as specialised as you want in whatever area appeals to you and you can collect a quiver of bikes that you choose between depending on what's on the menu that day. Or you could get a bike like the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap that just works no matter what you want to do. 

The Checkpoint might be a gravel bike but that's far from all it offers. Swap to a 28 or 30mm tyre for road riding and it's perfectly capable of keeping up with whatever group you want to ride with. If a summer gravel race catches your eye, swap on a 40mm tyre and only your legs will keep you off the podium. For a more relaxed pace bikepacking weekend, a 45mm tire might be a good option and you can load up all the mounts with every bag you can think of.

The only real question is which of the many build options makes sense. The SLR frameset is lighter but it's also a lot more expensive and it lacks mounting points on the fork. The SL 5 build gets you all the mounting points at a lower price but it’s also an 11-speed mechanical build with narrower wheels. If you are looking to save money look to the aluminium frameset options and if you've got a bit more money to invest, the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap represents a do it all bike that balances price and performance. 

Logbook: Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap

• Temperature: .5-38 degrees C / 33-100 degrees F
• Weather: Anything you can ride in
• Road surface: paved roads, unpaved roads, and double track 
• Rides: many
• Mileage: 2778km / 1726 miles

Tech Specs: Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap

• Price: £4,000.00 / $4,499.99 / €4,449.00 / $5699.99 AUS
• Frame: 500 Series OCLV Carbon, IsoSpeed, internal cable routing, downtube storage door, 3S chain keeper, T47 BB, rack and fender/mudguard mounts, integrated frame bag mounts, flat mount disc, dropper post compatible, 142x12mm thru axle
• Weight: 9.05 kg / 19.96 lbs claimed for size 56
• Groupset: SRAM RIVAL XPLR AXS
• Crankset: SRAM Rival XPLR crank; 40T
• Cassette: SRAM Rival XPLR 10-44T
• Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25, Tubeless Ready, 25mm rim width
• Handlebar: Bontrager Elite Gravel, 42cm width
• Stem: Bontrager Pro, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 80mm length
• Seatpost: Bontrager carbon, 27.2mm, 8mm offset, 330mm length
• Saddle: Bontrager P3 Verse Comp, steel rails, 145mm width
• Tyres: Bontrager GR1 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, 700x40c
• Max tire size: 700x45c / 650x2.1"

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Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes. Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 lb. Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx

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Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS review – all-round gravel machine

Trek’s checkpoint has unique progressive geometry and scissor frame features and all the mount points you could want. but is it a multi-surface, multi-mission master or a complicated compromise.

BikePerfect Verdict

Genuinely ride improving IsoPulse frame tech with unique handling that’s happy from road rides to rough bikepacking, plus tons of mount points and a sweet spot spec list make the Checkpoint SL 6 an excellent, easy yet efficient choice for whatever you want gravel to be.

IsoPulse Decoupler is a significant ride smoother

Well balanced road or rough handling

Efficient speed on all surfaces

SL 6 model is a real performance for price sweet spot

Saddle is a bit squishy on longer rides

Many mounts mean slightly more mass

Controls go through the headset

Non removable front mech tab

Rough rear hub

Why trust BikePerfect Our cycling experts have decades of testing experience. We'll always share our unbiased opinions on bikes and gear. Find out more about how we test.

Trek’s second generation Checkpoint gravel bike has a unique, ride smoothing scissor frame design, confidently controlled handling, internal storage plus lots of clever external cargo fittings including custom bags. The SL 6 looks like a sweet spot in terms of performance for price too. I have been getting the multi-surface miles in to see how the Checkpoint checks out as an all-round race and adventure candidate. 

Design and geometry

The first impression of the Checkpoint SL is what a chunky frame it is. The massive downtube leaves plenty of storage space under the latched hatch though and together with the broad seat tube means full width support of the oversized T47 bottom bracket. The broad rectangular top tube gives plenty of real estate for bolt on bags above and below it. It also hugs round the head tube to create a deep brow below the upper segment that turns with the bars and acts as entry point to the internal control routing. The deeply dropped asymmetric stays are chunky too and even the seat stays are sturdy pieces by modern ‘flexy and friendly’ standards.

Normally this would read like a classic recipe for a horribly rigid ride, but hiding under the pop out servicing panels at the tope tube/seat stay/seat tube junction is a skewering pivot axle. This ‘IsoSpeed Decoupler’ lets the seat tube flex back and forth above and below (where the tube is dramatically scooped out) the axis of the pivot for an impressively smooth ride in the saddle but a very stiff feel underfoot. Specific variations of the theme have been used successfully right across Trek’s road, CX, MTB and gravel ranges for a while too.

As well as the internal space and top tube mounts, there are four bottle cage positions, hidden fender mounts, less hidden frame mounts and the mandatory triple holes down each carbon fork leg for whatever you want to bolt/strap on. There’s a steel scuff plate behind the chainring (maximum size 46T) plastic armor on the belly and an adjustable chain keeper. There’s ample space for 700 x 45mm or 650 x 52mm (27.5 x 2.1in) tires in frame and fork too. The only glitch is the redundant but irremovable front mech mount sticking awkwardly out from the seat tube.

OCLV 500 is Trek’s mid price, mid weight carbon composite option with a claimed 56cm painted frame weight of 1480g and a fork weight of 501g. This makes it heavier than the Checkpoint SLR chassis, but that’s not available separately, while the SL is $2,399 / £2,500 / €2,699

Components and build

As the model name suggests, the SL6 gets SRAM’s AXS wireless gear set up. It’s the lower/mid tier Rival group with an alloy crank (the SL7 AXS gets Force and carbon wheels) with a 40T chainring matched to a 10-44 tooth XPLR cassette. The bottom bracket is the latest T47 standard. Shifters and hydraulic disc brakes are Rival too, with 160mm rotors for decent stopping power.

Bontrager Paradigm Comp wheels use alloy 25mm wide rims with hard plastic tubeless sealing strips for long term durability. Stock bikes come with Bontrager GR1 Team Issue tires but my sample bike was running Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Classic tires in the same 40mm width. The Bontrager Switch thru-axle has a removable lever with 4 and 5mm Allen keys in the tip too. The non-adjustable rear hub bearings were sounding super rough and wobbling within a few days of riding though.

