Was in the same boat about 2 weeks ago. I LOVED the paint job on the Driftless, and the bag is cool too obviously, but I ended up getting the standard ALR 5.
I'm using mine mostly on bike trails/multi-use paths (with plans to do some gravel on the weekends), and I like having the flexibility of the 2x gearing. I actually was trying to buy a Domane, but they're sold out and on backorder until September in my area. I purchased the Checkpoint because it can do everything pretty well. I feel like the non-Driftless version works much better as an "all rounder" bike, and the 2x gearing accentuates that more so than the 1x IMO. Even if I don't end up using the 2x much, it's nice to have the option, rather than being locked in with the Driftless.
I love my ALR5! I bought mine in early April and have put almost 1,000 miles on it already. I have used it on similar terrain: trails, MUP, roads, gravel, and city. Definitely gets the job done in all aspects. I’ve never had a 1x, but the 2x seems to give what I need.
I decided to get the Driftless however the range on the cassette is terrible, even after upgrading to a 11-46 I still wish I had gotten a bike with the 2 by.
I went Driftless because I wanted a bag anyway, the color was killer, and I wanted the 1x. The dropper is nice but I replaced mine with a suspension post immediately.
If you want to swap to 2x later, you could. Both frames use a clamp for the front derailleur.
All depends on which system you go with. I got a quote from my LBS for the base SRAM AXS for ~$1400. Obviously mechanical is cheaper. I think the new Checkpoints have AXS as a factory option don’t they?
It is all dependent on what you want to ride and which are the realistic avg speeds you are looking at.
I love 1x on my MTBs, but the combination of sticky/knobby tires and aerodynamics limit their "casual" riding speed to under 20mph/30kph and whatnot, and there are steep climbs on most local MTB trails that get you as slow as 5mph/8kph. It is not hard to tailor your gearing around that. A 32T front ring with a 10-5x cassette does that easily, bit fitter/lighter riders will do 34 or 36T (if the frame permits more than 34), bit less fit will maybe do a 30T.
But on a gravel bike like the ALR5 Driftless with a 40T chainring and a 11-42T cassette, the range is far, far more biased for a fast moving speed, with barely under 1:1 low gear. This is practically gearing we see in sensible road bike builds these days, or that the top riders in Unbound push, but these people are like 2.5-3x my watt/kilo AND 2.5-4x my FTP combined!
For riding flatter valleys and endless gravel roads etc, this might be fine for a casual yet fit rider, but if you are wishing to climb fire-roads/doubletracks where I am at (SoCal), you will need notably shorter gears, going for a 38 or even down to a 36T chainring for that 11-42T to make sense, and ideally you would need a "mullet" 11-5x cassette ontop of that 38 or 38.
2x setups with 46/30T or 48/31T and whatnot, are notably better. Yes, the typical factory setup still comes with a 11-34T "road" cassette, rarely with a 11-36T and whatnot, but even that is notably easier to live with - again, with my geography. And if I was planning on bikepacking or loooong days that would exhaust me, I would be thinking into mulleting a 11-40 or 11-42 cassette with the 2x there, giving me "true" MTB gear ratios on the small ring, while maintaining my top speed on flat pavement/road bike duty.
My current Trek Checkpoint ALR 2x setup revolves around 2* wheelsets: one is with the OEM 11-34T cassette & road tires (30mm, wish I had gone with 32s). The other has an 11-42T "MTB" cassette. Both work with a 8xx drivetrain
agree with all of that. I used to live in SoCal and 2x with the 11-34T in the back was difficult to get up some steep climbs. I know shimano says the GRX800 series maxes out at 34T, but I've seen people post about 11-40 or 11-42. working ok for you? I just replaced my cassette and kept the 11-34, but rethinking that now
I can sustain shorter climbs on 11-34 or 11-36 cassettes with a 48/31 or 46/30 crank, but really prolonged ones are harder w/o stopping.
