Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 // First Ride & Impressions // Best gravel bike you can buy?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- I picked up a 2020 Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 in matte axinite and took it down to the Redwoods for a my first ride on gravel, singletrack, and pavement. Is this the most capable bike I've ever ridden? Should you buy one? In this video, you'll hear my thoughts on my new bike.
Ossagon Trail in the Redwoods: www.mtbproject.com/trail/6184...
GoPro: amzn.to/2ZHy2SC
GoPro Mount: amzn.to/3jPlOOE - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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I have an ALR 5 2020 and I love it! My old road bike now spends its days in the trainer because I love riding this one so much.
It will go any place I desire.
Glad to hear you love your purchase! I am all about having a bike that can do it all. We chose the right bike!
ALR 5 2021 on order, and I just can't wait!! Thank you for reinforcing what I had researched myself .... this is an awesome piece of do it all kit!!
Heck yeah! Excited for you to get it! What color did you get?
@@MTBCoop I went for the matte black, nice and stealth! 😎
@@trekkietrek1774 🔥
Thank you for sharing your impressions, I totally agree with you and I have the same mindset by using a bike !
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for giving your take on the groupset difference! I have one on hold. This really helps me make the decision to get 105. I will be mostly on pavement. I really want a bike to get up the hills here in our northern Idaho neighborhood.
Hi Sammie! Thanks for watching. Hope you enjoy your new checkpoint!
Your videos are very aligned with my current interests, subbed!
Thanks! Appreciate you checking out the channel!
The MTB Co-op No problem, glad I found it! I purchased a Hero 8 last night after much deliberation, your video on it helped a lot. Looking forward to chest mounting and the glory of 4k 60fps with hypersmooth hahaha!
I have the 2020 checkpoint absolutely love this bike
Your genuine smile is amazing. Greetings from Belgium
Well thank you, Bart! I appreciate your kind words :)
Great vid! I just ordered the same bike and color today!! That color is fire! Fantastic trail you found also. That would be my dream ride. It has it all and is specifically why I went with the Checkpoint ALR 5. Now I have to figure out what to do with my Trek FX4!!!!!
Nice! You're going to love it. Hope you like the color in person!
Great video and summary of the bike. I purchase the 2020 AL4 with the Tiagra groupset and similarly prefer this to the GRX of the 2021 models.
Appreciate the feedback, Dan! Hope you're getting some great riding in with your ALR 4!
Thanks, ordered 2021 ALR 5 today
thanks for the review! getting one of these used (almost new) tomorrow! Looks like a great bike, I am also looking for a combination of road, gravel and bikepacking.
Good choice! I love the bike. Hope you’re enjoying it 😎
Great review. In the market for a gravel bike and originally wanted a Jamis Renegade S3. But I'm really leaning more toward a Checkpoint ALR4 now.
Thanks!! I actually was looking at a Janis as well! I don't think you can make a wrong choice. Not sure about Jamie, but trek has a lifetime warranty!
Cool video! Keep up the good work
Thanks! Appreciate you checking out the channel!
Just bought me the checkpoint alr 5, I am a rookie and over weight man, so far I am liking it, the gears are so new to me that I am missing or not getting them in the right place at the right time. Loving the challenge, trying to get myself in shape. Your information you put out about the bike, makes me feel like it was the smart choice. Looking forward to you content. Ty
Right on! It's a great bike. You won't be disappointed! Get out and ride 🚴🏽♂️
Mark Rogers, I hope you’ve been killing it out on the bike!
Love this bike so much! I've had mine for a month or so now. I mostly commute in NYC and it's perfect for our not so perfect city streets, plus the occasional grassy/gravely upstate sojourn. Comfort and stability are awesome. (kept the 40c tires it came with and will MAYBE get slicks one day but for now the 40c are plenty fast). I changed the Bontrager seat that came with it (138mm, too small for me) and threw a Selle Royal Respiro. It's pretty good. Definitely recommend!
I feel the same way! The 40's are quick! Glad you are enjoying the bike. Stay healthy in NYC!
Hey Steve, I’m in NYC, where did you get it? I think this is the one for me.
@@elvisgaleano8540 A few weeks ago I called the Trek store on the Bowery. They said that all non-carbon Checkpoints were sold out in NYC and would not come back in stock until Mar/Apr 2021. If you need something right now, I would recommend using Google maps to search for bicycle shops in the tristate area. Some of them have an online presence that shows real-time bike inventory. I did find a handful of Checkpoints this way, and I actually came close to buying one near Easton, PA. I ended up not buying the Checkpoint and bought a Giant endurance road bike instead since 90% of my riding will be on roads.
hejiranyc yikes! Thanks for the info, I’ve narrowed my choices down to the Emonda ALR 5 and Cannondale CAAD13, now I’m worried I won’t be able to get neither. I think I’m going road bike.
You are definitely right, we don’t all need GRX gearing. I currently have Shimano Sora and I find it does everything I require, commute to work and riding on trails.
Glad you agree! Best to find a bike that fits YOUR needs!
I just bought a 2022 alr 5! Should be here in early May. Super psyched.