Bontrager supply all the finishing kit including a carbon seat post and a particularly squishy saddle. All the contact points are size specific with different crank lengths from 165mm to 175mm, 38 - 46cm bars and 70 - 100mm stems depending on frame size. You get a wider saddle on 49 and 52cm bikes as well.

Complete bike weight of our 56cm test bike with bottle cages and internal storage sleeves but no pedals was 9.3kg. The price compares well to other carbon gravel bikes with internal storage like the Specialized Diverge and Santa Cruz Stigmata too although It’s worth noting that the same bike (identical apart from a moss green finish) has just appeared on the Trek UK website for only £4,300 and I imagine other territories will update soon. 

Ride, handling and performance

There’s two main things to talk about with the Checkpoint that are unique to this bike – the IsoSpeed Decoupler and the ‘progressive’ handling. It’s certainly not unique in saying it has ‘progressive’ handling but Trek do it different. Rather than slackening the head angle in an MTB style, they’ve kept it road bike steep (72.2 degrees on my 56cm test bike) but reduced the rake (angle between a vertical line through the centre of the hub/tire contact patch versus the hub and steering centers – aka headset – of the frame) of the fork. In one sense this makes it more responsive through the bars and Trek have amplified that by using a shorter stem than normal. However, the smaller rake means a longer trail figure (distance between that vertical line through the hub centre/tire contact patch). That means the front wheel ‘castors’ more strongly so it wants to stay straight and the bike needs more effort to get it to change direction. Trek have also lengthened the reach by 20mm on average and added 10mm to the rear centre so you’re getting significantly more stability that way too.

Overall then you’re getting a more resolute, ‘I’ll keep going straight rather than freaking out and tripping up’ character than average on the Checkpoint through rough, rooty or loose rock situations – while still having a light and sensitive steering feel. Its definitely subtly different to something like the Santa Cruz Stigmata where the head angle has been slackened dramatically MTB style. That manifests in a keener, more reactive feel through the bars on Checkpoint on climbs and in slow speed situations. That’s emphasised by an already slack seat angle that gets even slacker as the seat post bows backwards under high torque / low revs effort so you’re balancing between alert accuracy and popping the front wheel up and losing control at extremes. It’s not quite as planted through fast, drifting turns as the Stigmata (my current ‘gravel speedway’ benchmark) as you can provoke it to twitch and tweak at the limit. It feels less sluggish and barge like on the road than a slacked out bike though. The deeper than average (for gravel at least) drop on the bars and fast rolling tires also gives a more ‘all-road’ vibe. So if you’re likely to run fast tires or even invest in a separate set of road wheels rather than fit a dropper post and knobbly rubber, then the Checkpoint is a really effective and enjoyable balance.

That’s not to say it’s not very smooth and capable on rougher terrain though because the IsoSpeed tech really does work well. Not as obviously as a suspension seatpost, but in a more organic ‘smoothes the sharp edges and slap sting off roots and rocks’ sense that feels a lot like running much bigger tires than you are in terms of both comfort and traction. Fore and aft flux means it can feel a little ‘rounded off’ when pedaling hard in the saddle, but stand up and there’s clearly a very solid and purposeful drive delivery to the back wheel. The back wheel still carves and cuts cleanly rather than writhing across it’s axis if you’re pushing hard through turns or off cambers too.

While Trek have abandoned their front end IsoSpeed tech, the fork is similarly smooth and forgiving without slurring tracking so there’s no ‘game of two halves’ mismatch to unsettle the handling. The Bontrager Elite Gravel bars have rubber padding embedded in their top surface for a bit of extra comfort and the squidgy saddle plays it’s part in isolating the trail. The fact it’s still an active tracking and laterally stiff bike is obvious and welcome when you’re tackling singletrack or sketchy descents while loaded up for a few days of bikepacking. Even a full size seatpack rammed with a tent, stove and a couple of campsite tinnies didn’t set up any weird harmonics or wriggle at speed and knowing the top tube bags are physically bolted into place adds mental and mechanical confidence too.

The 160mm brake rotors both ends and 44 tooth largest cog on the XPLR cassette are welcome when loaded too and as usual the Rival AXS set up was totally trouble free through an extensive test period. Apart from the premature death of the bearings in the rear hub the Bontrager wheels seem tough, but a lighter set would definitely pep up the dutiful rather than dynamic accelerating character of the SL 6.

Trek like doing things differently and there’s definitely a lot of distinctive features to the Checkpoint. The result never feels weird though, just a great balance of smoothness, assured but not dull handling and efficient yet comfortable speed across a wide range of surfaces. It’s ready to have pretty much any accessory from dedicated bags to commuting fenders bolted on too.

While you can go lighter with the SLR frames, fancier with the various pricier SL models, or cheaper with the alloy ALR models, the SL 6 is a definite sweet spot pick. It's full of wireless functionality, carbon frame and proportionately sized componentry without paying any more than you need to. And if you can invest later it’s definitely a frame worth upgrading not least because it’s blend of 'feels good on the road' and when loaded up for wilderness bikepacking (as well as everything in between) makes it very versatile.

Test conditions

• Surface: Gravel, road, roots, rocks, mud, sand, grass singletrack, mixed farm tracks
• Trails: Moorland tracks, forest fire roads, actual roads, rocky rural roads, natural woodland singletrack.
• Weather: Dry to drizzle. (5 – 15 C)

Tech specs: Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS

• Discipline: Gravel Race/Adventure
• Price: $4,299 / £4,450 / €4,799
• Head angle: 67.5 degrees
• Frame material: 500 Series OCLV carbon fibre
• Fork: Trek Checkpoint, full carbon
• Sizes: 49, 52, 54, 56 (tested), 58, 61cm 
• Weight: 9.3kg (56cm model)
• Wheel size: 700c
• Chainset: SRAM Rival, 40T, 172.5mm chainset with DUB Wide T47 bottom bracket. 
• Rear mech: SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS wireless
• Shifter: SRAM Rival eTap AXS, 12-speed wireless
• Cassette: SRAM XG-1251, 10-44T, 12-speed
• Brakes: SRAM Rival hydraulic disc with SRAM Paceline 160mm rotors. 
• Tires: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Classic 700 x 40mm tires
• Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25 alloy
• Bars: Bontrager Elite Gravel, 31.8 x 42 cm
• Stem: Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 90 mm length
• Seatpost: Bontrager carbon, 27.2 mm
• Saddle: Bontrager Verse Comp, steel rails, 145 mm width

Guy has been working on Bike Perfect since we launched in 2019. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He spent a few years working in bike shops and warehouses before starting writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too.

Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem

Height: 180cm

Weight: 69kg

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Trek Checkpoint Review (SL6): Dirt Road Rocketry

Joe spent a few weeks with Trek’s Checkpoint SL6 to run it through challenges ranging from the weekly fast roadie coffee shop ride to a ten-hour dirt randonee to local gravel and singletrack explorations. Is this go-fast bike the bridge between a svelte carbon road machine and a lumbering gravel tourer?

Trek isn’t always first to the party anymore, but no one can deny their substantial bicycle history credentials. From the 520/720 tourers of the 1970s to early production 29ers under the Gary Fisher moniker to turn-of-the-century OCLV 5200s, Trek has innovated and produced coveted rides. The recent introduction of the Stache and the 1120 bikepacking specific rig—reviewed here last February—suggests that Trek still wants to be in the conversation. Whatever one thinks of those particular wheels, the designs aren’t a lazy copy of someone else’s work.

• Quick Highlights
• Angles (56cm): 72.2° Head tube, 73° Seat tube
• Chainstay: 425mm
• Bottom Bracket: PRESS FIT BB90
• Hub specs: 12X142MM / 12X100MM Thru-Axle
• Max tire size: 700C x 45mm

The Checkpoint SL is Trek’s take on a carbon high performance drop bar bike with dual front chainrings and clearance for 45mm tires on 700c wheels. It’s available as a frameset or with Shimano Ultegra or 105, which are the SL6 and the SL5 respectively. The SL5 is available in women’s and men’s versions, though the only difference is the saddle and color. All the Checkpoint SLs feature Trek’s IsoSpeed decoupler at the seat tube/top tube junction. The idea is to separate those two tubes so that the seat tube can move with the plane of the bike to reduce jolts from the rear wheel.

My dominant impression of the Checkpoint is that it feels like a race-craving road bike. All of the cues are there: the position, the look, the instant feedback from input, and the no-flex ride. A road rider who wants to rail gravel roads at high speed will immediately be at home. The Trek shined when I took it on my local Tuesday night no-holds-barred group ride that is primarily asphalt but also sees plenty of Vermont dirt roads. On the tarmac, the Checkpoint achieves familiar prowess for a contemporary carbon bike: it jumps to task on climbs, it’s snappy to the town lines, and it’s smooth in a paceline. Once off pavement, there’s no need or sense in slowing down, as it still wants to just go. I was impressed by the consistency of this sporty aspect.

I suspect that for someone who isn’t coming from the aesthetic and mandate of road bikes, their reaction to the Checkpoint SL might be more complicated. Firstly, it’s simply not as plush at the front end as many gravel bikes. The narrower tires of the Checkpoint will be run at higher pressure, the stout fork, headtube, and downtube area is designed for precision rather than compliance, and the amount of weight on your hands while on the hoods is perfect for confident descending but reminds you when roads aren’t smooth. Secondly, the Checkpoint handles like a modern road bike in the sense that it takes effortful attention to pilot. In return, it offers quick course correction and a certain nimbleness, but it is not relaxing. It seems as if Trek took everything they knew about road bikes and sought to make a dirt-capable version without wandering too far from the essential format. That is going to have a different valence for different people.

For me, the downside to carbon bikes is that they are a little blunt to ride. There’s heavy subjectivity here, for sure, and it is hard to quantify sensation, but in my experience, excellent carbon bikes feel great—they are wonderful, after all, at mitigating road buzz when tire pressures are high—but not exemplary. Another way to put it is that, to me, there’s a ceiling to the ride quality that can be achieved on a carbon bike that is below that of lightweight steel or ti. This might be because lightweight steel and ti bikes generate a bit of frame oscillation from pedaling, and are more fun to give energy to, and therefore more fun to ride. Still, with their OCLV mastery, Trek achieve an admirable neutral to positive feel from carbon. Carbon fiber is a versatile, reliable material and the Checkpoint is an excellent carbon bike, very much near the top of its genre.

DECOUPLED SEAT TUBE

A stiff carbon bike can be a beautiful tool for a certain job, but it’s never fun to get beaten up by one. Trek’s solution is the IsoSpeed decoupler. It’s a shame that whenever a manufacturer introduces a shock absorbing measure to the back of a road bike shaped bike, it is received as a gimmick. Bike makers haven’t helped themselves since sometimes their approaches are gimmicks, but maybe suspicious consumer attitudes are changing with the wider use of split seatposts and the like. Trek brags that their technology has been proven at Paris-Roubaix, and that it was developed with input from Fabian Cancellara. Sure, bicycles have to get sold someow. I can say, though, that IsoSpeed undoubtedly works. My basis for this claim is riding the Checkpoint on dirt roads that I’ve been riding for 20 years and comparing the feel to my personal carbon bikes with similar tire pressures and widths. The back end of the Checkpoint was as comfortable as any that I’ve experienced on a performance oriented bike.

The way IsoSpeed works is that the seat tube is not molded together with the top tube and the top of the two seatstays. Instead, it passes through and is bolted to that junction to create a floating link that allows some give. The top cap that attaches the saddle to the seat tube helps in creating a system that flexes but doesn’t intrude during accelerations and sprints. Just to be clear, even though I’ve been talking about shock absorption, IsoSpeed is not and does not feel like rear suspension. It merely takes up the sharp small hits of rocks over hardpack and it keeps you in the saddle longer on chattering descents.

IsoSpeed in back but not the front does yield an asymmetry that was noticeable on the first few rides. The back end is comparatively cushy whereas the bumps intruded in a more typical way at the front end. Companies like Cannondale have put suspension on the front end of their offerings in this category, and it’s certainly intuitive to do so. In fact, it can seem strange that a bicycle would have rear shock absorption as opposed to front. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trek had a spirited internal debate about whether to include front end IsoSpeed on the Checkpoint, and, judging from pundit reaction, many people think they should have. I think things are less obvious on a performance road bike platform than first appear, though. In my experience, I can readily absorb hits and chatter by keeping my arms loose. Legs are, of course, big springs, too, but when laying down steady power from the saddle, it’s nice to not have to think about unweighting to accommodate rough stuff. IsoSpeed is there for that. Again, the front end of the Checkpoint is stiff and contributes substantially to the race bike sense of quick control. I like that in a bike that is meant to be ridden fast, and I can also appreciate the forgiving IsoSpeed back end.

