Carbon gravel bike Trek Checkmate SLR 9 AXS matt black: light on climbs, 1,146 g frame, RED XPLR, 7.55 kg in ML

Trek Checkmate SLR 9 AXS matt black: lightness on climbing tracks

The Trek Checkmate SLR 9 AXS weighs 7.55 kg in size ML, a rare figure for a gravel bike on 42 mm tyres, thanks to its 1,146 g OCLV 800 Series carbon frame, its Aeolus RSL 37V wheels and its RED XPLR AXS groupset. On forest-track climbs, that lightness is felt every time you accelerate. The Matte Trek Black/Matte Deep Smoke finish combines matt black with matt anthracite grey, for a dark, reflection-free silhouette.

Technical specifications

Who is it for?

For the climber who chooses gravel routes by their elevation gain, from the tracks of the Caroux to the ridges of the Espinouse, and wants a lively bike on irregular gradients. It will also appeal to riders who like understated, timeless colours.

The LVR workshop view

OCLV carbon, Trek's signature. The OCLV process, used by Trek since 1992, presses the fibre sheets under heat and pressure to eliminate micro-voids. On the Checkmate SLR, Trek uses the 800 Series: an optimised lay-up that produces a painted frame of 1,146 g in ML, stiff enough to handle out-of-the-saddle efforts on a broken track. Like all OCLV frames, it benefits from Trek's lifetime warranty.

In short: the SLR 9 AXS frame is the same as on every Checkmate SLR, and it is the spec that makes the difference. The RED XPLR, the RSL wheels and the AirLoom saddle account for most of the 920 g gap with the SLR 7 AXS; as for OCLV 900, Trek keeps it for its road bikes.

When climbing on dirt, weight plays a double role: it weighs you down on the slope and makes the bike less lively through the changes of rhythm forced by stones and roots. With a 415 g fork and a 1,146 g frame, the Checkmate SLR stays easy to accelerate out of the saddle, and IsoSpeed keeps the rear wheel in contact with the ground when grip becomes precarious.

The lowest gear, 42 x 46, turns the cranks slightly faster than the wheel: enough to hold a decent cadence on the ramps of the Haut-Languedoc tracks. If your routes include very steep walls, we discuss it in the workshop before handover, as a single-chainring drivetrain limits the options.

Which Checkmate should you choose?

Our take: on climbs, the 920 g gap between the SLR 9 AXS and the SLR 7 AXS is clearly felt; against the Checkpoint SL 7 AXS, built for adventure, the difference approaches 1.8 kg.

Your questions

Why buy from LVR Cycles? As a Trek dealer in Béziers, at the foot of the Haut-Languedoc tracks, we adapt the drivetrain to your routes, build the Checkmate in our workshop and look after its servicing.

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