Nice!! You’re going to love it. Happy riding!
Thanks. Ordered a 2024 ALR 5 the other day. Go Bucky.
I really enjoyed this video, thanks! I actually rented a 2023 model for a few months and loved.. about to buy one and noticed the 2024 model dropped. Which would you recommend? I will mainly ride on pavement
I’m from Wisconsin, living Oregon riding 2 Treks. Yeah!
Heck yeah! Great choice! I highly recommend going south to California and riding in the Redwoods!
@@MTBCoop Thanks for the recommendation
Had the 2021 for a week love it great bike
Nice choice, Austin! What color did you pick up? I really liked the Purple Abyss
Got it in black looks great and rides great so happy I chose the Checkpoint ALR5
Muchas gracias. La trek es bella y preciosa
De nada! Gracias por las amables palabras!
Just ordered one. It’ll be in late February mid March. I got the 2021, I’m not fast on any bike.I wanted one bike to do it all and it sounds like that’s what I’m getting, thank you for the great review.
Nice! Great choice. You won't be disappointed!
Yes, the 2020 is fast!
I’ve owned the Trek Cbeckpoint ALR5 2020 for a few weeks nlw and it has exceeded my expectations, great on gravel and road. I previously only had a road bike and was concerned I would be giving up performance on the road but this bike can keep up fine
Glad we are in the same boat, Eric! I was a little worried with keeping up with my buddies on their 15lb carbon road bikes too, but have kept up!
Yes, but it is plenty fast on the road for me! Using 700c x38
Excellent review - thanks. I am riding a Trek Dual Sport 3 (for gravel/dirt trails and it is a very heavy bike - almost 30 lbs). For the roads I ride a Trek Domane AL2 which I could put bigger tires on to make it more gravel friendly (heavy for a road bike at almost 24 lbs.). The Domane is in the endurance line but was wondering if the Checkpoint is a big difference comfort-wise? After seeing this review I wish I would have checked out the Checkpoint!
Nice! I was on a 30lb steel gravel bike before the Checkpoint and the weight makes a huge difference on the hill! I am pretty sure the Domane and Checkpoint have fairly similar geometries. You'd likely not notice too much of a difference!
The difference comfort wise is night and day. I’ve had a Domane and now Checkpoint. There’s no comparison with comfort. Checkpoint wins hands down!
Actually, I am going to do the loop in and ALR 5 after watching the video. Lucky to be in California for this ride.
I have the 2019 version of this bike, with the 105 group set, and put on some 32mm road tires, and it's actually a passable endurance road bike: it's not too heavy, very comfortable even over long distances, decently fast, and pretty responsive. But then you can swap out the road slicks for some 40mm gravel tires and do some mild-to-moderate off-road riding, no problem. With 105, though, it's kind of limited on steep dirt; if it gets a little steep, you're either going to walk or hurt yourself. If you plan to actually ride on gravel/dirt most of the time, GRX is probably a much better choice. Either way, this is a pretty nice bike, though.
It definitely can double as an endurance/gravel combo. My next purchase might be a lighter wheelset with 32's! I did notice the 105 gearing struggled on super steep dirt on this ride.
I'm your 600 subscriber! How are you liking the bike after 2 years? I'm between this and the Canyon Grail 7.
My man! Thank you for the support! Honestly, the Checkpoint has been great the past couple years. In my honest opinion, you can't go wrong with either bike! What is your criterion for the purchase?
I have a 2021 Trek Checkpint SL6 and I LOVE IT!
Going to be doing the STP 2022 on it!
Nice! Glad to see that race is back on! The Checkpoint is the perfect “do it all” in my mind!
@@MTBCoop yes indeed .. Been riding it everywhere and on all sorts of gravel or asphalt trails
@@mikebaltierra I noticed you are part of the Brew Crew?? I have been riding with Jason the past couple of weeks!
@@MTBCoop yup! I have been training for the STP (and now Chilly Hilly) - haven't had a chance to do any MTB in about a month.
Super useful video, thanks! I think it would help a lot if you lowered the volume of your music a little. It was hard to hear you at times. Keep up the good work :)
Thanks for the feedback! Trying to get better everyday and this is what I need to do that!
Hi.
I lost the chance to acquire the ALR 5 2020, so now I only have the 2021 model available.
I'm considering ALR 5 2021 but probably going to change the front plates to 50/34 to match the ALR 5 2020.
At the shop, they told me it is possible to make the change.
The goal is to go on pavement road and... if it happens, go for gravel.
Thanks for your viewpoint on this model.
Thanks for watching, Jose! I think that would be a wise move if you are riding road 90% of the time. I will say, I wish I had the 2021 gearing when I am climbing steep grades!
That's what I would like to do as well with my 2021. Would the crank be the only part that you would have to replace?
I've road a mountain bike forever but have been doing much more road ridding lately and mountain bikes are horrible on the road, curiouse was it a hard transition to not having the shocks anymore looking into getting the checkpoint, also are you able to convert to road tires ? Thanks for the feedback back.
I have no problem with my Checkpoint on the road! Honestly the tires are really nice on pavement. I would go test ride one if you have the opportunity in your area!