WHAT’S IT FOR?

For pedaling hard with speed and purpose on dirt that isn’t very technical, the Checkpoint is as impressive a carbon bike as I’ve been on. We received the bike right before this year’s edition of D2R2 , one of the OG dirt randonées in New England (and highly recommended, incidentally). The 180k loop traverses the most scenic rolling dirt roads of Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this kind of course as the very first ride on an untested bike, but the Checkpoint was brilliant. There are only a few sections of Class IV road that tend slightly in the direction of mountain bikes, and even these were well within the Trek’s comfort window. For pedaling over a hundred miles on dirt while trying to peg a bragging rights time, the Checkpoint is in its sweet spot. More broadly, if a training program and intervals and Strava and mixed terrain fast group rides are your style, you will very likely like this bike.

On the other hand, as one moves away from hurry and racing toward more leisurely camping intensive excursions, the Checkpoint makes less sense. It’s true that it has plenty of carry points. To wit, there are three bottle mounts in the main triangle for size 54 and up, as well as one under the downtube, and one on each fork leg. There are also bosses for a gas tank type bag behind the stem. That gives the bike great potential and flexibility if viewed in the right spirit. Suppose your friends are more into bike camping than you are, but you want to join them for an outing of a couple of nights. You can absolutely do that on the otherwise race oriented Checkpoint. Or suppose you want to mix into your fast riding the occasional rural inn-to-inn tour carrying minimal kit. This is a great platform for that, too. But, really, the Checkpoint doesn’t aim to be an all-rounder when it comes to dirt adventures.

Trek resisted the trend of claiming that 650b wheels with larger tires can be mounted on this 700c bike. They insist that the Checkpoint was designed around the 700c wheels that it is specced with. I appreciate the clarity of not claiming that the bike can be all things, and for the intended purpose of trending in the direction of racing, I think the 700c wheels are a sound choice.

A FEW MORE NOTES

The Checkpoint has a 275 lb/125 kg maximum weight including rider, gear, and bicycle. The bike features Trek’s Stranglehold micro adjustable rear dropouts. This system allows 15mm of fore-aft adjustment of the rear wheel to change the wheelbase and to adapt chainstay length to different tire sizes (Trek recommends a 28mm minimum tire). The dropouts also allow running the Checkpoint as a singlespeed. I experimented with the extremes and settled on the shortest wheelbase for its quickness. Finally, I admire the design and functional details, like the plastic shield under the downtube to protect the frame from rock hits, the metal protector on the dropped driveside chainstay for chainsuck, the smooth bottle boss covers, and the discreet fender mounts.

I haven’t said anything yet about the build on the SL6. Shimano Ultegra is flawless, and on this bike it confirmed again its reputation for shifting smoothness and mechanical refinement. I will note that the Ultegra hydraulic brakes, while very effective both in terms of modulation and stopping, tend to make a persistent scraping sound when the pads pick up mud. On a carbon frame that magnifies sounds, this is annoying. The Bontrager parts are all suitably high end, but the contact points were, for me, a study in contrast. The bars with their deep hooks and wide flat top were incredibly comfortable. The saddle—and my undercarriage is typically pretty tolerant of saddle variation— was decidedly not. The standard caveats of saddle comfort being highly individual certainly apply.

The Schwalbe G-One 35mm tires are excellent for the mix of road riding and hardpack dirt that this bike thrives in. They are a limiter, though, with respect to more broken dirt outings. The most forgiving gear is the one-to-one of the 34t small chainring and the 34t big cog. I can imagine someone wanting something more climby than that, so keep that in mind. The BB90 bottom bracket is press fit and that probably makes many of you angry, but it is perfectly standard for a carbon bike.

One last concern: I’m 5’8”/173cm and the 54cm bike fit me splendidly. But with my 31”/78.7cm inseam and slight toe-down-ish pedaling style, the cap on the seatpost that adjusts saddle height was exactly on the safety upper limit line. Perhaps my inseam is unusually long for my height, but if I was designing a bike, I would make it so that the saddle height could accommodate the tail ends of the distribution, then I’d add a centimeter or two.

• FRAME Trek Checkpoint SL carbon fiber with IsoSpeed decoupler, 12mm thru axle
• FORK Trek Carbon disc, 12mm thru axle
• HEADSET Trek integrated
• WHEELS Bontrager Paradigm Comp Tubeless Ready Disc
• TIRES Schwalbe G-One Allround, 700x35mm
• HANDLEBAR Bontrager RL IsoZone VR-CF
• STEM Bontrager Elite, 7 degree
• SEATPOST Bontrager Ride Tuned carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset
• SADDLE Bontrager Montrose Comp
• SHIFTERS Shimano Ultegra 11-speed
• BRAKES Shimano Ultegra flat mount hydraulic disc
• ROTORS 160mm
• REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Ultegra 11-speed
• CHAIN Shimano HG600 11-speed
• CASSETTE Shimano HG800, 11-34 11-speed
• CRANKSET Shimano Ultegra Compact, 50/34
• BOTTOM BRACKET BB90

• Feels like a road race bike
• IsoSpeed coupler absolutely smooths out jolts
• Thoughtful design touches, including a variety of bosses for cages, armor under the downtube, bosses for a gas tank bag
• Very capable on tarmac alongside its gravel prowess
• 650b conversion not recommended
• Unusual routing can cause cable contact with knees depending on out of the saddle pedaling style; might also interfere with feed bags
• Long inseam riders may reach the end of the saddle height adjustment
• Purpose built for speed rather than maximal bikepacking versatility
• Model/Size Tested Trek Checkpoint SL6, 54cm
• Weight (as tested) 19.7 lbs. / 8.9 kg for 56cm
• Rider Height/Weight 5’8″/153 lb (173cm/69.4kg)
• Price $3,999
• Place of Manufacture Taiwan
• Manufacturer’s Details TrekBikes.com

What the Checkpoint is not is a Swiss army knife of all-road touring. Nor would I recommend this to someone whose image of bike camping was primarily leisurely strolls with friends to end at a nearby spot. That’s a great way to bikepack, but you don’t need and probably wouldn’t want this bike for that. Two “ifs” therefore drive my thinking about the Trek Checkpoint SL6. If I was in the market for a decidedly road bike platform that I could race and ride fast on dirt, and if the feel and advantages of carbon fiber frames was appealing, then this bike would surge high on my list. It’s refined, it’s a blast to ride while breathing hard in the drops, and the IsoSpeed coupler is effective.

