Today, Wisconsin based Trek has released an all-new gravel bike, the Checkout, that aims to bridge the gap between drop bar gravel bikes and cross country hardtails (please nobody call it a grountain bike).
It features an all-new RockShox Rudy XL fork up front with 60mm of travel, and a 55mm RockShox Sidluxe shock at the back to aid the compliance on offer by the huge tyres. This, combined with drop bars, means the Checkout is claimed to be faster on roads and gravel than a mountain bike, and also faster on rough terrain than a rigid gravel bike, according to the brand.
Full suspension gravel
This isn’t the first full suspension gravel bike, in the typical sense, though it’s certainly the first time we’ve seen one from a major brand. Niner launched its Magic Carpet Ride 7 years ago, and since then it’s basically been a rigid world save for a few front suspension models like the Lauf Seigla and YT Szepter. Specialized’s Diverge STR is technically ‘full suspension’ via its front and rear Future Shock system, but with much less travel.
The Trek Checkout not only has front suspension, but also uses an all-new model of the RockShox Rudy fork, the Rudy XL Ultimate. The current Rudy XPLR fork fits 50mm tyres and has 30 or 40mm of travel, while the new XL has 50 or 60mm of travel and space for 2.25” tyres (57mm).
The stated clearance for the bike is 2.2” (56mm), so the rear end is slightly less capacious than the front. Regardless, the bike comes as stock with 55mm Bontrager Betasso tyres, so it’s almost maxxed out at point of sale, all in an effort to improve traction and control on technical, rocky singletrack terrain.
This, combined with the 55mm rear travel, likely makes it the plushest gravel bike on the market right now, and on trend for the ‘larger tyres are faster‘ brigade.
Smoother is faster and… better for your breathing?
When compared to its rigid counterparts (though it isn’t clear which rigid counterpart from Trek it was compared to), it is claimed the Checkout results in a 41.5% reduction in vibrational energy, a 25% reduction in steering variation (meaning a claim of greater control over rough surfaces), and most curiously of all, a 7.3% reduction in ‘Rider Ventilation’.
This is a new metric to us, but appears to…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…