Love my 2023 SL6. Use it as my training bike also and put on at least 100km per week. So comfy and awesome on the local rail trails. Makes me faster when I’m on my Domane SL6 for club rides.
I still have the 2020 SL5, I think it's more like a Domane with the geometry. It's been a great ride. I don't mind the press fit BB, I've had to replace it twice at $45 a pop, not a big deal. That Praxis crank is a no go, needs to be GRX 600/800.
@@bobbyenglish7803 I have a radioactive red Checkpoint SL 5, made in 2023 I believe (I bought it in 2024 and it shipped from their warehouse) and it has the GRX crank. No idea why some are STILL coming with Praxis. I don't think Shimano is having issues with the 600 crank, I think it's the higher-end cranks
I just got the SL6 Gen 3 and it is incredible. For gen 3, they split up the race and adventure sides of things with the checkmate and checkpoint respectively. I obviously went for the adventure side with the checkpoint.
1.5 years and 2500km/1500m later, I still love my Checkpoint SL5… Seems also to be the only Isospeed variant without issues, I hear many complaints about the more complex variants in the various Domane models. It just munches away both the bad German roads and rooty forest single tracks. Would buy it again.
@@veganpottertheveganSame bike and have a rattle that local Trek dealer is trying to solve. Had the revision 2 done to the Isospeed assembly and that didn’t have any effect on the rattle. Really disappointed this is happening.
@@veganpotterthevegan Yes, agree with that statement. Sounds like one or both of the brake lines inside the frame is rattling to me. Back to dealer and see what happens.
Interesting. I have a 2023 CP CL6 and a 2022 Boone. I love them both for different reasons. The CP can take 45mm tires with ease and absolutely eats up chunky gravel and has a very docile handling characteristic. My Boone is purpose built for speed and agility....primarily for cross season though it can handle tamer gravel with aplomb. I think of my Boone as a "gravel Emonda" if that makes sense. But, it can't handle more than 38mm tires with any semblance of aggressive tread. I run 35mm CinturatoM on my Boone and 50mm CinturatoM front/45mm CinturatoH rear on my CP. One thing about the Boone that is nice, is that they don't f around with the different grades of OCLV i.e. SL vs SLR vs RSL. They spec the Boone with the 600 series and, as it turns out, is the 2nd lightest frame in the entire Trek road/gravel lineup bested only by the Emonda SLR.
What didn’t you like about the CP ? I have a 2018 Boone, love the f/rear iso speed, have an extra set of wheels with gravel tyres, but want wider gear ratios (would be nice to have frame mounts for bags tho)
@ it felt sluggish and unwieldy to me…and it was the carbon one…maybe the geometry just didn’t suit me. The guy who bought it from me seems happy with it. My Boone is a 2017 that I converted to v brakes and put a Red Shift stem on. I have 2 sets of wheels, one with 38’s for gravel and one with gp5000’s for road and as I said I love it…I also modified the the front de clamp so I can run 52/36 on the road if I want to. Maybe I’m just happy to have saved some money and to have gotten away from all the pain associated with hydraulic discs. Ymmv.
I was ready to go for the Gen 3 Checkpoint SL 5 in Lava Red, but realized that they were only 1x. Ended up going for a new ‘22 Checkpoint SL 5 in Radioactive Red with 2x GRX on closeout pricing.
I have a 2023 SL5 and its a big disappointment as the 32 tooth rear gear is not sufficient for climbing when fully loaded and there is no option to install a 34 or bigger cluster set. If you are touring try Cannondale
Serious cyclists don’t use pedals any more. They have really tough nylon studs surgically implanted in the balls of their feet. They pedal by inserting them into the holes in the crank arms.
I just purchased this exact bike earlier this year. It's very versatile and rides great.
You are correct, it is a work horse.
I need that down tube storage internal cable guide on my gen 2. 😍
Suggestion for the video: At the 11:32 time where you weigh the bike, the logo for your channel appears and blocks the view of the scale.
Love my 2023 SL6. Use it as my training bike also and put on at least 100km per week. So comfy and awesome on the local rail trails. Makes me faster when I’m on my Domane SL6 for club rides.
Trek makes beautiful rides
I still have the 2020 SL5, I think it's more like a Domane with the geometry. It's been a great ride. I don't mind the press fit BB, I've had to replace it twice at $45 a pop, not a big deal. That Praxis crank is a no go, needs to be GRX 600/800.
Can't get them with the GRX cracks at the moment, and we all know Shimano is having issues with that particular part...