Rider Profile

Joe is a philosophy professor and expedition cyclist. He took his first bikepacking trip in the late 80s and has since traveled the world on everything from a folding bike to a full suspension mountain bike to his now preferred titanium fat bike. Along the way he raced cross country mountain bikes—often singlespeed—on three continents. Recent trips include Croatia and Tasmania.

• Height: 5’8” (173cm)
• Weight: 149 lbs. (67.6kg)
• Inseam: 31” (79cm)
• Current Location: NYC / Southern Vermont
• Favorite Beer: Hill Farmstead Self-Reliance #2
• Favorite Route: Anywhere in Peru

Trek provided us with a 54cm SL6 for this test.

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Trek Checkpoint SL 6: A first look at the new do-it-all gravel bike

Also, a tour of the revamped lineup of bikes and bags for mixed-surface adventures.

With the launch of the new 2022 Trek Checkpoint, Trek says that it has hit upon a geometry that works for all types of gravel-riding scenarios. With the previous Checkpoint, the Waterloo, Wisc.-based company had built a gravel bike that worked well in its own backyard, the Midwestern U.S. But, of course, gravel riding in the U.S. and across North America is so varied. What of steep mountain routes? Apart from the terrain, what of the rider’s goals? Some riders head to gravel to race. Others want to strap on bags and bash around in the woods. Gravel can mean so many things. To cover more gravel, if you will, Trek has expanded its Checkpoint lineup to include a third model at the top end. All three models of Checkpoint, however, are built around the same geometry. Can one set of numbers (scaled to suit each of the bike’s six frame sizes) really handle all forms of gravel riding? Trek thinks so.

The Trek Checkpoint geometry

Trek first introduced the Checkpoint roughly three years ago. It was the company’s first true carbon-fibre gravel bike and a solid performer on flatter, faster gravel routes. Trek wanted it to do more though. “What we wanted to add, for capability, was the mountain-gravel experience—get a little more capability out of the bike,” says Travis Braun, lead project engineer. Braun and others on his team took five prototypes to Utah. “We tested this out in Salt Lake City. We rode some mountains out there. Our group of test riders all found one geometry that we liked for multiple situations.”

Trek is lifting a term from the mountain bike side to describe the Checkpoint’s design: progressive geometry. The new frame has a front centre measurement that’s 2 cm longer than the previous one. The wheelbase gets longer, too. In Size 54, the previous Checkpoint had a wheelbase of 1,014 mm. The new model of the same size is 1,041 mm. These new figures help the bike to cruise and maintain speed along straight stretches. So that the bike could also perform well on twisty bits, designers spec’d a shorter stem. The Size 54 runs an 80-mm-long stem, whereas the old model had a 90 mm. The latest Bontrager handlebars on the Checkpoint help to keep things nimble as well.

Braun says the frame’s design also allows you to get your weight back easily so you can get over obstacles.

This geometry runs through all of the new Checkpoint frames: the aluminum ALR, the carbon-fibre SL and the new-to-the-lineup SLR with Trek’s premium carbon-fibre formula.

Trek Checkpoint SLR

The new, top-tier Trek Checkpoint SLR is made for winning gravel events. SLR stands for “super light racing” so the frame is made with one of the company’s best carbon-fibre formulas. In this case, it’s the 700 Series OCLV Carbon. (The SLR versions of the Madone and Émonda use 800 Series, while the Domane SLR has the 700.) The Checkpoint SLR is about 200 g lighter than the SL.

If you are familiar with Trek’s road bikes, you’ll know about IsoSpeed, the company’s vibration damping technology. On the Checkpoint SLR, there’s IsoSpeed in the top tube near the seatpost to give the seatpost more flex. This IsoSpeed is new. Unlike on the Domane and Madone, the Checkpoint’s IsoSpeed is non-adjustable. This internal setup should keep everything clean and away from grit. It’s lighter, too. Also, Trek found most riders don’t adjust their IsoSpeed settings much. With the Checkpoint, you have the company’s more compliant setting to keep you more comfortable on rough gravel.

In the down tube, at the bottle cage mounts, is a storage compartment. Trek first introduced this feature on the Domane that came out in 2019. You can put stuff in here that you’d usually keep in a seat bag, such as a multi-tool, CO2 and tube. The bike also has mounts under the top tube for affixing Bontrager’s new frame bag, as well as mounts for a top-tube bag and fenders. You can’t, however, run racks.

SLR models come built with Shimano GRX Di2 or SRAM Red, Force or Rival eTap AXS.

Trek Checkpoint SL

The Checkpoint SL is the most versatile model. It’s built with 500 Series OCLV Carbon, so it weighs a bit more than the SLR. Still, if you want to race the SL, you can (and should). If you want to head on a bikepacking adventure, the SL is your machine.

The SL has even more mounts than the SLR. You can put a rack on the SL. Its fork blades have mounts, so that you can carry as much as 3 kg of stuff on each blade. The SL has the down-tube storage compartment as well.

The Checkpoint SL’s saddle sits on a 27.2-mm seatpost. You can run a dropper post to help you get that saddle out of the way for steep descents and to put your weight back. This frame uses a non-adjustable seat-tube IsoSpeed for dropper-post compatibility. It is less compliant than the SLR’s top-tube IsoSpeed.

The SL models are spec’d with SRAM Force or Rival eTap AXS, or Shimano mechanical GRX.

Trek says the SL can accept some suspension forks. (The SLR can’t.)

The Checkpoint SL really is the do-it-all gravel bike.

Trek Checkpoint ALR

The ALR model of Checkpoint has an aluminum frame. The material makes for a more price-point bike.

The ALR resembles the SL quite closely. They both have the same generous amount of mounts. They can run dropper posts. What the ALR doesn’t have is the down-tube storage and IsoSpeed.

The Checkpoint ALR 5 comes with a mix of GRX RX600 and RX810 parts.

New Bontrager handlebars

All models of Checkpoint use handlebars with a 75-mm reach and 128-mm drop. These dimensions, in conjunction with the shorter stems on the bikes, keep the steering of all the Checkpoints nicely responsive.

The ALR and SL bikes have the new alloy Bontrager GR Elite handlebar. It has a 13-degree flare outward so you can be comfortable and in control on steep descents.

