Wow!!! That’s a super Bad… looking setup!!!
Update: That escalated quickly. Walked into my LBS to ask about stock of ALR4s and if they knew much about 2022 inventory/pre-orders.
Walked out with an ALR5. My poor wallet.
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2.5mm should be ok IF your wheels are true and mud won’t accumulate.
I’ve never thought about taping to reduce the width…
Thank you! It’s a lot of fun on single track even with the 35s. The lauf makes it all possible.
Well you got an extra gear out of it!
@krazy0ldman
Thanks for the pic. Yeah that was my fit as well. I tried that kind of fit with my last bike and wore paint off the chain stay.
The tape probably won’t work as each layer is 2 -7 mils (.06 to .17mm), so it’s be hard to narrow a tire 1mm/side that way as you need to reduce the internal width 3mm to do that. Laying tape down, then using a cut up tube might work better.
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Any thoughts on the new Checkpoint?
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Good spot thanks for sharing. In the market for a Groadie for winter and the checkpoint is on my list - the ALR version that is…
EDIT: Winter this year might be optimistic…U.K. websites listing availability for July 22 
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T47 threaded bottom bracket on 2022 models is good. I’m after a “budget” groadie and sounds like the older (2021) geometry is more road-like on the ALR model. Don’t see any other advantages with the 2022 ALR bike vs. the 2021 ALR.
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So basically the same seems like a v1.5
- the mainstream carbon model got rid of the seat mast - this is good for travel, as mine can be difficult to fit in the small cases.
- bolts for the framebag - would have liked to have seen bottle cage spacing towards the front for a MTB tube holder / light battery.
- now fits MTB tires - this is good as the current 42-52mm tires aren’t great.
- ALR cable routing - I don’t think this is an improvement. Seems they looked more organized before.
- Saw “aero tube profile” somewhere an laughed.
- I don’t get the SLR model… seems that should just be the Boone / Domane if you’re actually doing any real racing. $2k for 1lb (200gr frame, 100gr bars, ~200gr 1x drivetrain, 100gr saddle, the rest is paint weight difference!) and a PM (SL 7 v SL7 etap). Same geometry - no H2 fit???. Seems like a low value add
- SL / SLR cable routing… seems like a hassle to clean sand out of it. .
- Internal storage is good for tubes/co2/emergency items, not really for high frequency use.
I would have liked to have seen a common battery concept for lights/garmin/etc.
Surprised to see no front suspension model, but I assume that’ll be added (see Payson’s Iceland bike) as they’ve added 6mm of space at the headtube.
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Definitely not in the market after getting 2 bikes this year (a.k.a. the wife would divorce me), the new Checkpoint looks amazing.
I had a 2019 Checkpoint AL4 as my first “real” bike and it was just too scrunched for me. The new carbon ones look to have more reach, take bigger tires, and have the hidden storage compartment. I think they’ll sell plenty of these !
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On ALR, looks like 45c max tire size on both new 2022 and old 2021 models. Also new ALR has 21mm internal width rim instead of the narrow 17mm on 2021 model. But $200 more and rest of component spec is about the same. I’m tempted to get a 2021, put the wheels on craigslist and get a better, lighter wheelset with the difference.
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45c on 700c; 2.1 on 650b (54c?). Currently, the largest I can put on my SL is 50c in 700 or 650, so they widened/dropped the seatstays a bit. 2.1 mtb tires here are only useful if you’re going through light mud, washboard, or small rocks… any rowdier and you’d need a fork to keep you from going over the bars. The 17 v 21mm internal would net a tire about 1-1.5mm wider.
I doubt you’ll find a 2021 anywhere. This is Trek’s best selling road bike likely. Trek’s website says there are some ALR5 in 56cm about 150mi away from me. I don’t know if I trust that. I’d buy the bike you can get though with the better paint. The BB is no big deal here.
In the ALR, the 2022 has a nicer front brake cable routing (looks) and bottom bracket. I’d toss the tires and seatpost immediately off both. Off the 2021, I’d toss the bars, but thats preference.
Those wheels won’t resell for much. If you can get $150 for the wheels/tires, take it. I think the Paradigm branded ones are OK, but I destroyed a version of the generic ones in 6mo. The cheaper versions of their wheels don’t live long. I’d just use the nicer wheels as a 2nd set of wheels/tires (muddy day tires or something). For wheels, I’d get something off here Road Disc Wheels & Disc Brake Wheelsets | Merlin Cycles or Lightbicycle ( or generic carbon wheels)
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Jfranci3… thx for advice! Picked up a black 2021 Checkpoint ALR5 56cm at a local bike shop today. Had choice of teal, purple abyss or black - went with neutral black. Stock came into a couple of local bike shops in the last few days, so with announcement of the new, less road like geometry in the ALR for 2022, decided to grab the ALR 2021.
I like your advice about swapping out the seatpost, bar and wheels. Not keen on those components, rest of it looks good enough. Since I’ll use this as a road bike primarily and don’t need the low end but more high end, might get the 48/31 GRX 800 crank or swap out my Ultegra 8000 50/34 and front derailleur if the chain line works.
Really like the look of this bike. It’s weird, some frames just speak to me. Really like the profile.