@@bobbyenglish7803 I have a radioactive red Checkpoint SL 5, made in 2023 I believe (I bought it in 2024 and it shipped from their warehouse) and it has the GRX crank. No idea why some are STILL coming with Praxis. I don't think Shimano is having issues with the 600 crank, I think it's the higher-end cranks
@@bobbyenglish7803Still that bad in the US? Over here, they are GRX for a long time now...
I just got the SL6 Gen 3 and it is incredible. For gen 3, they split up the race and adventure sides of things with the checkmate and checkpoint respectively. I obviously went for the adventure side with the checkpoint.
Please review the new Checkpoint SL gen 3. It looks like an awesome update from the previous gen.
1.5 years and 2500km/1500m later, I still love my Checkpoint SL5…
Seems also to be the only Isospeed variant without issues, I hear many complaints about the more complex variants in the various Domane models.
It just munches away both the bad German roads and rooty forest single tracks. Would buy it again.
12k miles on my Domane(present gen) and my Isospeed has been problem free and I'm 90kg
@@veganpottertheveganSame bike and have a rattle that local Trek dealer is trying to solve. Had the revision 2 done to the Isospeed assembly and that didn’t have any effect on the rattle. Really disappointed this is happening.
@roberts1159 it could be something that has nothing to do with the Isospeed too. Unfortunately, lots of bikes get rattles that are hard to find
@@veganpotterthevegan Yes, agree with that statement. Sounds like one or both of the brake lines inside the frame is rattling to me. Back to dealer and see what happens.
@@roberts1159 there's a weird cable guide under the in frame storage. Maybe some housing isn't staying clicked in?
Top quality review! Thanks
Hi James, I would love to see a review of the Specialized Epic EVO Pro and Comp if you can get your hands on those. 🙃
Choosing between this or a Giant Revolt Advance 2. Which would you recommend?
Had one hated it kept a month and sold it…love the Boone I replaced it with. Ymmv.
Interesting. I have a 2023 CP CL6 and a 2022 Boone. I love them both for different reasons. The CP can take 45mm tires with ease and absolutely eats up chunky gravel and has a very docile handling characteristic. My Boone is purpose built for speed and agility....primarily for cross season though it can handle tamer gravel with aplomb. I think of my Boone as a "gravel Emonda" if that makes sense. But, it can't handle more than 38mm tires with any semblance of aggressive tread. I run 35mm CinturatoM on my Boone and 50mm CinturatoM front/45mm CinturatoH rear on my CP. One thing about the Boone that is nice, is that they don't f around with the different grades of OCLV i.e. SL vs SLR vs RSL. They spec the Boone with the 600 series and, as it turns out, is the 2nd lightest frame in the entire Trek road/gravel lineup bested only by the Emonda SLR.
What didn’t you like about the CP ? I have a 2018 Boone, love the f/rear iso speed, have an extra set of wheels with gravel tyres, but want wider gear ratios (would be nice to have frame mounts for bags tho)
@ it felt sluggish and unwieldy to me…and it was the carbon one…maybe the geometry just didn’t suit me. The guy who bought it from me seems happy with it. My Boone is a 2017 that I converted to v brakes and put a Red Shift stem on. I have 2 sets of wheels, one with 38’s for gravel and one with gp5000’s for road and as I said I love it…I also modified the the front de clamp so I can run 52/36 on the road if I want to. Maybe I’m just happy to have saved some money and to have gotten away from all the pain associated with hydraulic discs. Ymmv.
The ISO speed literally is a game changer
Too bad the new sl5 that just came out this month, only comes in a 1x
I was ready to go for the Gen 3 Checkpoint SL 5 in Lava Red, but realized that they were only 1x. Ended up going for a new ‘22 Checkpoint SL 5 in Radioactive Red with 2x GRX on closeout pricing.
Stem mounted at a positive angle is a huge dork factor. Like, if that is necessary, consider a larger frame. Yikes.
Did you not get hugged as a child?
One thing that separates this bike is this absolute cheap ass bar and stem combo with round spacers that don't fuckin match aero shapes of the frame
I have a 2023 SL5 and its a big disappointment as the 32 tooth rear gear is not sufficient for climbing when fully loaded and there is no option to install a 34 or bigger cluster set. If you are touring try Cannondale
it's very unsafe to ride without two pedals screwed in. Really. Would you push your grandfather off a mountain on a gravel bike with no pedals?
Serious cyclists don’t use pedals any more. They have really tough nylon studs surgically implanted in the balls of their feet. They pedal by inserting them into the holes in the crank arms.
@@ditto1958 I pedal barefoot, and I stick my big toes into the holes in the crank arms. My toe strength has increased considerably.
I think hype sells this cr@p 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