The SLR runs the carbon Bontrager Pro IsoCore VR-SF road handlebar with a 4-degree flare.

Wheels and tires

The Checkpoint can run 45 mm wide tires that are 700c in diameter. There should be about 6 mm of clearance between the tire and frame or fork. Each bike comes spec’d with 40-mm treads. Trek designed the Checkpoint around 700c wheels because they’ll move you faster and roll over more stuff than 650b. Still, you can put on 650b hoops with tires as wide as 2.1″ (53 mm). With 650b wheels, expect to take a slight penalty in the handling department because the bottom bracket will go lower.

Bontrager Adventure bags

Bontrager has new Adventure bags for your bikepacking trips. The Adventure Boss frame bag is designed to work with the mounts on the underside of the top tube. There’s a Boss bag for each size of Checkpoint. A 1.3-l bag fits in a Size 49 frame. The Size 60 frames gets a 5.9-l bag. All Boss bags have a high-viz fabric on the inside to make things easier to find: no rooting around in frustration for a black Allen key in a black bag.

The 9-l handlebar bag holds a 1.5-l water bladder. The seat bag is also 9 l. Each one is built with waterproof materials, but is not guaranteed to be waterproof.

Prices for 2022 Trek Checkpoint models

First ride impressions of the trek checkpoint sl 6.

After a few short rides on the Trek Checkpoint SL 6, it seems that designers have in fact made a bike that tracks well when you are following straight roads, but has the agility for twists and turns. The wide 40c tires and IsoSpeed in the seat tube have kept me comfortable over the bumps.

At 13 degrees, the handlebar is at my limit for flare. I find the shape puts my wrists at an uncomfortable angle when I hold onto the hoods. Riding in the drops, on the other hand, is great. On a steep singletrack descent, I felt nicely in control.

While I don’t have the new Adventure bags yet (they are on their way), the bike seems ready for them, especially the frame bag. The rubber plugs that fill the mounts under the top tube keep dropping out. The others seem fine. Once I get the frame bag, though, I won’t have to worry about the plugs. My concern will be where to ride the Trek Checkpoint SL 6. As the temperatures are dropping, I wonder if a big bumpy adventure will be possible. If not, I’ll have to find a way to keep this bike for even longer.

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2019 Trek Checkpoint SL6 Review – American Muscle

• Bike Reviews
• October 8, 2018
• No Comments

The 2019 Trek Checkpoint SL6 is a gravel-bike that has earned the American-muscle badge here at our test HQ. Trek’s confident approach to fabricating bike technology, has yielded a gravel bike unframed in its ride style. It might be the many-few cyclists that passed by, bawling “gravel-bike, gravel bike!” that suggested this bike has already become an icon.

Trek dialled in major tech benefits on the Checkpoint’s frame. The 500 OCLV Carbon Fibre that embodies the frame, keeps the weight of the bike low. While Trek’s IsoSpeed technology creates compliance within the triangle of the frame. Adding on to the forgiving nature of the frame, is Trek’s Ride Tuned seat mast, which slides over the seat tube, instead of sliding into it. Unlike most conventional bikes.

The Wheels:

Bontrager’s Paradigm Comp TLR wheel-set is so lightweight and stiff, we had to double check to make sure it wasn’t carbon! This Alloy wheel-set has certainly raised the weight-factor bar quite high, and by making use of an off-set spoke bed, the rims themselves are extra stiff. In terms of weight figures, you’re looking at about 755-grams for the front wheel, and 920-grams for the rear wheel.

The entire wheel-set is tubeless ready, and comes rubberized with Schwalbe G-One All-round tyres. From a buyer’s point of view, the 700c X 35 tyres are ideal for road and trail grinding. They also seem to hold their grip well over time, and not be worn out by constant, fun, wheel skids.

The Drivetrain:

The Shimano Ultegra gear-set matches the lightweight theme of this gravel bike. With the rear derailleur featuring Shimano’s Shadow technology, for a more compact look. The crank arms are constructed from feathery material, without feeling flimsy when laying the hammer down. Then serving the Checkpoint’s purpose well, is the 2X11 gear ratio. The crank chain-rings set is a 50T/34T pair-up, and the cassette ranges from an 11T till a 34T.

Total Bike Weight: 8.94kg (without pedals)

In its class:

[wptg_comparison_table id=”2″], geometry:  .

Trek’s 2019 Checkpoint SL6 exhibited momentous, stiffness on ascents. Whether on gravel surfaces or neatly paved tar, we could feel Trek’s unique carbon layup on the bottom-bracket, provide a sturdy frame base. The wheel base, rather counteracted flimsiness of the bike. When we stood up, out of the saddle, the Checkpoint was the most reliable to let every pedal stroke be put to use.

The 2×11 drivetrain, that propelled the Checkpoint forward along flat sections, gave us bridge between precision shifting and excellent cadence. It was very easy to knock the chain up to the outer chain-ring, and crank out some good kilometres. However, the gear-set wasn’t the only thing that made cruising this, muscle bike, a pleasure. Since the Bontrager carbon seat-mast was Ride Tuned, the bike felt natural and part of you, even when having spent a good deal of time on it. The handlebars also didn’t strain our hands, but instead were wide enough to hit the dropper bars and cruise.

We verified the Trek Checkpoint’s versatility, by riding it on both MTB pledged single-track, and the unforgiving tarmac. Obviously, on the MTB track you can’t ride too fast, for fear of simply being rocked and shaken of the bike. That’s one thing we might add to the bike, a front shock, but then again that depends on the type of riding you’re going to be doing. And Trek have already compensated for this with their IsoSpeed decoupler, which adds compliance to the bike over bumpy stuff.

On the tarmac, the Checkpoint was confident and fast. If we did hit a pothole or two, the bike wasn’t thrown off its line. Probably because of the width of the tyres, and more stable build. But still I’d like to see a road bike handle like that someday. Then, if we needed to slow down, the hydraulic disc brakes were always at our disposal. In fact, we believe every gravel-bike should have this type of disc brake. It just eliminates so much strain off your hands.

Trek aren’t afraid to push the limits of engineering bikes that are fun to ride. They’ve shown this characteristic immensely on the Checkpoint gravel bike series. For the Checkpoint SL6, we’re positively impressed! It projected great technology, and superb ride quality. It’s truly the most muscular, gravel bike of its kind.