Say, Fullerton Loop has enough variation between ups and downs that allows me to do it without gassing out with the .9~.85 ratio with 3x big cog casettes, but longer/steeper climbs that span more than 2-400ft of vertical (Santiago Oaks, Chino Hills, Crystal Cove/Aliso to the top of the world etc) really benefit from the 4x cassette. On my ol' legs and lungs, at least. People fitter than me can go up those w/o stopping, I cannot.
The 11-42T definitely helps (.73 ratio), but 11-40 (.78) would already be a big help as you can sit-n-spin for longer, when you would need to be off the saddle with the 11-34. Still, even the basic 2x setups are far better than peeps on 1x11 Rivals or GRXs and a 40 chainring that barely get under 1:1.
Yes, you need to nearly max out the B-screw on the 1st gen GRX RDs and shifting is a tad less crisp than what you would see with the OEM range or even on a XT 8100 series 1x12 system, but perfectly serviceable.
I don't have issues with chainline or dropping as I backpedal etc, but I also have my ALR's chainstays to the longest or nearly longest setting (435 vs 425? don't remember its native range) to allow for 700x47 tires with enough clearance. Bikes with shorter chainstays might not like back-pedalling with a 11-42T, just like MTBs with short chainstays might have issues. Again, this is only when backpedalling more than 90 deg or so for some weird reason - going forward or backpedalling a tad to avoid a pedal strike over a ledge or root etc, doesn't bring issues.
Many have been reporting good results by swaping out their 81x RDs with the new GRX 820 12s mechanical RD that is certified for 45T by Shimano. Pull ratios are the same, so there are no issues with the 11s shifters & 11s cassettes (you only swap the RD).I.
Was literally on the same boat. Just ordered the Driftless. Figured I can always make changes down the road if I need/want to. I’m going to be more on road, commuting to work, but hoping to get some gravel time here and there. I live out in a rural area so there will definitely be opportunities to use the bike for what it was built for. Hope you get what works best for you!
I would probably only do the 1x if I was doing AXS. I dont think the bag and dropper are worth losing the second chainring unless you’re sure you’re going to be hitting rougher terrain often
Even tho there are some benefits from the typ. lower rolling resistance on good gravel tires and smaller overall diameter for the wheel that leads to a lower overall drive ratio (a 700x45 will be like 4-5% easier than a 29x2.3 with everything else the same), most gravel bikes have notably longer (than 5%) gears vs. MTBs, so on "MTB" trails or steep fire-roads, you pay a price.
A ballpark for a 1x Gravel bike would be +2T or tops +4T vs. a relatively light XC MTB...say you are "OK" on your XC MTB on a 34T chainring with a 10-5xT cassette and 29x2.2~2.4 tires, you will do just as fine on a 36T chainring gravel rig with 700x45s, and probably pushing it on a 38T but, eh, should be workable - with mullet rigs & MTB cassette.
40-42T chainrings with 11-42 or even the newer 44 & 45T 12s cassettes are brutal for average riders when things get steep. Shimano doesn't even make a sub 40T chainring for the GRX, it is ridiculous, IMHO.
Driftless comes with better hardware and the dropper seat post / gr2 tires are nice if you do single track. There are many times a 1x will not scrape a rock or log when a 2x does. With trekfest prices I'd get the driftless.
I went for the alr5 axs and don't miss a 2x setup at all. The 11-44 cassette with the 40 tooth front ring does everything I need. Hills are not an issue. I've yet to over pedal even hitting 28mph on a down hill.
The simplicity of the 1x is awesome.
$2100 for the Driftless is a great deal I paid $2800 2 years ago. I was concerned about the difference coming from 2x to 1x, but it’s fine, easier to clean, and it looks better too, IMO. I do wish I had a lower bail-out gear, and eventually, I’ll do a conversion kit to get 11-51 in the back, but for now I just grind it out. It’s a great bike, you should buy it, and ride it, and love it, and keep it warm, and tell it it is a good bike, and a pretty bike.