Would love to have seen some hill climbing.
Just picked up the 2020 ALR 5. What tires do you recommend for primarily road riding?
Nice! You're going to love it. The GR-1 tires are actually pretty good on the road. If you are looking for a better road specific tire, I'd recommend the Continental Grand Prix!
I ordered a State Bicycle 4130 All-Road 1x11 with 650b. I will be getting a second set of 700c wheels down the road.
Nice! I think having both 650b and 700c will be super useful depending on what you're riding. Enjoy the new bike!
great music! have link for it somewhere? it's even better with 1.5x speed :-) also - great review!
Thanks @cgnss! The music is from TH-cam Audio Library and this track is "Everything you Wanted" by Dan Lebowitz. th-cam.com/users/audiolibrarymusic?nv=1
There are no flat bar versions. Is a much more flared handlebar a better option? Flat bar bikes like FX are heavier, no?
I have the same question.
I've had a hybrid gary fisher for about 15 years and am seriously considering going with the Trekpoint. Good move?
Hey Kevin! You won't be disappointed with the Checkpoint. I'd recommend going to your local bike shop and testing a few different bikes. Check out the Trek Checkpoint, Specialized Diverge, and the Cannondale Topstone.
@@MTBCoop I have tested all 3 and the Checkpoint worked out to be the one to go with. They are not in stock til October but I ordered it anyway. Today in fact! Just felt like it was worth it to get the right bike.
I'm riding on my 2017 CrossRip 3
CrossRips are sweet!
So in a nutshell: If you use it as commuter Bike most in City and bit gravel, you would take 105 or Ultegra and if you have more gravel and hills than street, then GRX?
At the moment I use mine 105 for commute bike (also in snow) and think of a new GRX bike, because I have a big hill on my daliy work route and it´s not that fun with a 11-28 cassette....
I would recommend 105 over Ultegra for commuting. Ultegra is not worth the extra money in my opinion unless you are racing. I see hills as a fun challenge :)
I like your video…. Believe me you don’t need the music in the background
Trust me I know! This was my second video on TH-cam and I had no clue what I was doing! 😂
Thanks for watching though! I plan on doing a long-term review on the Trek Checkpoint soon!
What are the main differences b/w the 105 and GRX?
This biggest difference is the gear ratio. The GRX is intended more for off-road and larger climbs. You will be able to have an easier gear when climbing steep terrain. The 105 model is geared lower, which allows you to go faster on flats.
I chose the 105 because I primarily ride the Checkpoint on road/ fire roads and I would rather have the speed over climbing ability.
Hope this helps!
How tall are you and what size do you ride?
Hi Moritz! I am 6'1 and ride a size 58cm. Thanks for checking out the channel!
Are those bars flared?
Nope! They are straight drops!
Loved the music! Commentary might have been nice if I could have heard it.
Thanks for the feedback! I was still learning how to monitor audio levels 😅
How does it handle speed and hill wise on pavement
Does great! I’ve hit 45mph on the downhill. The tires roll surprisingly well on pavement!
@@MTBCoop did you have to put slicks on it to hit that or did you use stock tires?
One nice bicycle
Love it! Just rode it 40 miles!
@@MTBCoop fantastic isn’t it
This or specialized diverge e5?
Thought choice. I went through the same predicament. The Diverge has a shock integrated into the handlebars. If you can, I'd recommend test riding both!
For 2021 Trek replaced checkpoint al with Domane al disc. Just fyi
I noticed the Domane is a little more "gravel" oriented this year. I went with the Checkpoint to have all the mounting points however!
The MTB Co-op Me too! High five ✋
Cool - a music video with some guy talking in the background...
😂 hope you at least liked the tunes 🎶
Where is this bike made.?
Taiwan!
music killed the review
Thanks is for the feedback! Still learning!
Turn the music down a bit 😂 Great video though.
😂 this was my second YT video! Thanks for the feedback and listening to overly loud music!
Music made me not stay to the end. For tuning in for the bike Contant. Game show music is really distracting, music in general is distracting because we all have a different taste. We might all be interested in the checkpoint because it’s a commonly reviewed bike but you don’t want to drive off the people who might be interested, having to listen to that music.
Totally understand! This was my 2nd TH-cam video ever and I had no clue what I was doing. I understand levels now and this was a good learning experience. Thanks for the feedback!
Great video. Next time cut the music when you start talking Hard to hear you/ pay attention
That was one of the first videos I did. Definitely learned along the way! Thanks for the feedback 👍
Just lower that music man! I can't hear you.
Thanks for the feedback, Chicco! I am still figuring out the audio and what's the best. I'll be sure to account for this in future vids 🤟
@@MTBCoop like-a-boss! Cheers
it doesn't handle roots and holes better than any other bike..you need some sort of suspension for those or you gonna feel it into your brain :D trails are NOT gravel...
😂 very true. Bikes can go anywhere! I do appreciate my full-suspension a little more after hitting roots + rocks!
It will be a good idea to actually show the bike.
Thanks for the feedback Alfonso! I will keep that in mind for future videos.