The Trek CheckOUT is a Full-Suspension Gravel Bike with an Integrated Rack

Trek’s latest gravel bike has been spotted a few times this year, with the most notable appearances being Justinas Leveika’s wins at The Accursed Race in May and at the Trans Balkan Race a month later. There was some online speculation after his Trans Balkan win, but Trek didn’t show its entire hand until today. Read on for details; the new Trek CheckOUT has a lot going on.

At its core, the new Trek CheckOUT is a carbon full-suspension adventure-gravel bike. According to Trek, it’s designed to be “faster than a mountain bike on paved roads and more capable than a rigid gravel bike on singletrack. It’s the ideal rig for road-to-gravel-to-singletrack adventures, ultra-endurance events, extended bikepacking trips, and more.”

The CheckOUT is built around a 500 Series OCLV Carbon frame that is rated for proper mountain bike use and has options for both internal and external cable routing, thanks to a channel through the top of the downtube. Other specs include a clearance for 29 x 2.2″ tires, a threaded T47 bottom bracket, UDH rear dropout, and a 12 x 142mm axle.

Originally, the CheckOUT was built with the 55mm travel RockShox SIDLuxe shock in mind, but without a short travel suspension fork available with enough tire clearance, Trek worked with RockShox to develop an entirely new fork: the Rudy XL. With clearance for 29 x 2.25″ tires, 60mm of tuneable travel, and the updated Charger Race Day 2 damper and lockout, it looks like the right tool for the job.

CheckOUT Integrated Rear Rack

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Trek design a proprietary rear rack for a new bike release. The Trek 1120 launched with custom front and rear racks over six years ago. The CheckOUT’s rear rack uses a lower linkage and three sets of bearings to compensate for the movement between the front and rear triangle as it travels through its suspension. This also takes your gear off your saddle, allowing for an unobstructed dropper post, and it keeps the weight lower on the bike. The rack is finished with a whopping 15 mounts for cages and other bolt-on cargo. It’s also promising to see built-in slots for straps on the rack, which should assist in unpacking and packing.

Bags and Mounts

To fill that massive main triangle, Trek partnered with Topo Designs on a custom frame bag to fit both the frame and the bike’s colorway. There aren’t many details available yet, but the bag has two main zippers, a full bolt-on attachment, and funky mix of fabrics and colors.

The frame has a whopping 18 total mounting points (size ML and up), including two on the top tube, seven on the downtube, three on the seat tube, and three on the underside of the downtube. Trek also designed a new cargo cage they’re calling the MultiMount, with slotted mounting holes to help riders dial in the position of their cages and/or gear.

Trek CheckOUT Geometry

Compared to the Checkpoint, the CheckOUT has more upright and longer stance for more stability. Compared to the Procaliber and SuperCal, it’s more efficient on roads and smooth surfaces, can carry more gear, and is more stable thanks to a lower bottom bracket. The CheckOUT comes in five sizes (SM-XL), with head tube angles hovering around 69°, 1,081mm to 1,150mm wheelbase, a 70mm bottom bracket drop, and 442mm chainstays. At first glance, it looks comparable to the Salsa Cutthroat, but with a longer front end and a touch more length at the wheelbase.

Builds and Components

All completes feature a 100mm dropper posts across the size range, with Trek using TranzX posts on the SL5, and RockShox Reverb AXS posts on the higher-end SL7 builds. The builds also come with the new Bontrager GR Checkout handlebar, which was designed from the ground up with an aggresive hood position, a wide flare, and an ergonomic backsweep for comfort and control. All builds come with 700 x 50mm Bontrager Betasso tires, 1×12 drivetrains, and hydraulic disc brakes.

Pricing

The SL7 features a SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type derailleur, SRAM Force 1 XPLR cranks, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V carbon wheels, and a SRAM Eagle 10-52T cassette. It costs $8,999.99 USD ($10,999.99 CAD), and weighs 26.55 lbs (12.04 kg) for the ML build, without the rear rack. The SL7 build is available in one color: Era White/Blue Sage.

The SL6 build features a Shimano GRX drivetrain, Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25 alloy wheels, and a Shimano XT 10-51T cassette. The complete build weighs 28.09 lbs (12.74 kg) without the rack and costs $5,799.99 USD ($7,499.99 CAD). The SL5 build is available in two color options: Era White/Blue Sage or Dark Star/Dark Web.

Framesets (frame + rear shock) are also available, they weigh 5.3 lbs (2.40 kg) and cost $3,699.99 USD ($4,999.99 CAD). The CheckOUT has a maximum total weight limit (combined weight of bicycle, rider, and cargo) of 275 pounds (125 kg). The frameset is only available in the Era White/Blue Sage colorway.

Visit TrekBikes.com or head into your local Trek dealer to learn more.

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