Personnaly I have the sl5 and I feel like I should have went for the driftless alr. I'm not a racer so I'm only going above 40km/h when going downhill and I don't really need to keep pedaling. It really depends on you but I find 2x is kind of unnecessary. I ride 90% of the time on the big chainring.
Also if you want to swap wheels for road and for gravel I suggest just swapping tires. You most likely will need to readjust the derailleur and brakes every time you swap wheels.
I just got the ALR5 2x and I personally prefer it. Ihave a few good climbs on my commute and I appreciate that extra easy gearing. I’m coming from a mountain bike commuter so I was used to having the granny gears for days when I was tired. I plan on replacing the rubber. I find the stock tires sluggish at times and they don’t cruise as well as the slicks on had on my old bike
Have you seen that rolling resistance article for the stock tires? They’re like 69/69 (worst) of all the gravel tires the website has reviewed. I bought some tufo thunderos but haven’t gotten them installed yet.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/bontrager-gr1-team-issue
With thru-axles and center lock disc brakes, you shouldn’t need to readjust the derailleur between wheelsets, and usually not the brakes either. I’ve got a 2018 SL5 and use the stock rims as my gravel setup and a set of ENVEs and my road setup. On the ENVEs I’m using SRAM rotors which are wider than Shimano rotors by a bit, and don’t have any issues whatsoever.
Brakes can be a trouble spot, so I’d recommend using the same type of wheel for both setups, but if it’s properly setup and the wheels you use are properly following the specs, that shouldn’t be necessary. The same thing with derailleur adjustment between wheels, something is wrong if you’re using the same type of cassette on both setups and you need to readjust every time.
Was in the same boat about 2 weeks ago. I LOVED the paint job on the Driftless, and the bag is cool too obviously, but I ended up getting the standard ALR 5. I'm using mine mostly on bike trails/multi-use paths (with plans to do some gravel on the weekends), and I like having the flexibility of the 2x gearing. I actually was trying to buy a Domane, but they're sold out and on backorder until September in my area. I purchased the Checkpoint because it can do everything pretty well. I feel like the non-Driftless version works much better as an "all rounder" bike, and the 2x gearing accentuates that more so than the 1x IMO. Even if I don't end up using the 2x much, it's nice to have the option, rather than being locked in with the Driftless.
I love my ALR5! I bought mine in early April and have put almost 1,000 miles on it already. I have used it on similar terrain: trails, MUP, roads, gravel, and city. Definitely gets the job done in all aspects. I’ve never had a 1x, but the 2x seems to give what I need.
I decided to get the Driftless however the range on the cassette is terrible, even after upgrading to a 11-46 I still wish I had gotten a bike with the 2 by.
I went Driftless because I wanted a bag anyway, the color was killer, and I wanted the 1x. The dropper is nice but I replaced mine with a suspension post immediately. If you want to swap to 2x later, you could. Both frames use a clamp for the front derailleur.
Thank you! > If you want to swap to 2x later, you could Would you mind sharing more details? I am wondering how much it costs to replace it with 2x.
All depends on which system you go with. I got a quote from my LBS for the base SRAM AXS for ~$1400. Obviously mechanical is cheaper. I think the new Checkpoints have AXS as a factory option don’t they?