I said I wouldn’t buy another bike I couldn’t put a dropper on (currently ride a Boone CX bike), so I’m definitely looking at the SL vs the SLR.
A choice of color?!? You’re the luckiest bike buyer around.
Unless you need a lower gear, the difference between a 48 and 50 is 4%. That’s less than 1/2 a gear difference in back. If you can spin comfortably at 33mph on the 48, you’re at 34mph on the 50.
If you’re going to run bags, get some clear 3m vinyl tape (I think Trek even includes some) for the bag and straps. Also, semi- side exit bottles cages
Also, if you’re handy, you can really shorten the cables from the bars to the frame (more tape on the head tube).
HELP, I’m a XC racer looking to buy his first gravel bike for racing (did Barry Roubaix on a borrowed AL3). My only goal is to be competitive in gravel racing, not interested in other aspects.
Looking at a 2020 Trek Checkpoint SL6.
Excuse my ignorance (MTBer 
), but I want to upgrade to Sram 1x with a power meter, have all the cables neatly enter the stem (as in 2022 SL5), upgrade handlebars and get a nice set of carbon race wheels with larger tires.
Questions:
- Will this bike accommodate my wanted upgrades?
- Should I wait to find a 2021 or 2022 model, what am I missing in the 2020 model?
- What would be an acceptable price?
- What else do I need to know?
Before you buy something…what was wrong with the AL3? Does this bike have a second job as an adventure bike or road bike? What tires are you wanting to run? (38-40c; 42-45c; MTB XC tires).
The reason I ask is within the Trek brand, you’ve got the Checkpoint, Domane, and Boone that might fill your need. Barry is course that you can be competitive on 32c tires aside from the sandy hill climb that work with 42c tires. 42c is probably the optimum tire size, but you’re going to end up running up the hill because people are falling in front of you. If you plan on doing higher speed races (BWR, anything over 20mph sustained), the Boone, Aspero, 3T, Roubaix Pro fit, Scott Addict Gravel, shorter head tube, slammed stem bikes are going to be a bit faster.
Note: 2020 Checkpoint SL (carbon) is a BB90 frame; you can’t run current SRAM DUB cranks, you need to find a GXP (SRAM) one (as Trek does on the Checkpoint SL7), use pedals, or get a P2M Rotor PM. The AXS GXP exists, but you’re unlikely to find a GXP AXS crank retail, so you need a GXP (or BB86/Shimano) crank with AXS compatible rings. You can also put a Spider PM (Quarq/SRAM) on a SRAM crank in one comes with the bike. 2022 is T47(Trek Inboard) no Dub issues; 2020 AL / ALR is BB86 (DUB works here, use SRAM BB).
Are you going to run 11sp or 12sp 10-36, 10-44 XPLR, or full pizza 10-52 cassettes? if 11sp, plan to run the Eagle 12sp chain and plan your chainrings accordingly If you’re going full pizza, you might want to run Eagle stuff.
Barry Roubaix… super sandy soil. I had issues with internal routing on my CX bike with all the cable interfaces with the frame. The sand would jam the cable. What I did, and recommend, is running full housing from the shifter to the derailleur (not an issue with etap though). You can do this on AL3, SL, 2022 Checkpoint.
Also keep in mind that the moist, sandy soil will beat up your components. If you ride around there often, consider getting the AL frame (paint around the tires) and cheaper chains. I’d keep 45c tires an option if you’re looking to do the ride across michigan race.
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Curious if anyone is hearing about actual arrival of the 2022’s in the shops. I ordered the 2022 SL 5 and they’re saying early Jan, but may arrive earlier.
And, now we’re hearing about the Ports being backed up in CA, where most if not all of the bikes and bike components get shipped in.
I really like the new 2022’s and thought the SL line offered the best bang for your buck. The AL, SL, and SLR all have the same geometry, and I think the SL R (race series) is about 1/2 pound lighter with the 700 vs 500 series carbon.
Not mine, was borrowed from a teammate. My race bike will only be a race bike without a second job other than likely racing 100 mile and 200+ miles races (coast 2 coast, etc.). I have no desire to ride road or adventure. Gravel racing will be new to me and I imagine I will get more involved in the next few years as opposed to 2022 specifically. So I definitely want to future proof my gravel bike for more races 2023 and beyond.
Good to know, thanks!
Definitely want to run 1 x 12 and not sure if it will be XPLR OR XX1, still need to understand what I’ll need.
It seems like the eagle chain works with the AXS cassettes. The 10-52t cassette and RD are HUGE - this might be a crosswind issue. The Eagle RDs don’t like to use the 10-36 cassettes. Id go 10-36 or 10-44 unless you’re taking trips to someplace with hills.
The cable routing… If you’ve got the cables trimmed from the stock build, the top tube routing is pretty decent (see above). The head tube style might not be great with mechanical cable shift - I’d ask Emonda SL owners (The Roubaix sends the cables behind the stem, so the angles aren’t as bad)
If you’re doing 100mi+ self supported wilderness events, I’d try for the 2022 for the downtube compartment just to store 2 tubes, a pump, a jacket, and first aid. That’d freeup the frame bag for stuff you actively use.
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