What is up guys, I am looking to pick up a Trek CheckPoint ALR Gen 3 this coming holiday season. I am debating whether it is worth going all out and picking up the ALR 5 or if it's a better option to settle for the ALR 4 and save myself a few hundred bucks? Are there any experienced riders out there who can give me some advice on which option would be better for me? This will be my first bike; I will be riding around 70% road and 30% gravel. I do want to try and do a bikepacking trip occasionally, and there are a good number of hills in my area. Please let me know what you guys think down below!
by Hot-Security2359
7 Comments
You can’t go wrong with either, especially considering they both have hydraulic brakes and solid shifting. If it’s your first bike you will be more than happy with the alr4 and that frees up funds for you to customize – you are gonna want a new saddle and will need accessories based off your riding style.
If this is your first bike, save the few hundred for an upgrade that is not really necessary yet and use it for other stuff (you’ll need some bag / equipment for bikepacking).
The Cues groupset will be enough 🙂
If you are doing mostly road, I would advise taking a 2x groupset tho!
The difference is between the drive trains either Sram Apex or Shimano cues. If it’s your first Bike, you probably won’t be able to tell much for a difference. I like the shifting style on Shimano better but that’s a personal preference. It looks like most the sizes are sold out of the 4 so you might be forced to buy the 5
Only difference seems to be the groupset, so a $200 difference at MSRP for 12 vs 11 speed. Advantages of the ALR 5 would be smaller jumps between gears and a little weight savings. The 4 still has the same gear range, just slightly bigger jumps between gears. And for what it’s worth replacing drivetrain parts as they wear (chain being the most frequent) will be a bit cheaper with the 4. I’d try to test ride them both and see if the shifting style or shift lever ergonomics feels much better to you on one or the other. But ultimately you’ll be the only one who can decide whether some extra money for a slightly higher end drivetrain is worth it to you.
ALR 4 used to be the best value until they raised the price by $100.
Now, I think I’d rather go with the ALR 5.
As a new rider- nothing that people say here is going to make a lot of sense to you. Don’t worry about what’s a better deal- ride both bikes and pick the one that’s the most comfortable and looks the best to you.
You can optimize components later.
At this point, pick the color you like better. You’ll be way more excited to ride that bike, I wish that fade came on a carbon version or I would have bought it already.