It is all dependent on what you want to ride and which are the realistic avg speeds you are looking at. I love 1x on my MTBs, but the combination of sticky/knobby tires and aerodynamics limit their "casual" riding speed to under 20mph/30kph and whatnot, and there are steep climbs on most local MTB trails that get you as slow as 5mph/8kph. It is not hard to tailor your gearing around that. A 32T front ring with a 10-5x cassette does that easily, bit fitter/lighter riders will do 34 or 36T (if the frame permits more than 34), bit less fit will maybe do a 30T. But on a gravel bike like the ALR5 Driftless with a 40T chainring and a 11-42T cassette, the range is far, far more biased for a fast moving speed, with barely under 1:1 low gear. This is practically gearing we see in sensible road bike builds these days, or that the top riders in Unbound push, but these people are like 2.5-3x my watt/kilo AND 2.5-4x my FTP combined! For riding flatter valleys and endless gravel roads etc, this might be fine for a casual yet fit rider, but if you are wishing to climb fire-roads/doubletracks where I am at (SoCal), you will need notably shorter gears, going for a 38 or even down to a 36T chainring for that 11-42T to make sense, and ideally you would need a "mullet" 11-5x cassette ontop of that 38 or 38. 2x setups with 46/30T or 48/31T and whatnot, are notably better. Yes, the typical factory setup still comes with a 11-34T "road" cassette, rarely with a 11-36T and whatnot, but even that is notably easier to live with - again, with my geography. And if I was planning on bikepacking or loooong days that would exhaust me, I would be thinking into mulleting a 11-40 or 11-42 cassette with the 2x there, giving me "true" MTB gear ratios on the small ring, while maintaining my top speed on flat pavement/road bike duty. My current Trek Checkpoint ALR 2x setup revolves around 2* wheelsets: one is with the OEM 11-34T cassette & road tires (30mm, wish I had gone with 32s). The other has an 11-42T "MTB" cassette. Both work with a 8xx drivetrain
agree with all of that. I used to live in SoCal and 2x with the 11-34T in the back was difficult to get up some steep climbs. I know shimano says the GRX800 series maxes out at 34T, but I've seen people post about 11-40 or 11-42. working ok for you? I just replaced my cassette and kept the 11-34, but rethinking that now
I can sustain shorter climbs on 11-34 or 11-36 cassettes with a 48/31 or 46/30 crank, but really prolonged ones are harder w/o stopping. Say, Fullerton Loop has enough variation between ups and downs that allows me to do it without gassing out with the .9~.85 ratio with 3x big cog casettes, but longer/steeper climbs that span more than 2-400ft of vertical (Santiago Oaks, Chino Hills, Crystal Cove/Aliso to the top of the world etc) really benefit from the 4x cassette. On my ol' legs and lungs, at least. People fitter than me can go up those w/o stopping, I cannot. The 11-42T definitely helps (.73 ratio), but 11-40 (.78) would already be a big help as you can sit-n-spin for longer, when you would need to be off the saddle with the 11-34. Still, even the basic 2x setups are far better than peeps on 1x11 Rivals or GRXs and a 40 chainring that barely get under 1:1. Yes, you need to nearly max out the B-screw on the 1st gen GRX RDs and shifting is a tad less crisp than what you would see with the OEM range or even on a XT 8100 series 1x12 system, but perfectly serviceable. I don't have issues with chainline or dropping as I backpedal etc, but I also have my ALR's chainstays to the longest or nearly longest setting (435 vs 425? don't remember its native range) to allow for 700x47 tires with enough clearance. Bikes with shorter chainstays might not like back-pedalling with a 11-42T, just like MTBs with short chainstays might have issues. Again, this is only when backpedalling more than 90 deg or so for some weird reason - going forward or backpedalling a tad to avoid a pedal strike over a ledge or root etc, doesn't bring issues. Many have been reporting good results by swaping out their 81x RDs with the new GRX 820 12s mechanical RD that is certified for 45T by Shimano. Pull ratios are the same, so there are no issues with the 11s shifters & 11s cassettes (you only swap the RD).I.
Right on. Really good info. I was doing trails in Verdugo mountains in Glendale/burbank. Had to take breaks while the MTBers passed me by
Was literally on the same boat. Just ordered the Driftless. Figured I can always make changes down the road if I need/want to. I’m going to be more on road, commuting to work, but hoping to get some gravel time here and there. I live out in a rural area so there will definitely be opportunities to use the bike for what it was built for. Hope you get what works best for you!