Price: R 69,999.00

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Trek Checkpoint SL6 review

Trek Points

Robert Smith

Robin Wilmott

Fully-featured, practical frameset, IsoSpeed, carbon wheelset

I’d prefer to have 40mm tyres supplied

Trek’s Checkpoint SL6 gravel bike is the natural evolution of its Domane road bike and Boone cyclocross bike. In profile it could be mistaken for either, but look closely at the stealthy black frameset, and the differences become clear.

• The Trek Checkpoint SL6 is one of our Bike of the Year bikes for 2019. To read reviews of the other contenders and the categories tested across road, mountain and women's bikes, visit our Bike of the Year hub page .

The fork has a gentle curve, with its thru-axle offset just behind the fork’s centre line to gain a little compliance, and it has mudguard and rack mounts.

The semi-compact frame includes a rear IsoSpeed decoupler, and large down tube, with Trek’s Control Freak internal cable routing system, which gathers up the cables and rear brake hose in one port on top of the tube. Beneath it, a polymer impact guard covers the lower portion of the down tube and extends along the chainstays too, punctuated only by an additional bottle cage mount.

• Top 5 gravel bikes
• Trek goes all in on gravel with Checkpoint

Deviating hugely from the Boone and Domane, the Checkpoint’s rear end has a heavily dropped, intricately shaped driveside chainstay to permit extra tyre clearance and the double chainset. The square seatstays bow gently upwards, have a bridge, and well-hidden mudguard and rack mounts, and end in Trek’s Stranglehold dropouts. These feature slots and screw-in adjusters that allow the wheelbase to be altered by sliding the captive thru-axles by up to 20mm.

The lower seat tube is shaped to increase tyre clearance, which the dropouts help to tune, but if singlespeed is your bag, they’re also essential for chain tension adjustment.

Although supplied with 35mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres, the Checkpoint can run up to 40mm (measured) rubber, giving 4mm frame clearance. The asymmetric seat tube is offset for the front mech and Trek’s 3S chain keeper, which perches above the BB90 bottom bracket shell to prevent chain suck.

Frame sealing and storage are impressively practical. My 56cm frame has options for two bottle cages within the main triangle, as well as one below and the usual seat tube cage, and above the top tube are fittings for an easy-access storage pouch. Trek’s Ride Tuned seatmast cap means no seat tube cutting, and because the seatmast telescopes over it, it’s totally sealed against filth.

Trek Checkpoint SL6 ride impressions

What’s immediately apparent is how smooth the Checkpoint SL6 feels. With 40psi in the 35mm tyres, it glides across tarmac with road bike-like speed and feel, the closely-spaced, shallow, round tread blocks rolling almost imperceptibly, with plenty of grip.

Great frame stiffness and the light, shallow and wide Paradigm Comp carbon wheelset make for responsive, quick acceleration that help you cover ground surprisingly fast.

Leaving roads behind, the Checkpoint transitions easily to rougher surfaces, the rear IsoSpeed decoupler really coming into play. The suspended feel it gives through the saddle over washboard gravel and uneven surfaces is impressive, although the bike’s front end doesn’t quite match its ability.

Concerns that the Ultegra drivetrain might be overgeared were soon dispelled

The fork works hard to soak up the bumps, but the handlebar adds nearly as much, together keeping things composed and totally controlled.

The Montrose saddle proved supportive and comfy enough, and despite needing to reign the speed in a little on the slick mud and loose off-cambers, the Schwalbes coped very well.

With some 40mm tyres fitted and run tubeless, grip and off-road ability would be even greater without costing too much road speed. Trek has been quite conservative here, perhaps aiming to lure in roadies, to whom 35mm tyres are already quite a leap, but the Checkpoint’s potential is there to be tuned or exploited in a way that suits you.

Concerns that the Ultegra drivetrain might be overgeared were soon dispelled. The 50/34 compact chainset and 11-34 cassette still allow a 1:1 climbing gear, and more than enough road speed, and the gear jumps are small.

Again, it does lean towards faster terrain, which is generally a feature of American gravel riding. The British equivalent can often be slower, rougher and more fiddly, and when riding on the big ring, I often found myself with a less than ideal chainline. But despite the mud and rocks, I had no dropped chains.

Comparing the geometry to the Boone gives a further steer as to the bike’s intentions. The head angle is a little steeper, while the head tube on my model is 12mm shorter. The top tube is longer, the bottom bracket drop 8mm lower, but the wheelbase of both bikes remains the same, thanks to less fork trail and greater offset on the Checkpoint.

It’s a great balance between crisp, high-speed steering and stable, low-speed control, but always favouring quicker terrain. With its assorted mounts for drinks, spares and gear, the Checkpoint is hugely versatile and can be willingly pressed in to service as a weekend gravel racer, backroads explorer, bike packer, winter trainer or luxury commuter.

Whatever road or trail you choose, this Trek is all about speed.

Trek Checkpoint SL6 specifications

• Sizes (*tested): 49, 52, 54, 56*, 58, 61
• Weight: 8.9kg
• Frame: 500 Series OCLV carbon, rear IsoSpeed, Stranglehold dropouts
• Fork: Checkpoint carbon disc
• Chainset: Shimano Ultegra 50/34
• Bottom bracket: BB90
• Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-34
• Chain: Shimano HG600
• Derailleurs: Shimano HG600
• Gear levers: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic
• Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm Comp tubeless-ready
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One Allround 35mm
• Stem: Bontrager Elite alloy
• Handlebar: Bontrager RL IsoZone VR-CF
• Headset: Integrated, sealed 1 1/4in – 1 1/2in
• Saddle: Bontrager Montrose Comp
• Seatpost: Bontrager Ride Tuned carbon seatmast cap
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc, 160mm rotors

Trek Checkpoint SL6 geometry

• Seat angle: 73 degrees
• Head angle: 72.2 degrees
• Chainstay: 42.5cm
• Seat tube: 56cm
• Top tube: 56.6cm
• Head tube: 14.5cm
• Fork offset: 4.9cm
• Trail: 6.1cm
• Bottom bracket drop: 7.6cm
• Wheelbase: 1,020mm
• Stack: 58.6cm
• Reach: 38.7cm
• Price: £3,400 / US$4,000 / AU$4,699

BikeRadar would like to thank Stolen Goat , Lazer , Northwave and Effetto Mariposa for their help and support during our Bike of the Year test.

