Carbon gravel bike Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS white and beige: 13-speed Rival XPLR AXS, IsoSpeed, 9.49 kg

Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS Era White: thirteen speeds for long days

The Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS Gen 3 pairs the Checkpoint's OCLV 500 Series carbon frame with the wireless SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 1x13 drivetrain and a 10-46 cassette, weighing 9.49 kg in size ML. IsoSpeed, the storage hatch and 50 mm tyre clearance are all still on the menu. Its Era White/Buff Beige finish combines ivory white with sand beige, soft shades that recall the dust of the white tracks.

Technical specifications

Who is it for?

For the touring cyclist who strings together long days on varied routes, alternating quiet roads, greenways and stony tracks, and always wants the right gear to hand. It is very well suited to the rider who keeps a steady pace for several hours at a stretch.

The LVR workshop view

OCLV carbon, Trek's signature. OCLV refers to the compaction method Trek has applied to its fibres since 1992: heat and pressure eliminate air pockets between the layers. The series indicates how optimised the lay-up is, and therefore how much material is needed to reach the target stiffness. On the Checkpoint SL 6 AXS, the 500 Series gives a painted frame of 1,385 g in ML, designed to take tracks and luggage in its stride, with a lifetime warranty from Trek.

In short: the SL 6 AXS uses exactly the same frame as the SL 5 and stands out through its drivetrain. Rival XPLR AXS adds a thirteenth sprocket and goes down to 10 teeth, widening the gear range; the weight stays almost identical, 9.49 kg versus 9.50 kg in ML.

The thirteenth sprocket changes how you ride a single chainring: with a 10-46 cassette, the jumps between sprockets stay tighter than with a 12-speed of equivalent range, helping you keep the same cadence on false flats. On the Passa Païs greenway and then up towards the heights of the Caroux, you move from cruising speed to climbing without a jolt.

The 40x10 provides a taller road gear than the SL 5's 40x11, useful on descents and along the Canal du Midi towpath with the wind at your back. The Rival AXS levers offer a comfortable grip on the hoods, the position you use most when touring.

Which Checkpoint should you choose?

Our take: at 9.49 kg in ML, the SL 6 AXS weighs the same as the SL 5 AXS: the difference lies in the thirteenth sprocket and the 10-46 range. For 160 g less and carbon wheels, you need to move up to the SL 7 AXS.

Your questions

Why buy from LVR Cycles? As a Trek dealer in Béziers, we set up your Checkpoint SL 6 in our workshop, update the AXS firmware and help you plan touring routes around Béziers.

Please note that the specifications may be changed without prior notice by the manufacturer, based on the availability of components and other factors.