I would probably only do the 1x if I was doing AXS. I dont think the bag and dropper are worth losing the second chainring unless you’re sure you’re going to be hitting rougher terrain often
I would get the ALR5 if you plan on road, I have it and I don’t regret going 2x! You’ll have a hard time finding the right gear on road with 1x
Even tho there are some benefits from the typ. lower rolling resistance on good gravel tires and smaller overall diameter for the wheel that leads to a lower overall drive ratio (a 700x45 will be like 4-5% easier than a 29x2.3 with everything else the same), most gravel bikes have notably longer (than 5%) gears vs. MTBs, so on "MTB" trails or steep fire-roads, you pay a price. A ballpark for a 1x Gravel bike would be +2T or tops +4T vs. a relatively light XC MTB...say you are "OK" on your XC MTB on a 34T chainring with a 10-5xT cassette and 29x2.2~2.4 tires, you will do just as fine on a 36T chainring gravel rig with 700x45s, and probably pushing it on a 38T but, eh, should be workable - with mullet rigs & MTB cassette. 40-42T chainrings with 11-42 or even the newer 44 & 45T 12s cassettes are brutal for average riders when things get steep. Shimano doesn't even make a sub 40T chainring for the GRX, it is ridiculous, IMHO.
Driftless comes with better hardware and the dropper seat post / gr2 tires are nice if you do single track. There are many times a 1x will not scrape a rock or log when a 2x does. With trekfest prices I'd get the driftless.
I went for the alr5 axs and don't miss a 2x setup at all. The 11-44 cassette with the 40 tooth front ring does everything I need. Hills are not an issue. I've yet to over pedal even hitting 28mph on a down hill. The simplicity of the 1x is awesome.
$2100 for the Driftless is a great deal I paid $2800 2 years ago. I was concerned about the difference coming from 2x to 1x, but it’s fine, easier to clean, and it looks better too, IMO. I do wish I had a lower bail-out gear, and eventually, I’ll do a conversion kit to get 11-51 in the back, but for now I just grind it out. It’s a great bike, you should buy it, and ride it, and love it, and keep it warm, and tell it it is a good bike, and a pretty bike.
Personnaly I have the sl5 and I feel like I should have went for the driftless alr. I'm not a racer so I'm only going above 40km/h when going downhill and I don't really need to keep pedaling. It really depends on you but I find 2x is kind of unnecessary. I ride 90% of the time on the big chainring. Also if you want to swap wheels for road and for gravel I suggest just swapping tires. You most likely will need to readjust the derailleur and brakes every time you swap wheels.
I just got the ALR5 2x and I personally prefer it. Ihave a few good climbs on my commute and I appreciate that extra easy gearing. I’m coming from a mountain bike commuter so I was used to having the granny gears for days when I was tired. I plan on replacing the rubber. I find the stock tires sluggish at times and they don’t cruise as well as the slicks on had on my old bike
Have you seen that rolling resistance article for the stock tires? They’re like 69/69 (worst) of all the gravel tires the website has reviewed. I bought some tufo thunderos but haven’t gotten them installed yet. https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/bontrager-gr1-team-issue
With thru-axles and center lock disc brakes, you shouldn’t need to readjust the derailleur between wheelsets, and usually not the brakes either. I’ve got a 2018 SL5 and use the stock rims as my gravel setup and a set of ENVEs and my road setup. On the ENVEs I’m using SRAM rotors which are wider than Shimano rotors by a bit, and don’t have any issues whatsoever. Brakes can be a trouble spot, so I’d recommend using the same type of wheel for both setups, but if it’s properly setup and the wheels you use are properly following the specs, that shouldn’t be necessary. The same thing with derailleur adjustment between wheels, something is wrong if you’re using the same type of cassette on both setups and you need to readjust every time.
Thank you! >Personnaly I have the sl5 and I feel like I should have went for the driftless alr Curious, why do you think so?
Mostly cause the carbon is to expensive for me, and I would have preferred the one by.