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2020 Trek Checkpoint SL 6

A carbon frame gravel bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes. Compare the full range

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Checkpoint SL 7 Gravel - 2020, 52cm

In Stock: MD

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Checkpoint SL 6

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• 5'4", size 52cm, Fits large

Updated geometry and differentiated models for speed, adventure, and all purpose riding

Read Review

Sep 2021 · Matthew Pioro

Also, a tour of the revamped Trek Checkpoint lineup of bikes and Adventure bags for mixed-surface adventures

Dec 2020 · Ben Delaney

Gravel bikes abound, but this one checks all the boxes, and at a great price.

Dec 2020 · Benjamin Topf

Trek includes adjustable chainstays on their Checkpoint SL 7 gravel bike and offers new options for future gravel adventures like single-speed builds.

King of the climbs

Quick acceleration

Consistent spec

Many mounting points

Undamped rear flex

Limited adjustment range of the seatmast cap

Tires need more support at high speeds

Jun 2020 · Laura Weislo

On early impressions, Trek's flagship gravel bike, the Checkpoint SL7, looks perfect for seekers of versatility and adventure

Lightweight, agile and responsive ride

IsoSpeed shock adds comfort

Underbody protection for the eye-popping paint job

SRAM Force eTap AXS 1X drive not suited to mixed road/gravel

Top tube is too wide near the seat tube

Toe overlap in the smallest size

Mar 2020 · Abby Mickey

Trek’s Checkpoint was the most popular gravel bike of 2019, according to data Strava sent over last fall. Trek has sold a lot of them. This suggests that it’s a good bike, and indeed it is. But we found that it is good in a generic, pop-music, lowest-common-denominator, unoffensive-to-all kind of way. It takes few […]

An incredibly affordable bike that functions beyond its price, great for bikepacking, commuting, secret “groad” with your buddies, and more.

Heavy. It’s heavy. Also, it definitely needs a tire upgrade from the ones that come with it.

Mar 2020 · Dale Tiessen

Out of the saddle putting down maximum power into the Checkpoint, it feels like a nice carbon road bike.

Feb 2020 · Robin Wilmott

All-road versatility with refined road manners for a fine riding machine

Frame design and mounts, hydraulic Tiagra groupset

Chirpy mudguards

Last updated August 21 Not listed for 1,346 days

Shelling kills 14 in Russia's city of Belgorod following Moscow's aerial attacks across Ukraine

Shelling in the centre of the Russian border city of Belgorod Saturday killed 21 people, including three children, local officials reported.

A further 110 people were wounded in the strike, said regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, making it one of the deadliest attacks on Russian soil since the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine 22 months ago.

Russian authorities accused Kyiv of carrying out the attack, which took place the day after an 18-hour aerial bombardment across Ukraine killed at least 41 civilians.

• Complete coverage of the war in Ukraine

Images of Belgorod on social media showed burning cars and plumes of black smoke rising among damaged buildings as air raid sirens sounded. One strike hit close to a public ice rink in the very heart of the city, which lies 25 miles (40 kilometres) north of the Ukrainian border and 415 miles (670 kilometres) south of Moscow. While previous attacks have hit the city, they have rarely taken place in daylight and have claimed fewer lives.

Russia's Defence Ministry said it identified the ammunition used in the strike as Czech-made Vampire rockets and Olkha missiles fitted with cluster-munition warheads. It provided no additional information, and The Associated Press was unable to verify its claims.

"This crime will not go unpunished," the ministry said in a statement on social media.

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the situation, and that the country's health minister, Mikhail Murashko, was ordered to join a delegation of medical personnel and rescue workers travelling to Belgorod from Moscow.

Russian diplomats also called for a meeting of the UN. Security Council in connection with the strike. Speaking to Russia's state news agency, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Britain and the United States were guilty of encouraging Kyiv to carry out what she described as a "terrorist attack." She also placed blame on EU countries who had supplied Ukraine with weapons.

"Silence in response to the unbridled barbarity of Ukraine's Nazis and their puppeteers and accomplices from ‘civilized democracies' will be akin to complicity in their bloody deeds," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier Saturday, Moscow officials reported shooting down 32 Ukrainian drones over the country's Moscow, Bryansk, Oryol, and Kursk regions.

They also reported that cross-border shelling had killed two other people in Russia. A man died and four other people were wounded when a missile struck a private home in the Belgorod region late Friday evening and a 9-year-old was killed in a separate incident in the Bryansk region.

Cities across western Russia have come under regular attack from drones since May, with Russian officials blaming Kyiv. Ukrainian officials never acknowledge responsibility for attacks on Russian territory or the Crimean Peninsula. However, larger aerial strikes against Russia have previously followed heavy assaults on Ukrainian cities.

Russian drone strikes against Ukraine continued Saturday, with the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting that 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones had been shot down across the Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, and Mykolaiv regions.

Local officials reported that three people had been killed by Russian missiles: a 55-year-old man in the Kherson region, a 43-year-old man in Stepnohirsk, a town in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, and a 32-year-old in the Chernihiv region.

On Friday, Moscow's forces launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones across Ukraine, an onslaught described by one air force official as the biggest aerial barrage of the war.

As well as the 39 deaths, at least 160 people were wounded and an unknown number were buried under rubble in the assault, which damaged a maternity hospital, apartment blocks, and schools.

Western officials and analysts recently warned that Russia limited its cruise missile strikes for months in an apparent effort to build up stockpiles for massive strikes during the winter, hoping to break the Ukrainians' spirit.

Fighting along the front line is largely bogged down by winter weather after Ukraine's summer counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough along the roughly 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) line of contact.

Russia's ongoing aerial attacks have also sparked concern for Ukraine's neighbours.

Poland's defence forces said Friday that an unknown object had entered the country's airspace before vanishing off radars, and that all indications pointed to it being a Russian missile.

Speaking to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Russia's charge d'affaires in Poland, Andrei Ordash, said Saturday that Moscow would not comment on the event until Warsaw had given the Kremlin evidence of an airspace violation.

"We will not give any explanations until we are presented with concrete evidence because these accusations are unsubstantiated," he said.

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Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.

Cenovus fined $2.5 million for biggest oil spill in Newfoundland and Labrador history

Cenovus Energy has been ordered to pay a $2.5-million fine for its role in the largest offshore oil spill ever recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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